Squat village
Today, I went to meet someone I’d been put in touch with by a mutual friend. We had ingwertees and kaffe lattes and talked. She was nice, and invited me to her birthday party next weekend.
I struggled back out and went to a noise gig at a squat in Friedrichshain. The place is on a corner, opposite another huge squat and around the corner from an occupied church. There are banners hanging from all the windows and graffiti everywhere and the area felt like a sort of squat paradise.
I went in, down the crowded corridor, squeezed into the gig room and watched a woman play a good set of ghostly noise and shimmering singing. Then, I stood against the wall and watched the next band set up and exchanged unsynchronised glances with a crazy hot person who I couldn’t figure for a boy or girl. They had a strong jaw-line and inviting lips and sly eyes. Finally, the guitarist and the electronics guy were ready and the vampire/angel/chiffon-wrapped singer began reading out a piece of text in German in a witch’s voice. The noise began and it was that harrowing, grinding, bassy type of noise. It crescendoed slowly and I began to feel slightly worried. The singer began painting strips of a t-shirt with black oil and handing them out to members of the audience. After twenty minutes, I realised I was actually rather panicked and walked outside. I remember once a friend from Northerncity, Tech Boy, came home from a Khanate gig and said he had to re-evaluate his life and then reportedly lay awake all night.
I smoked a cigarette leaning against the wall. Some people were standing around a barrel fire, adding smashed up palette wood and talking. Another group was gathered around the door. I looked up and watched the sparks from the fire and felt like this was land truly reclaimed by squatters, like it was another world. After my second cigarette, I felt calm again.
I went back in and watched the next guy, then left and went to the church and danced a little.
Squat meet
This evening I went to a meeting at a squatted residential and social centre near my house. I want to get involved in more political stuff. The people at the meeting – mostly residents – were very nice and welcoming. They talked about house business and whether its OK for people to consistently freeload food from their socials. I think I might get involved in the cinema and the cafe.
I love how squats can be so different, but have the same order of mess and detritus, the same ill-conceived room layouts and over-flowing ashtrays. They always feel like dens.
And, for the millionth time, I have a feeling of possibility following a new experience.