- biography –

A not so long time ago, in a sound galaxy not too far away.... 
Benjamin Karl Pfennings, commonly known under his alter ego Carl Benson among music lovers nowadays, was born as an early child of the eighties. Since then, two fateful experiences particularly had a life-defining impact on him: Star Wars and Techno

Whether this force already set the course for his later affinity to the nightlife, or fatherly genes had an affect on his attraction, is written in the stars. Fact is, after a period of youthful musical transgressions Carl steps into his father’s shoes in the prime of his puberty and starts playing drums. Death metal is on, however his own band is crowned with short success. After only two gigs Carl jumps ship and leaves his drum sticks for the power of the electronic bass drum as the techno virus caught him instantly. And so the not too ungifted drummer turned into an accomplished DJ!

First self-organised parties, Stylecharts, a steadily growing booking network... defining his sound goes hand-in-hand with building up a fan base. At Studio Club Essen he seems to have found home, not only from a musical point of view, turning the dj booth into his navigation bridge. As the clubs first official resident, Carl continuously proves himself by playing next to international DJ legends and not rarely turns out as the joker of the night himself. Mighty beats, galactic grooves and an incomparable hit rate when it comes to choosing the next perfect track, the Benson-trademark-sound is difficult to explain, but even harder to resist. And it has become an integral part of clubs and festivals all over Nordrhein-Westfalen. With a pair of decks and a crowd in front of him, he’s literally performing to his best, turning each of his set into an unforgettable saga. His other trademark, the obligatory towel around his neck, is never to be missed.

With ‘Glück Auf’ the fellow resident is currently hosting his very own club night at Studio Club Essen in partnership with Frau Schwarzmann, proving local patriotism by setting the spotlight strictly on promising talents hailing from the Rhine-Ruhr area. 

And even though to his own regrets he’s not the bloody son of Darth Vader, he certainly is a true Jedi of the West German techno alliance.


Osman Elli is following