When History Sits at the Table
Some evenings don’t come from a grand plan, but from a good opportunity. And sometimes you only realize, once you’re right in the middle of it, that you’re sitting in a group that’s quite special in its own way.
Last night in Berlin, Titus from Rabenauge, nd! from Alpha Flight, Matt from Haujobb, and Mr. Z, certainly better known to many as Mr. Zero Page, got together. A true legend, a name that carries weight, and someone who still holds a special place in the history of the scene to this day.
Representing TRSI were W.O.T.W., Madison, Anybody and Astaroth.
Meeting people who are so closely tied to the origins of TRSI and the history of the scene back then is always something special. Back then, Mr. Zero Page was a cracker at Red Sector, and thus part of an era that continues to shape many of us to this day. An era that gave rise not only to releases, groups, and names, but also to stories, connections, and memories that go far beyond the actual technology.
Of course, we also talked about the old days that evening. How could it be any other way? When people with this shared past sit around a table, the memories just come flooding back. Names, places, releases, parties, old anecdotes, and those little details you can’t plan for but that come back instantly when someone mentions the right keyword.
But it wasn’t just about the past.
And that’s exactly what made the evening so wonderful. It wasn’t just about looking back or reliving the old days. It was also about the here and now. About what the scene is today. About what has remained. About what has changed. About people who have grown older but still have stories to tell, still show interest, and still feel that special connection that’s hard to explain if you haven’t experienced it yourself.
The conversation with nd! from Alpha Flight was also particularly enjoyable. There are encounters where you quickly realize that it’s not just old names sitting at the table, but people with character, experience, humor, and a genuine perspective on things. Such conversations are rarely spectacular, but they stick with you. Because they’re honest. Because they have substance. And because you realize just how much history these people embody, without them being defined solely by that history. The same goes, of course, for Mr. Zero Page.
We have Matt from Haujobb to thank for making this evening happen at all. Sometimes you need exactly the kind of people who build connections, set things in motion, and ensure that people come together who might not otherwise have met in this setting. A big thank you for that, Matt.
In the end, it was one of those evenings that you don’t need to artificially make bigger than they were, because they’re already big enough on their own. No stage, no program, no compo, no official event. Just people gathered around a table who’ve been through a lot, had plenty to talk about, and shared exactly that for a few hours.
For us, this evening was enriching. Not only because old connections came to light, but because it became clear once again that the scene isn’t just about releases, logos, music, code, or old stories. The scene is made up of people. Of encounters. Of conversations. Of moments when the past and the present sit side by side as a matter of course.
And when someone like Mr. Zero Page is at the table, when you talk to nd!, when Titus, Matt, and the TRSI crew get together, you feel very clearly once again why all of this still matters to so many of us today.
It was a wonderful evening.
An evening with great people.
An evening steeped in history.
An evening in the here and now.
And it’s exactly evenings like these that remind you why this scene still lives on inside you.
