Burn Out Festival #8

Rechenzentrum Potsdam — the Artist High-Rise

The Rechenzentrum is one of Brandenburg's most exciting cultural venues — a GDR administration high-rise in the middle of Potsdam, where a socio-cultural center with workshops, studios, and event spaces has established itself since reunification. The courtyard is the house's open-air stage — an urban space with concrete, plants, graffiti, and studio windows, perfect for subculture festivals. Burn Out is one of the most established formats here.

Burn Out — Drum'n'Bass and More

The Burn Out Festival was founded in 2018 by the Stethoscope Crew (Clemens Trabert and Peter Wagner). The aim: high-caliber drum'n'bass, bass, and dubstep acts in an intimate open-air atmosphere, away from the big commercial bass festivals. Headliners come from the international bass scene (in the past, e.g., Kyrist from Cardiff, Vilify from Berlin, Uglydub, Brozzy), complemented by local acts from Potsdam, Berlin, and Leipzig. The festival typically runs from afternoon until midnight — daylight for the first sets, darkness and light show for the main part.

Festival Funding 2026 — Official Recognition

In 2026, the state capital Potsdam has included the Burn Out Festival in its official Festival Funding 2026 — alongside several other supported festivals in the city. This is the official recognition of an underground format that has persistently established itself in Potsdam's summer calendar over seven years. The exact date for the 8th edition in 2026 has not yet been publicly announced by the organizer as of May 2026 — the festival typically takes place on a late summer weekend (end of July or August). The lineup will be announced a few weeks before the date.

Values and Atmosphere

The festival has a clear political stance: "Racism, sexism, and homophobia have no place here!" — this statement from the organizers is not just a label but is consistently implemented in the selection of acts, awareness structures, and door policy. The audience is mixed: subculture scene from Potsdam and Berlin, students from the University of Potsdam and the Babelsberg Film University, international bass fans. Free entry or donation — the crew collects donations to cover artist fees and technical costs. If you're looking for Brandenburg electronic subculture beyond Berlin's major clubs, this is the place to be.