This Thursday the Pop Kultur festival/showcase kicks off again. The yearly event is once again in Kulturbrauerei, presenting a ton of workshops, films, showcases, gigs and parties.
Organised by the Music Board, its two artistic directors are Christian Morin and Martin Hossbach, and we managed to grab them for a little chat.
indieBerlin: How do you think the pop/culture scene has developed in Berlin over the last
years?
Christian Morin: There has been a lot of influx from outside, which is always good. I think the scene is more lively and diverse than ever.
Martin Hossbach: I agree with Christian. It has become much more international which I love.
Great pop culture has many layers and meanings, much more than you’d think initially.
indieBerlin: What is the Pop Kultur to you?
Christian Morin: It represents not only the music, but also the surrounding cultural, social and political environment that interacts with the creation of art.
Martin Hossbach: For me, it’s art that appeals to a lot of people. I like art that in itself is difficult and complex but still easy to look at, to listen to or to read. Great pop culture has many layers and meanings, much more than you’d think initially.
There has been a lot of influx from outside…the scene is more lively and diverse than ever.
indieBerlin: What would you like to see happening in the Berlin music scene that isn’t?
Christian Morin: Not sure, what to say. Cooperation with others, that have a different perspective is always good.
Martin Hossbach: I’m not an artist, so musically I always let myself be surprised by what musicians come up with. I couldn’t tell you what’s missing. In terms of structures: rehearsal space is important, we need more of it. And it needs to be affordable.
indieBerlin: Which bands/performances are you most excited to see at the Pop-Kultur festival this year?
Christian Morin: Definitely the concert by Molchat Doma from Minsk and the one hour pop-opera Commissioned Work of Wagners “Der Ring” by 21 Downbeat feat. Jens Friebe.
Martin Hossbach: Christian and me spend most of our daytime looking for acts to perform at Pop-Kultur, we travel, we ask labels, agents and friends for advice… our lists of interesting artists are several metres long. So I really am looking forward to each and everyone. Having said that, I will not be able to check out all the events we’ve programmed, so if I should name one or three acts, it would be… no, I won’t tell you. I can’t!
indieBerlin: Where would you like to see the Pop-Kultur go – how would you like to see it
develop?
Christian Morin: I think, we got quite far within 5 years of work. I would like it to be the hub of inspiration and new thoughts within the field Popkultur.
Martin Hossbach: I’d want to have even more collaborations between artists from all over the world in the festival and also I’d like know that we’ll have funding secured for the next couple of years which we could use to develop our commissioned works section further, become on the hand even more experimental and on the other hand even more pop.
indieBerlin: Name the three music artists from Berlin that you’re most excited about at the
moment?
Christian Morin: Andrra, Hope and Catnapp.
Martin Hossbach: I’ll keep that a secret.
Check out the Pop-Kultur website with all info, ticketing etc
