The train to Lüneburg rushes past outside. The walls of the old locomotive shed, nestled between HafenCity and the main train station, bear the marks of time – gritty and covered in graffiti. Inside, ‘glimmer’ still resembles a construction site more than a music club. Anton Burmester, one of the three operators, stands amidst the chaos of planks, cables, and pipes.
A Dream Takes Shape Amidst the Rubble
Despite the current state, Burmester sees the potential. “The speakers are already up, and some of the lights too,” he says with a grin. “I know it’s a bit hard to imagine when you look around, but it will be ready. When the music is on, the lights are dim, and the beer is cold, it will work.”
The location previously housed the music club “Moloch.” For ‘glimmer,’ the former locomotive shed has undergone extensive renovation and expansion, designed to accommodate 600 people. Burmester and his partners, Johann Kipping and Luke Mehrhoff, who are known for their “Synthetic Love” party series in Hamburg, have always dreamt of owning their own club.
“Having our own club, that would be it!” Burmester recalls. “At first, you just joke about it, and then when it gets serious, your knees start to shake.” He acknowledges that recent news from the club scene hasn’t been the most positive. “But someone has to be crazy enough to do it and say: We’ll make it work anyway!”
More Than Just Techno and House
While techno, house, and trance music will be central to ‘glimmer,’ the team envisions a broader cultural center. Plans include readings, theater performances, and flea markets. This diverse concept was key to their success in securing the location, beating out 13 other applicants.
Egbert Rühl, managing director of Hamburg Kreativ Gesellschaft, which oversees the project for the cultural authority, stated that the decision for ‘glimmer’s’ concept was unanimous. “Everyone ultimately believed that it fit best with Oberhafen because it’s not just a commercially oriented club operation, but broadly positioned.”
A New Hotspot for Culture in Oberhafenquartier
Rühl assures that residents of HafenCity need not worry about noise, as the club boasts expensive soundproofing. The project benefits from a federal grant of three million euros for the area. The new club is expected to significantly revitalize the Oberhafenquartier, an area that has already become home to many creative individuals in recent years.
Hamburg’s Minister of Culture, Carsten Brosda (SPD), sees the new club as a positive signal for the recently struggling Hamburg club scene. “A club belongs in Oberhafen; it completes this creative district. Together with the clubs emerging at the Deichtor-Kasematten, a new hotspot for music is growing here, along with a whole host of other creative uses in between.”
Survival in a Challenging Landscape
Anton Burmester navigates the planks and cables of his construction site. Opening a club in these times? It requires a solid business plan. He’s crunched the numbers. Can one actually make a living from it?
“You can survive, I would say,” Burmester laughs. “We’ve planned it so that we can pay our rent, buy groceries, and maybe even have a little fun sometimes, if time permits. It’s probably not the kind of place that will make you a millionaire.” Idealism, it seems, is essential in Hamburg’s club scene.
The opening of ‘glimmer’ on October 2nd marks a new chapter for Hamburg’s cultural landscape, promising a space where music, art, and community can thrive.
Source: https://www.ndr.de/kultur/musik/pop/neuer-hamburger-club-glimmer-soll-mehr-als-tanzschuppen-werden,glimmer-104.html
