Baroeg

Baroeg is the premier Rotterdam music venue focusing on hard and alternative music. With over 30 years of experience in styles such as metal, punk, rock, gothic, hard rock, and industrial, Baroeg is the home base for the underground music lover.

Music venue Baroeg

In 1981, Baroeg began as an open youth center and was a valued part of the Rotterdam district of Lombardijen, located on Spinozaweg in Spinozapark. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, there was much unrest among young people. An economic crisis and massive youth unemployment were the causes. Jongerenwerk Zuid established an initiative committee. Thanks to them, a memorandum was written regarding youth work in South Rotterdam. This formed the basis for the creation of Baroeg. On May 6, 1981, the Open Youth Center Baroeg Foundation was established with the aim of promoting and realizing opportunities for recreation, meeting, and communication for young people in Rotterdam and Nieuw-Zuid, as well as providing information, assistance, and advocacy.

A rejected architectural design for another youth center, Kaassee, was used for the Baroeg building. OJC Baroeg is located on Spinozaweg. Baruch de Spinoza was a Dutch philosopher and political thinker in the 17th century. Young people participated in furnishing the building themselves. The building was officially opened on October 2, 1982.

The name is a corruption of the first name of Baruch Spinoza, after whom these locations are named. Many youth activities were organized, such as the monthly 'kids gabber party' for young people under 16 in the 1990s. Sports nights were also organized featuring kickboxing, aerobics, jazz ballet, and self-defense. Activities were organized every afternoon, and a darkroom and a screen printing room were added.