Lab.oratory

Lab.oratory operates as a monthly event rather than a weekly venue — which is part of what makes it so significant. Held in the basement of Berghain, the space it occupies is industrial in the most literal sense: exposed concrete, chains, the infrastructure of a former turbine plant now repurposed as the setting for Berlin's most serious fetish event. The dress code is leather, rubber, or uniform — strictly enforced at the door. The event is specifically for gay and bisexual men. Inside, the combination of the industrial space, the fetish crowd, the darkness, and the music (industrial electronic, not commercial techno) creates an environment that exists nowhere else in Berlin and very few places in Europe. Lab.oratory has been running since the early years of Berghain and is one of the founding institutions of Berlin's leather scene. During Folsom Europe weekend and Berlin Leather Week, Lab.oratory events are among the most heavily attended of the week's programming. The monthly schedule means sold-out events and advance ticket purchase is essential.