SchwuZ comeback party at the Metropol: Berlin nightlife revival

SchwuZ comeback party at the Metropol on May 16 will be held in Berlin’s Nollendorf neighborhood, marking a single-night return of the club under the SchwuZ name in a central location.

The Metropol is a traditional Berlin venue that opened in 1906 as a theater and was used in the 1980s as a concert hall and disco, reflecting its long-running presence in the city’s cultural life.

Notable moments in the venue’s history include Depeche Mode’s first Berlin performance and techno-era events such as Westbam performing on the ground floor while the LOFT Club operated upstairs from 1983, which played a role in introducing the (acid) house sound to Berlin alongside UFO.

The Metropol historically primarily attracted a gay and leather-affine crowd.

The SchwuZ comeback party’s lineup includes performances by Agnes Mitchell, Anna Klatsche, Biggy van Blond, Caramel Mafia, Gloria Viagra, Kakao Katze, PornoZ, Sasha Glam, and Venny Stark. These artists are scheduled to appear across the event programme and make up the advertised roster for the night.

In addition to the single event, the SchwuZ association plans to stage regular events from mid-May at various locations, extending its programming beyond this show. SchwuZ closed last November after 48 years due to financial difficulties, and the association has said it is still searching for a new permanent venue while organising interim activities.

Marcel Rohrlack is the chairman of the SchwuZ association and remains involved in coordinating the club’s next steps.

The Metropol opened in 1906 as a theater and later became one of Berlin’s traditional performance venues. In the 1980s the building was used as a concert hall and disco, hosting a range of popular and live acts during that decade. Notable moments in the venue’s timeline include Depeche Mode’s first Berlin performance, which took place at the Metropol. Its long-running presence places it among several century-old cultural sites in the city.

During the early years of Berlin techno, Westbam performed on the Metropol’s ground floor while the LOFT Club operated upstairs from 1983, contributing to the venue’s association with emerging electronic sounds. The Metropol helped introduce the (acid) house sound to Berlin alongside venues and collectives such as UFO. Over successive decades the building hosted both mainstream concerts and underground electronic events, reflecting shifts in musical programming. This layered musical history informs the venue’s reputation within the city’s club and concert scenes.

The Metropol primarily attracted a gay and leather-affine crowd during parts of its history, giving it a distinct social profile among Berlin nightlife locations. Its programming and audience mix across the 20th and 21st centuries linked theatrical, pop and club cultures under one roof. Those historical roles help explain why contemporary queer-oriented events have chosen the site for special occasions. The venue’s past functions establish a context for its continued use as a gathering place for diverse communities.

SchwuZ stands for SchwulenZentrum (Gay Center) and was the first gay club in Germany. It first opened in Schöneberg in 1977 and later moved to Kreuzberg before most recently serving as a gathering place in Rollberg, Neukölln. The club operated under the SchwuZ name across those locations for decades. Its recorded moves trace the venue’s physical history within Berlin.

SchwuZ closed last November after 48 years due to financial difficulties. In a GROOVE interview, Martin Ostwald discusses the club’s history and ongoing challenges for the association. The association has said “We are still looking for our new home, but we couldn’t wait any longer. This is the beginning of a new era for SCHWUZ,” and organisers have announced interim activities and events from mid-May at various locations.

The SchwuZ association released several public statements about the club’s immediate situation and plans, including the lines: “We are still looking for our new home, but we couldn’t wait any longer. This is the beginning of a new era for SCHWUZ,” and “Only in our own space can SchwuZ become the queer living room again that it was for nearly five decades. Anyone who wants to rent out a club: Call us!” These quoted lines were published by the association and frame the organisation’s dual focus on securing a permanent venue while restarting activities through interim events. The wording explicitly invites offers to rent suitable club spaces and characterises the upcoming period as a new phase for SchwuZ.

Marcel Rohrlack is identified as the chairman of the SchwuZ association in the available material, and the organisation’s public communications reflect ongoing coordination of events and venue searches. In a GROOVE interview, Martin Ostwald discusses the club’s history and the association’s ongoing challenges; the available sources do not provide extended verbatim quotes from Ostwald within the published summary. The published statements collectively underline a search for a new home, planning of interim events, and an appeal to venue owners to contact the association.

CONCLUSION

The SchwuZ comeback party at the Metropol is scheduled for May 16, and the SchwuZ association plans to stage regular events from mid-May at various locations. SchwuZ closed last November after 48 years due to financial difficulties, and the association says it continues to look for a new permanent venue. Marcel Rohrlack is identified as the chairman of the SchwuZ association and is involved in organising interim activities. The association has described the forthcoming events as a restart of activity while it pursues a long-term home.

In public statements the association said, “We are still looking for our new home, but we couldn’t wait any longer. This is the beginning of a new era for SCHWUZ.” It also said, “Only in our own space can SchwuZ become the queer living room again that it was for nearly five decades. Anyone who wants to rent out a club: Call us!” In a GROOVE interview, Martin Ostwald discusses the club’s history and the ongoing challenges facing the association.