So, two years ago I moved to Rotterdam and almost immediately started working at POING. What I envisioned as a small bar gig quickly became much more than that. I had heard of POING but all I knew was that people would use its name when referring to its predecessor - Bar. After a sort of transition period we kicked off with a new identity from September 2022, improved the sound system, the programming, the lighting and just did the thing.
I am incredibly grateful to have helped shaping POING as an Assistant Manager. It was not always easy, sometimes there was a lot of pressure, sometimes I felt under the responsibilities, but I loved and still love every bit of that job. Ok, let’s be real, most bits I love. Not everything.
My dearest thank yous go to
@eefdewiet.tamagotchikiller and
@m.anthonyv.gogh for giving me the trust to work with them in the office. To
@_genyten for keeping me sane in said office. To my incredible colleagues that pushed through every weekend, through hardships, scarcity and overall busyness. To the friends I made along the way. And also to our regulars who you sometimes couldn’t even tell apart from colleagues (or furniture).
POING surely wasn’t perfect. Sometimes I could not identify 100% with the programming or had wished for some more nuance in some regards. But what made POING truly outstanding was that it was a communal space. By us and for us. And if you had an idea you could just shoot it. Like the 3
@clear_memory parties we did there.
I am truly convinced that the next POING will be a great success and can only send my fullest support.
As cheesy as I am I am gonna quote Hermann Hesse and say farewell with
‚For each beginning bears a special magic
that nurtures living and bestows protection.‘