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Berlin musician Sugbear, co-founder of the acclaimed Swag Jam, is launching a new monthly live-music night, Sug’s Vibes, at Drinkhall Venue in Kreuzberg on Saturday, 17 October. The event will feature live performances by Sugbear and his house band, guest artist Inge, DJ sets and an open jam session, with entry at only €5.
Berlin’s Black music community and lovers of live African and urban sounds have a new date for their calendars. Sug’s Vibes Vol. 01 launches on Saturday, 17 October 2026, at Drinkhall Venue in Kreuzberg, promising an evening of live music, spontaneous collaborations and DJ sets in an open, welcoming atmosphere.
The event is led by Sugbear, the American-born guitarist who helped co-found Berlin’s celebrated Swag Jam in 2011. For 13 years, Swag Jam brought musicians and audiences together every Tuesday at Badehaus on the RAW-Gelände, hosting more than 600 nights of live hip-hop, soul, jazz and neo-afrobeat. Its guests included internationally acclaimed artists Erykah Badu and Robert Glasper, and the series received the State of Berlin’s Listen to Berlin Award in 2022.
Rising costs forced Swag Jam to scale back to a monthly event in February 2025. Now, Sugbear is creating a new platform of his own, presented by Berlin music collective Afro Heist, with a simple idea: keep live music accessible and give musicians room to experiment, connect and perform.
“Music is love. Berlin gave me a stage, and Sug’s Vibes is me giving one back. Bring your friends, bring your instrument. Food for the soul, every third Saturday,” says Sugbear.
Inge brings neo-soul to the opening night
The first edition features Berlin-based singer and guitarist Inge, whose original songs are written in English. She is also known for her interpretations of music by Erykah Badu, Sade and Prince, and has previously joined the Swag Jam as a guest performer.
The evening begins at 8pm, with a selector setting the mood before Sugbear and the house band take the stage at 9pm. Inge and other featured artists will perform with the band from around 10.05pm.
Later, the format opens up to musicians in the room. During the open-stems session, participants can sign up to perform over musical stems, creating opportunities for spontaneous collaborations between established artists, emerging talent and instrumentalists who simply want to join in. DJs will keep the music going until 2am.
Keeping live music affordable
Affordability is central to the project. With rising costs making it increasingly difficult for independent venues, musicians and audiences to sustain Berlin’s live-music culture, the organisers have deliberately kept admission low.
“Live music in Berlin is getting harder to afford, for venues and for audiences alike. We kept the door at five euros on purpose. A night like this should belong to the neighbourhood, not just to people who can pay club prices,” says Akinwande Lalude, director of Afro Heist.
The collective works across Afro house, Amapiano and live-jam events, supporting both emerging and established artists. Through Sug’s Vibes, it aims to help sustain the grassroots music culture that has long made Berlin a meeting point for international sounds.
Event details
- Event: Sug’s Vibes Vol. 01
- Date: Saturday, 17 October 2026
- Doors open: 8pm; live music from 9pm
- Venue: Drinkhall Venue, Oranienstraße 36, 10999 Berlin-Kreuzberg, near Kottbusser Tor
- Entry: €5 at the door
- Tickets and information: sugsvibes.afroheist.com
The organisers plan to hold Sug’s Vibes every third Saturday of the month, with the next editions scheduled for 21 November and 19 December 2026.
For Berlin’s Black community, musicians and fans of African and Afro-diasporic sounds, Sug’s Vibes offers more than a night out. It is an invitation to support local live music, discover new talent, bring an instrument and become part of the sound.
Vivian Asamoah
