Day 2: Gema, What is Gema?!

iIn my quest to become a Berlin Dj I,ve frequented the idea that promotion is the key to any business. Ultimately if you can create a promotional angle that targets and interests a certain crowd, then you can succeed. How about trying to target everybody? Today my goal was to create a mobile dj setup to perform in the streets of Berlin in order to create some sort of birth for my DJ career here. Of course this is not easy given that this is the DJ capital of the world, but whatever. So I started my day as yesterday, hopping on a train to get somewhere that i had no clue how to get to. My adress in hand and still fearing the looking down upon of others I slowly made my way to an area of Berlin known as Charlottenberg. Surprisingly easy. That is with the help of a Berlin U bahn app, but lets just say I'm pioneering berlin little by little ;). Of course it being berlin there had to be some sort of weirdness that ensued in my travels, and lo and behold I was met with it in the form of a very large group of friends on the u6. These people had the courtesy to take every seat in site, leaving me with a modest sliver of a chair to which i intended to fill up completely. But not only did they kindly take up the train with their physical selves but also blessed the rest of the passengers with the most ear piercing group conversation ever heard. The one thing I can say about the people of berlin is that they do love to share their opinions. After a slightly akward train ride I made my way through Charlottenburg to my destination of a DJ shop known as Electronic Star. A very well stocked Dj shop. As I walked in the door I was let with eyes and a halo! I quickly explained that I didnt speak german but needed help. From the corner of the shop came a response of "I speak english!" Although most berliners can speak enough english to get by they are embarassed to, so the few that can really speak it are very proud, as was this man. One of the big problems in Germany is the strict music laws that are put in to place. Due to fear of piracy a group called GEMA has created laws forcing anyone who wants to perform music legally to license their music. Everyone seems to know about it but no one really seems to care, so I figured before I invest in a mini mobile Dj rig I better know whats up. So I asked, Whats up with GEMA? The look on his face was one of humor, almost as if someone had told him a joke and he didnt know how to respond. He proceeded to tell me that it was basically a bunch of bull and I shouldnt even worry about it. "So what about performing?" "If anyone bothers you give them the middle finger and get the fuck out of there" Though his responses seemed fueled by the hate of GEMA I figured I might as well just go for it so I ordered a mobile mini speaker. He said my story wasn't the first, that many DJs from America illegally DJ and no one really cares, reasssurance. I made my way back on the U7 and went out for a really great schnitzel at a restaurant called Austria. When ordering, the waiter informed me that the schnitzel came in a manly size and a lady size. Being challenged by Germans aint no joke. I ordered the manly size in an instant. And I ate the whole thing despite not fully wanting to. Naturally being an American people think you have the potential to consume a nation, so Im sure he wasnt surprised when I ate the whole thing. I succesfuly completed step one in my quest to promotion, and got some helpful advice from a stranger today. Can't wait to really begin my journey!