On the Southern outskirts of Rotterdam, in a slightly unlikely location, on the edge of a park in a sleepy residential suburb sits a real temple of rock – Baroeg. Named after the philosopher Baruch Spinoza (spelled Baroeg in Dutch), or perhaps after the road named after Spinoza it is located on, this is one of those places that are widely known in small circles. Usually, the music played here is hard alternative, the program mostly composed of punk, metal, hardcore and industrial, although other rock genres, like stoner and glam rock are also performed here.
Baroeg is an intimate venue, that can host just 350 visitors. This small stage has seen great names, the likes of Cradle of Filth and Within Temptation, and is still welcoming legendary bands. The famed Cannibal Corpse performed here last summer, and Napalm Death, the godfathers of grindcore played in Baroeg recently.
The annual Baroeg Open Air (BOA) is a free festival that is being held in the nearby Zuiderpark celebrating the metal and alternative culture. BOA is the highlight of the year in the scene, but Baroeg has a richly filled program every month. Whether you want to hear what “Hungarian Motörhead” (Tankcsapda) sound like, are up for some progressive rock or want to listen to good old-fashioned thrash perhaps spiced up with a bit of death and heavy metal, Baroeg is the place to be.
