Few locations have thriven undeterred from the city’s post-Wende awakening till today’s boom. But Prenzl’Berg’s KulturBrauerei successfully made the transition, straddling the bridge between off-scene and mainstream with an eclectic mix of cultural events. And no wonder: the building itself is a true survivor. The old Schultheiss brewery was built in 1842, and remains one of the only well-preserved examples of industrial architecture in Berlin. This year, the multi-purpose, city block-sized complex – home to seven different clubs, bars and theatres – celebrates its twentieth anniversary. After the kick-off on September 1, there’ll be special events all year. On the big night: Theater RambaZamba, Polish street-theater artists Teatr Osmego Dnia and Israeli group Kenafayim will turn the Brauereihof (courtyard) into an open-air stage Frieden – Ein Fest, a reinterpretation of Aristophanes’ ancient comedy. Stick around for fireworks and DJs.

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Kathryn Bigelow’s Oscar-winning drama about an American bomb disposal unit in pre-escalation Baghdad (2005) is a stunner in its dense hyperrealism and minimalist structure. It’s tough for war flicks to completely avoid glorifying the action at least on some level – aka soldier porn – but Bigelow and her brilliant cast get it right, even while (or perhaps partly due to?) omitting any ideological nitpicking: you’ll have to figure out the big "Why?" on your own. OV with German subtitles.

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One glance at the poster is all you need to know about Barbarella. As a quick reminder: 1968. Who Can Save the Universe? Jane Fonda. Queen of the Galaxy. Space boots, laser gun and a barely there bikini. A fixture in pop culture for decades, few films have carried the cult tag as proudly as this one, but today it seems fewer people than you might think have actually ever seen Fonda (re)discover sexuality for future mankind. Here’s your chance to catch the original on the big screen – just in time before they butcher its charm with an all-but-inevitable blockbuster remake. English OV.

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One glance at the poster is all you need to know about Barbarella. As a quick reminder: 1968. Who Can Save the Universe? Jane Fonda. Queen of the Galaxy. Space boots, laser gun and a barely there bikini. A fixture in pop culture for decades, few films have carried the cult tag as proudly as this one, but today it seems fewer people than you might think have actually ever seen Fonda (re)discover sexuality for future mankind. Here’s your chance to catch the original on the big screen – just in time before they butcher its charm with an all-but-inevitable blockbuster remake. English OV.

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In one of the highlights of Arsenal’s ongoing Wim Wenders retrospective, young Bruno “Hitler” Ganz stars in what Nick Cage and Meg Ryan would later turn into high-quality kitsch with City of Angels. You may need to know some German to get the poetic musings (Rainer Maria Rilke served as an inspiration), but not for the beautiful black-and-white shots of a rundown pre-Wende cityscape. An all-time Berlin classic.

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The name gives away their sound, but you’d be hard-pressed to guess these face-tattooed rock greasers are actually from Bavaria. Sometimes credited with the invention of “trashabilly”, this band's jams cover topics like Hells Angels and Jack Daniels, or take on Johnny Cash songs with a twist. In any case, these guys know their shit and their live shows rarely disappoint, so check them out at what looks like the perfect venue: the rockin' Wild at Heart.

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Get Detroited big time by second wave Motor City vet Pullen and his younger colleague Elliott with the deep machine sound that so heavily influenced Berlin’s techno hype throughout the 2000s. The roof will be open as well, so step outside to catch some air and breathe in the stunning view of the city at dawn.

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The flatlanders are coming! For just the second time in two years, Flachlandfest is bringing Dutch and Flemish culture to Berlin. The three-day festival, hosted by Arena (Badeschiff, Glashaus etc), will feature contemporary young theater, dance, music, film, visual arts and literature of all sorts. And they've saved, the best for last with a midnight gig by Dutch über-rockers De Staat, who are deigning to stop by amidst their extensive summer festival touring schedule.

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The flatlanders are coming! For just the second time in two years, Flachlandfest is bringing Dutch and Flemish culture to Berlin. The three-day festival, hosted by Arena (Badeschiff, Glashaus etc), will feature contemporary young theater, dance, music, film, visual arts and literature of all sorts. Today, in the afternoon, the Wintertuin project turns poetry into pop songs at Badeschiff - but Saturday’s main event should be the yet-to-be-determined winner of the Flemish Popunt/Trix music contest taking place at Glashaus.

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The flatlanders are coming! For just the second time in two years, Flachlandfest is bringing Dutch and Flemish culture to Berlin. The three-day festival, hosted by Arena (Badeschiff, Glashaus etc), will feature contemporary young theater, dance, music, film, visual arts and literature of all sorts. On Friday, the Fest kicks off in spectacular fashion with some musical treats. At Glashaus, The Bony King of Nowhere, a singing/songwriting prodigy from Belgium, puts in an appearance, followed by band-contest sweepers Balthazar. Or you can walk over to the Club and put on your dancing clogs for Joachim's (a.k.a. Concolor’s) minimal tech-house grooves. EXBERLINER is giving away 3x2 weekend tickets for this event. Since the evenings will promise "Starry Nights", please tell us in what year Vincent van Gogh painted this famous picture. Send your answer to: win@exberliner.com

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Sick of the stiff self-importance of "serious" lit readings? At Kalkscheune's Die Schöne Party, the self-named "Sexbomben" intentionalize the unintentional comedy of erotic pulp fiction. The catch: it's all in German. But hobby-DJ and VIVA-vet Nilz Bokelberg will do his best to compensate for any missed punchlines.

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Whatever actual music Russia's Mpala Garoo may be hiding behind tags like "tropical lo-fi" and "sandal gaze", it sure sounds like something you'd wanna give a chance to on a hot summer night, especially when it's "Experimonday" at Kreuzberg's favorite upside-down basement. And even Garoo can't out-weird Tetsuya Hori's warbles, which are co-starring this time around.

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Former Wuhling frontwoman/"emotions-rocker" Anne Rolfs and Kevin Shea, who most recently beat up drumsets for a crazy free-jazz/noise-rock combo with the brilliant name Talibam!, perform a Berlin-Brooklyn doubleheader at Bang Bang Club. Come with an open mind.

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The "Kantine" next to Berghain has made a name for itself with its smaller, beyond-mainstream DJ gigs at Wednesdays' Killekill parties. This Sunday, however, it's hosting a colorful beer garden-themed event with culinary booths, vaudevillian entertainment for kids, live music (which, incredibly, even includes the non-electric kind!) and a few other surprises.

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For the second year in a row, Bar 25 is opening the gates of its famous grown-ups' playground - usually reserved for endless nights-turned-days of electro-drug music - to the acoustic sounds of (anti-)folk crooners, country-rock singer-songwriters and the associated Öko-crowd. And why not? It worked well last time, plus it can't hurt to take a break from techno at least once a summer... The line-up includes Stanley Brinks, Masha Qrella, François & the Atlas Mountains and Chuckamuck, among many others.

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Just can't wait for this year's Jenseits von Millionen festival (August 6-7)? You know, the one that seems to get it right year after year with its two-euros-for-charity concept that allows you to enjoy some quality indie rock in friendly setting with a clean social conscience? Catch a glimpse of the pleasures to come at Magnet Club on Friday: live gigs by Ter Haar and Peer, plus various DJ sets.

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Multi-style veteran rockers Jethro Tull (never count out that flute!) are still around after four decades and 30 albums, doing shows with Dylan-like resilience and frequency. Tonight, they'll be jamming out in the open at Zitadelle Spandau under the apt motto "a retrospective in rock". Soari Jo opens.

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Under his "Harry Axt" alias, Daniel Steinberg has released some techno of the weirder sort. Unsettling voice samples and twisted sound effects are perhaps not everyone's cup of tea, but what better place to give them a shot than Tresor's industrial labyrinth? In any case, you can never go wrong with local fave Holger Nielson a.k.a. Holgi Star who seems to be spinning almost every night these days.

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This so-called “Campfire Session” at Madame Claude promises good old atmospheric home-made indie folk - but don’t act all surprised if Nadine And The Prussians throw in the occasional drum loop or start fiddling with non-organic musical devices. After all, it will only add to the mood.

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Michigan-based garage-punk-rockers Awesome Color may have lost a bit of their customary oomph! with their latest release "Massa Hypnos", but don't be too hasty to draw conclusions about their live shows. The gig is (aptly) being held at Bang Bang Club: pack ear plugs. Transmit opens.

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With the "OHSOTRUE Sessions", Badeschiff’s summer calendar has dramatically upped its ante since 2009, and Sunday's showcase of Etienne Jaumet serves as Exhibit A. Jaumet's otherworldly experimental and psychedelic electronics blew minds last year on his solo debut “Night Music”: the perfect sounds for a strung-out evening by the Spree.

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Here’s another weekend full of arguments in favor of spending a good 20 or so hours in Berlin’s most famous nocturnal rabbit hole. Local great Gregor Thresher headlines Saturday night in Berghain, while Circus Company takes over Panorama Bar. Nicolas Jaar tops it all off with a live set. And don’t miss Dinky and Andre Galluzzi’s birthday party at midnight on Sunday!

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New Zealand trio Electric Wire Hustle's gig at Bohannon marks the day “Every Waking Hour” – their debut full length – officially drops. What the band itself likes to call “future soul” blends into hip hop, funk, electronica and more, to the delight of nightclubbers and critics alike.

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Art lovers too lazy for gallery hopping but eager for visual overkill: flock to Wedding for the second annual 12-hour art marathon, Helter Skelter! Here, you'll find a dozen randomly assembled hour-long presentations by three artists each, ranging from performance art to installations and wall works, plus live music… and cake and paella and beer. What more could an aesthete possibly ask for? Champagne reception at 14:00; the first show starts at 15:00.

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As founding member of Public Enemy and the Bomb Squad, Hank Shocklee is by all accounts a hip hop legend - but he isn’t resting on his laurels: he’s turned his love for sampling and bass into dubstep now, and will headline Bar 25’s Friday Nights Are Special alongside regulars The Mole and Mike Shannon.

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