The Story of HQ

Before HeadQuarters was a venue, it was an apartment. Or rather – a home that was mostly set up as a studio.

Here, we played live in the middle of the living room. We had parties, made music, listened to records, and gathered people around what we loved most: music, presence, and community.

We were a group of musicians who needed a place to play. There wasn't really a venue in Aarhus where original music was taken seriously – where you could perform without compromising or competing for the spotlight. So we created our own.

People started calling the apartment the Headquarters. Or just HQ. That's where we gathered. That's where we met and felt at home. The name stuck, and when we opened a real venue in the city center in 2011, it only made sense to bring it with us.

At that time, we had also been hit by the Motown fever. We listened to The Temptations, Marvin Gaye, and the great soul and funk productions – and it left its mark. Not only on the soundtrack of our lives, but also on our aesthetics: the colors, the atmosphere, and the interior drew threads to the warm and groovy universe of the 70s.

We wanted to create a place where you could breathe deeply. A place where your shoulders relax as soon as you step inside. In contrast to the slightly harsh and hectic atmosphere we experienced in many other places in the city.

Many have noticed:

"There is a special sense of security at HQ. You are met at eye level – and you can feel that this space is made for people."

– Excerpt from a public hearing response

"I love coming to HQ because it feels like being part of a club – without any closed doors. It's open, embracing, and vibrant."

– Excerpt from a public hearing response

Today, HeadQuarters is both a music venue and a nightclub – and we cherish the music and the people in both parts.

As a venue, we present everything from niche metal, indie, and jazz to electronic undercurrents and experimental sound art. We have room for 150–180 guests, and we believe in the intimate, the authentic, and the quirky.

When the evening turns to night, the house transforms into something special: A discotheque. Here, it's all about disco, funk, and soul – music that makes your body move and your heart follow. Not trendy for the sake of being trendy, but genuine music with nerve and groove.

We program with love – and we run HeadQuarters with the same approach.

HeadQuarters ApS is still owned and operated by Ole Løhde and Amira Gluhic. Ole is the creative director and CEO, while Amira is the music director and curator. Together, they have created a house with an attitude, where everyone on the floor gets paid for their work. Because we believe that culture should be carried by those who create it – not by volunteer exhaustion.

Welcome to HQ.
We hope you can feel it all in the walls.