What's on in Sweden: January 9 - 15

What's on in Sweden: January 9th - 15th. The Stranglers and Lindy Hop in Stockholm; Manfred Mann and Belgian electronica in Gothenburg; Future Cop! in Malmö.

• What's On in Sweden (9 Feb 12)
• What's On in Sweden (30 Dec 10)
• What's On in Sweden: November 12th - 18th (11 Nov 10)

STOCKHOLM

The Stranglers (UK)

A string of UK top ten hits, including "Peaches", "Golden Brown" and "No More Heroes", made The Stranglers and their aggressive, no-compromise attitude one of the instigators of the 1970s UK punk rock scene.

The band evolved and survived the demise of punk, with some international success in the 1990s, and some major festival performances in the 2000s. The veteran band's latest album release was Suite XVi in 2006 and showed that they have much left to give their loyal following.

Gothenburg will also get its chance to receive a dose of genuine punk culture the previous night when The Stranglers play Trädgår´n. Tickets can be obtained here.

Price: 325 kronor
Time: January 11th, doors open 7.30pm
Tickets: The Stranglers Tickets
Location: Berns Salonger, Berzelli Park
More information: Berns

Open house at Chicago

Chicago is the name of Stockholm's own swing dance centre and is a combination of dance studio, traditional ballroom and Harlem "speakeasy".

Activities at Chicago have a strong focus on the swing dances from the golden age of jazz such as the Lindy Hop, the Charleston, Tap, Balboa and Shag. Chicago is run by some of the members of professional Swedish swing dance company the Harlem Hot Shots.

Many of the courses begin this week or next and Chicago welcomes all to a series of free drop-in open house sessions - what have you got to lose but that holiday paunch?

Price: Free of charge
Time: Tuesday January 13th and Thursday January 15th, from 5pm; Saturday January 17th, from 12pm.
Location: Chicago Swing Dance Studio, Hornsgatan 75
More information: Chicago drop-in

Premier league Bandy

This high tempo 'hockey on ice with sticks and a ball' game is played at the highest level in Sweden. The March play-offs and final, played at Uppsala's student arena, have attained something approaching legendary status in the nation's sporting events calender.

Stockholm team Hammarby are regularly up there fighting for the national title. This year however they are languishing just above the drop zone and are in need of some vocal support at home against Vänersborg on Friday.

As temperatures plunge in the New Year it is time to wrap up warm, fill the hip flask and realize that the winter is a fact in Sweden, the summer is but a bonus.

Price: 120 kronor (60 kronor for students/pensioners and youth)
Time: Friday January 9th, 7pm
Tickets: Ticnet
Location: Zinkensdamns IP, Ringvägen
More information: Hammarby Bandy

GOTHENBURG

Manfred Mann's Earth Band (UK)

The legendary British progressive jazz/rock band was formed by Manfred Mann in 1971 as a deliberate break from his original group.

The band broke through in the 1970s and highlights are considered to include Nightingales and Bombers, The Roaring Silence, and Watch.

The band continues to record, with recently released covers of tracks by Paul Weller and Del Amitri, and an album entitled Odds & Sods - Mis-takes & Out-takes released in 2005.

Price: 470 kronor
Time: January 13th, 8pm
Tickets: Manfred Mann Tickets
Location: Gothenburg Concert Hall, Götaplatsen
More information: Concert Hall

Front 242 (BE)

Front 242 is a pioneering Belgian electronic music group that came to prominence during the 1980s. Their albums 06:21:03:11 UP EVIL and 05:22:09:12 OFF are credited with having influenced many electro-industrial and electronic artists.

The band's most recent release is a live album entitled Moments 1/Moments...1 in 2008.

Front 242 can also be caught at Malmö's Kulturbolaget on Saturday.

Price: 295 kronor
Time: Friday January 9th, 7pm
Location: Trädgår´n, Nya Allén 11
Tickets:Ticnet
More Information: Trädgår´n

Australia

Australia is a 2008 Australian epic romance film directed by Baz Luhrmann and starring Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman. If recent comments to the media are anything to go by this could be the climax of Kidman's movie career.

It is an old school costume drama that challenges few of the prevailing stereotypes. Its setting in the magnificent backdrop of the land down under will however no doubt make tickets on flights to Oz slightly harder to come by.

Price: 110 kronor
Time: Six showings daily
Location: Bergakungen, Biopalatset
Tickets:SF tickets
More Information: Australia

MALMÖ

Futurecop! (UK)

British duo Futurecop! come to Malmö's Debaser Friday.

If you are down with Night Rider, Miami Vice, rave and Flash Gordon and fluffy hairdos then you'll love their electronic music that pays homage to the 1980s.

Price: 90 kronor (free before 10pm)
Time: Friday January 9th 11.30pm
Location: Debaser, Norra Parkgatan 2
Tickets: On the door
More Information: Debaser

Movies at Spegeln

It is soon Oscars season and this means a slew of new films are showing at a cinema near you. One of the best places in Malmö to catch the blockbuster and the more offbeat is the Spegel cinema on Stortorget. It is also a cheap and cheerful way to beat the January "when will pay day arrive" blues.

Films to choose from this week include "Entre les murs", "Everlasting Moments", U23D, Frozen River and the new comedy from Måns Herngren, "Allt flyter".

Tickets: Spegeln
Location: Spegeln, Stortorget 29
More Information: Spegeln