Making Space for Many Voices
With *The Session*, Sound Base Berlin is bringing a series of events to the HKW that builds on the tradition of open mics and jam sessions. From jazz jams and the folk scene’s hootenannies to hip-hop battles, spontaneous collective music-making has for decades created space for experimentation, exchange and the emergence of communities.
Image gallery
Eine Veranstaltung von The Session. Foto: Whiteshoottaa
Such formats have also shaped the Berlin music scene: the open-mic sessions at the Royal Bunker, a basement pub in Kreuzberg, in the late 1990s are a prime example of a self-organised music culture from which influential networks have emerged.
Against this backdrop, The Session offers a platform for musicians living in Berlin and brings together diverse musical perspectives. The special quality of these evenings stems from the fluid interaction between the stage and the audience: those who were just listening a moment ago can become an active part of the action themselves the very next moment. Simdal Ghebresellassie, the founder of The Session, will be discussing the opportunities this creates at Sound Base Berlin with Ndubisi Onyedieke from The Swag Jam. As is customary at The Session, the concert act will not be announced in advance at the HKW either.
Afterwards, the stage opens up to the audience, allowing anyone interested to perform alongside the live band.
- A conversation with Simdal Ghebresellassie (The Session) and Ndubisi Onyedieke a.k.a. RAH (The Swag Jam), moderated by Tamara Güçlü, in German
- Concert: Surprise Act
Followed by an open session – registration for interested musicians via The Session Berlin or by email
DJ sets: Pam Bam
Limited capacity; admission is not guaranteed
Additional information
Dates
December 2026
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