In recent months there has been a lot of excitement about inaugural Berlin Psych Fest, set to take place on the weekend of April 18-19, but in the last day or so that excitement has turned into confusion. The event was originally booked at Postbahnhof in the German capital, but that no longer seems to be the case. The tone among fans and bands alike has varied from uncertainty to frustration to anger. Artists have already begun to jump ship, with Dead Rabbits and The Wands among those who have announced they will no longer be participating.
The fest’s promoter has made a few statements via the event’s Facebook page. The first was an attempt at some much sought clarification:
Soon after the following was posted:
I received a message also stating that a venue has been found and details will be announced in the coming week.
What appears to have people incensed about the whole thing, and understandably so, is the fact that a number of tickets have already been purchased, including by those outside Germany who had booked trips revolving around the festival. It remains to be seen whether Berlin Psych Fest’s promoters can stop the bleeding before more bands drop off the bill, and if they can make amends with the fans and participants who have become increasingly skeptical recently. We hope, for the sake of music and the fans for whom festivals ideally exist, that everything sorts itself out and everyone involved gets what they signed up for.