- With its slick interior, relaxed door staff and broad music policy, Prince Charles is an alternative to some of Berlin's grittier clubs. But don't let that put you off: parties at the Kreuzberg spot are often excellent. Friday night, hosted by house-leaning promoter Luvthang, featured rising talent Jordon Alexander, AKA Mall Grab. The fresh-faced Australian DJ and producer enjoyed a meteoric rise in 2016, climbing from relative obscurity to a spot in RA's 2016 DJ poll seemingly overnight.
The queue was already long when I arrived. After ditching my coat, I entered the club to the sounds of residents Vinc and Jesse Para going back-to-back. The duo took turns dishing out disco house cuts as a noticeably young crowd piled onto the wooden dance floor. Tunes like DJ Koze's edit of Låpsley's "Operator" had the place jumping early, quickly thawing out any punters who were still feeling the mid-winter chill.
TRP, an up-and-comer on Jimmy Asquith's Lobster Theremin label, broke with the jovial vibe. The bespectacled German went straight in with Neinzer's "The Beacon," a hazy number that set a deeper tone. The next two hours were a relentless blend of crunchy hi-hats and dubby beats. Occasionally, TRP would pause to readjust his glasses before tweaking the EQ, pumping out another chunky bassline via the crisp Funktion-Ones.
When Mall Grab took over at 3:30 AM, the room was uncomfortably rammed. I jostled for a spot up front, eager to see what all the hype was about. I'd heard that his performances were energetic, and, true to form, he set off at a canter, mixing barnstorming '90s house (Bizarre Inc.'s "Playing With Knives," Ce Ce Rogers' "Someday") with his own boisterous material, including tracks off his forthcoming Pool Party Music EP. People climbed benches and swarmed the booth to catch a glimpse of the 23-year old bobbing and weaving behind the decks. He played with a confidence that belied his age.
Vinc, Jesse Para and Kevin STN joined Mall Grab for the final stretch and all four DJs removed their tops. A gang of sweaty revellers at the front followed suit. This kind of behaviour might not be to everybody's taste, but at Prince Charles, a club that doesn't take itself too seriously, it worked. Come 7 AM on Saturday morning, there can't have been many ravers in the city having as much fun as the Luvthang crew.