Meet The Light Technician:
Pareka
27 July 2026
Meet The Light Technician:
Pareka
27 July 2026
Q: You play music, run a label, and do light at a well-known Berlin club: Three different roles in the same scene. Which one came first, and how do they fit together for you?
A: First I started to organize parties in my small hometown to make non-commercial music accessible to the scene there and to have an opportunity to play. Light was already important to me at this point, but I never operated during the events. When I moved to Berlin, I decided to establish the label because it felt natural after many years of being a little part of the scene to press my musical vision on vinyl. More or less at the same time, I got the offer to do the lights in my favorite disco, and I was super hyped to deep dive into this topic. It was not planned and happened quite organic. Now I am more than happy that I can combine all these roles, and it gives me a lot of inspiration to work in different facets.
n.b.k. Neuer Berliner Kunstverein
Guerrilla Girls
Kvost—Kunstverein Ost
Izabella Gustowska
Berlinische Galerie
Jeewi Lee
Galerie Thomas Schulte
Katharina Sieverding
Galerie Neu
Jeremy Shaw
Galerie Molitor
Nika Kutateladze
Levy Galerie
Renate Bertlmann
Georg Kolbe Museum
Everybody
Julia Stoschek Foundation Berlin
Matt Lambert
Embassy of Italy
Berlinde De Bruyckere | Caravaggior
Q: How do you decide what colours and effects fit a moment, are you reacting to the music, the crowd, or both? Is there a colour or effect you go to when you need to bring the energy up, versus pulling it down?
A: I try to translate the music into light and, to be honest, I listen to my belly. In general, it is important to be maximum equal with the music, not over it. The lighting should never be above the music. I try to create a cozy dance floor where you feel comfortable and where you can follow the set in a visual way. If the set is dynamic, the light is dynamic. If the set is trippy, the light is trippy. It can be so uplifting when, after a dark part, a warm track comes in and you bring slowly the warm white blinders on and you can see the smiling faces. In contrast to the warm embrace, there are more flashy moments where people just start to scream. It is fascinating how you can control, in a way, what the floor is doing and how big the impact can be, how the people experience the party.
Q: Can light and music exist without each other, or are they actually the same thing wearing different forms?
A: I think it depends in what context you compare these forms. Often, more is less, but if you are going to a club, it is a multidimensional experience. Light and music are speaking their own languages, but at the same time, they understand each other.
"Outside a club, art often stands on its own, but the magic happens when you mix different art forms without rules or without a plan. This makes the experience so unique and elevates the atmosphere and vibe."
Q: What's the most unforgettable set you've ever worked, who was playing, and what made that one stick with you?
A: I can not name one specific set. I had many which touched me deeply and where I was thinking about it weeks after. I often work with friends together, and I love the days before the Klubnacht where you write each other multiple times how excited and motivated you are. With this kind of energy, you already start different into the set, and it gets way more emotional if you know the person you work with. The most unforgettable sets are those when you cry at the end and you can not believe what happened the last hours and where you are just thankful that you had the chance to experience that.
Q: What's changed in Berlin's nightlife since you started, and where do you think it's actually heading?
A: The nightlife nowadays is difficult. A few years ago, it was normal to just go with the flow, and you had nights where you visited more than one club or bar. Because everything is getting more expensive, I think the people plan more instead of just starting into the weekend, where you do not know where you end up. The spontaneous, funny nights which you tell all the friends about the days after are rare, and this has a big impact on the club scene. I really hope that we get this back someday because the best nights are the spontaneous nights.
Q: Where do you actually go out when you're not working?
A: If I have a weekend off, I try to recharge the batteries, and I like to cook, discover new restaurants, or just do something which is not music- or light-related. To do so many things at the same time can be really exhausting, and because it is mostly creative work, it is important to keep in mind that creativity is not something which you can just retrieve in the moment you need it. Sometimes it is good to have a little distance, and when you are back at work, you feel inspired again. Or… I just end up in the disco anyways.
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