What's on in Sweden: June 5 - 11

What's on in Sweden: Lewis Black and Early Music Festival in Stockholm; Beer festival & World Cup football in Gothenburg; Buju Banton & Mandela exhibition 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

RAW comedy - Lewis Black (US)

RAW's festival of comedy continues this week with US funnyman Lewis Black in town to offer up his sharp brand of hard-edged satire.

Black, known from a slot on "The Daily Show" with Jon Stewart and Comedy Central, will perform at Göta Lejon on Friday.

Lewis yells so his audience don't have to...Lewis Black on You Tube

Price: 345 kronor
Time: Friday June 5th, 9pm
Tickets: RAW Comedy Tickets
Location: Göta Lejon, Götgatan
More information: RAW Comedy


National Day celebrations - June 6th

This Saturday, June 6th, marks Sweden's National Day.

While not as comfortable with gratuitous displays of patriotism as neighbouring Norway, Sweden is developing a taste for national pride and the day has a variety of alternatives on offer.

Choose from among joining Princess Madeleine at Stockholm Castle, the football team take on Denmark at Råsunda Stadium, or perhaps something slightly different at Debaser.

Price: See respective event
Time: Saturday June 6th
Location: Stockholm Castle; Råsunda Stadium, Råsundavägen 51; Debaser, Karl Johans torg 1
More information: City of Stockholm National Day Celebrations


Anna Järvinen opens Parkteatern 2009

Anna Järvinen is a Swedish-Finnish composer, singer and musician. She established herself while with the group Granada and is now busy building a promising solo career.

In November 2007 Järvinen released her thoughtful "Jag fick feeling" (I got feeling) to broad acclaim and in 2009 came "Man var bland molnen" (Among the clouds).

On Sunday Anna Järvinen & Friends open the Park Theatre 2009 season in Södermalm's Vitabergsparken.

Price: Free of charge
Time: Sunday June 7th, 7pm
Location: Vitabergsparken
More information: Parkteatern program summer 2009


Night gallery at Marie Laveau - What is your picture of Sweden?

Marie Laveau launches its summer season with a photo exhibition along the theme of Sweden and asks the question - What is your picture of Sweden? Is it the red cabin or maybe midsummer and shot of snaps? But is that all the images of Sweden?

Clearly not. In this exhibition you gain the chance to see personal photographs depicting the changing faces and pictures of what makes up Sweden - the boredom of winter, the baskets in the laundry, Rågsved metro.

Ola Möller grew tired of the clichéd, narrow, same-same-but-different images of Sweden and decided to do something about it. The result was a photo book with 64 images, translated into seven languages and distributed freely to schools, hospitals and libraries.

Price: Free entry
Time: Until Sunday May 24th, 12pm - 7pm (Saturday & Sunday 12pm - 4pm)
Location: Marie Laveau, Hornsgatan 66
More information: Marie Laveau


Stockholm Early Music Festival

Stockholm's Old Town, clothed in the soft hues of early summer is once again the setting for an alternative yet captivating musical experience.

The magnificent sounds of the baroque, renaissance and medieval periods merge with these unique historical surroundings.

The programme boasts an array of the finest international artists including the Helsinki Baroque Orchestra with Maria Cristina Kiehr, German vocal ensemble, Ensemble Officium, Swedish folk singer Lena Willemark as well as Spanish baroque dance and Micrologus from Italy, performing Robin and Marion - arguably the first ever opera.

This year, SEMF is also host to REMA 2009, a European conference which gathers together representatives from early music festivals all over Europe.

Price: 980 kronor for the festival pass
Time: Until June 7th
Tickets: Stockholm Early Music Festival Tickets
Location: Stockholm Early Music Festival Map
More information: Stockholm Early Music Festival


The Ingmar Bergman International Theatre Festival

The Ingmar Bergman International Theatre Festival at Dramaten (The Royal Dramatic Theatre) is perhaps the largest Swedish cultural event of 2009.

The festival comes to a close this weekend rounding off with "The Obama Victory Speech Project" - an international theatre workshop led by outgoing theatre director Staffan Valdemar Holm.

Price: Tickets available for individual events
Time: Until Saturday June 6th
Tickets: Ingmar Bergman International Theatre Festival Tickets
Location: Dramaten, Nybroplan
More information: Ingmar Bergman International Theatre Festival


GOTHENBURG

Gothenburg Beer Festival 2009

The Gothenburg Beer Festival opens next weekend and promises to get those taste buds hopping.

The fest is an intimate and friendly festival for trade folk and beer lovers alike and typically offers a range of beers from a variety of brewers at home and abroad.

Price: 150 kronor/visit
Time: Thursday June 11th & Friday June 12th, 6pm - 11pm; Saturday June 13th, 1pm - 5.30 pm & 6.30pm - 11pm
Tickets: Gothenburg Beer Festival Tickets
Location: City Pub & City Hotel, Lorensbergsgatan 6
More information: Gothenburg Beer Festival


Gothenburg City Race

38,000 people gathered in Gothenburg to witness the debut STCC City Race in 2008 and that was sufficient to persuade the organizers to repeat the occasion this year.

The track is 1,650 metres long with 12 bends and if the eye seeks rest from the supercharged vehicles roaring past, panoramic views of the Gothenburg Opera House are on offer across the estuary.

Price: 190 kronor on Friday & 380 kronor on Saturday
Time: Friday 5th June & Saturday 6th June
Tickets:Gothenburg City Race Tickets
Location: Södra Frihamnspiren 1
More information: Gothenburg City Race


World Cup Qualifier - Sweden vs Malta

The blue and yellows take on the island nation of Malta in this crucial World Cup qualifier at Ullevi on Wednesday.

The public will be hoping that Zlatan Ibrahimovic is on song to help the team take a step closer to South Africa 2010.

Price: 200 - 550 kronor
Time: Wednesday June 10th, 7pm
Tickets:Sweden vs Malta Tickets
Location: Ullevi, Skånegatan
More information: Sweden vs Malta


MALMÖ

CocoRosie (US/Fr)

CocoRosie are an American indie-folk-tronic duo who ply their trade from Paris, France.

CocoRosie play their tunes on, well it seems anything they can get their hands on - toys, harps, flutes, guitars, musical boxes and a range of percussion instruments.

Their story is as quirky as it is improbable and their latest work, released in 2009, is entitled "Coconuts, Plenty of Junk Food". Still no clue? - then a trip down to KB on Sunday could be on the cards.

Price: 200 kronor
Time: Sunday June 7th, 7pm
Tickets: CocoRosie Tickets
Location: Kulturbolaget, Bergsgatan 18
More information: Kulturbolaget


Buju Banton (JAM)

Buju Banton is one of the most prominent reggae and dancehall artists of our times. Banton is one of the few that has successfully combined roots reggae with dancehall and knows how to get a punky reggae party out of any audience.

While he has had his critics down the years his lyrics dwell predominantly on the universal message of peace, love and consciousness and he has received praise for his engagement in a range of world issues.

Neneh Cherry will be one of the DJs (wo)manning the decks for the evening.

Price: 275 kronor
Time: Wednesday June 10th, 10.30pm
Tickets: Buju Banton Tickets
Location: Kulturbolaget, Bergsgatan 18
More information: Buju Banton at KB


South Africa at Malmö Museum

"To be free is not merely
To cast off one's chains
But to live in a way that respects
And enhances the freedom of others"

June 6th marks the beginning of a year of exhibitions and events on the theme of South Africa. Stories about Nelson Mandela, his life and the fight for freedom and democracy will be told, as well as Sweden's involvement in the struggle against apartheid.

The exhibition is produced by the Apartheid Museum in Johannesburg and presents stories of democracy and human rights, that hold relevance today, and for our future.

Price: 40 kronor, (10 kronor for under 15s, free for under 6s)
Time: Saturday June 6th - January 31st 2010
Location: Slottsholmen & Slottet Malmöhus, Malmöhusvägen 6
More information: South Africa at Malmö Museums


VÄSTERÅS

International Capoeira festival

Capoeira is a martial art with origins in Brazil. It has seen explosive growth in popularity in Sweden and abroad in recent years and next weekend some of the world's leading experts will come to Västerås to offer courses, exhibitions and happenings linked to the graceful sport.

Mestra Suelly, Mestre Acordeon, mestre Cobrinha Mansa, contra mestre Eurico and many, many more will be on show in.

Time: Wednesday June 10th - 14th
Location: Cordão de Ouro Växhuset, Viktor Larssons plats
More information: Capeoira Festival