Popcorn, Schlager and Reggae: what's on in Sweden

Something for the weekend:Discover the art of movie comedy at Stockholm's Popcorn festival, get an early taste of summer at Gothenburg's annual boat fair, or go see French band Justice play in Malmö.

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STOCKHOLM

Concerts/Music:

Jazz at Stampen

The Scat Cats perform at Puben in Stampen this Friday night.
Location: Stampen, Stora Nygatan 5
Time: Friday, February 1st, 8pm
Phone: 08- 20 57 93

More information: www.stampen.se (English).


Nordic Composers

Elin Skorup, Tanja Soininen and Erik Österberg perform a free concert to celebrate the greatest Nordic composers such as Sibelius, Grieg and Karkoff.

Location: Kungliga Musikhögskolan, Valhallavägen 105.
Time: Friday, February 1st, 6pm
Phone: 08- 16 18 00

More information: www.kmh.se (English).


Lava

This Friday at Lava in Kulturhuset, Khakidrake and The Carpets will be performing live rock and funk music.

Location: Lava, Kulturhuset, Sergels Torg 3.
Time: Friday, February 1st, 7.30pm
Phone: 0704- 93 66 50


Theatre/Entertainment:

London the Musical

This gritty musical might be written by a British team, but its world premiere is taking place in Swedish in Stockholm on February 1st. The musical depicts London in all its multicultural, urban, edgy glory. See Kathleen Harman's preview.

Location: Filadelfiakyrkan, Rörstrandsgatan, Stockholm.
Time: Friday, February 1st, 7.30pm (premiere), Saturday February 2nd, 3pm and 7.30pm
and continuing....

More information: www.londonthemusical.com.
Tickets: www.ticnet.se or 077 170 7070.


Bandit Rock Awards

The Bandit Rock Awards promises to be a real occasion, with the Bandit radio station presenting the bands that got the most votes on their website. There are eight categories in total and you can decide who wins by voting online.

Price: 150 kronor
Location: Restaurang Tyrol, Lilla Allmänna grand 2.
Time: Friday, February 1st, 8pm
Phone: 08- 20 20 95

More information and voting: www.bandit.se (Swedish).


Medium Rare, A Variety Show

A British cabaret variety show featuring short films, comedy, readings, opera, magic, live music from this Saturday night at Pontus Fritiof’s restaurant. Whether stalwarts including Gunter the German Porn Star and the All Ladies Naked Bean Wrestling Championship of the World will be making an appearance remains to be seen.

Price: 895 kronor (includes the show and dinner)
Location: Pontus by the sea, Tullhus 2 Skeppsbron.
Time: Friday, February 1st, 6.30pm
Phone: 08- 20 20 95
Tickets: 077- 170 70 70

More information: www.pontusfrithiof.com


Andersson Dance: Triptych

This show presents eleven dancers, a fantastic composer, and the NorrlandsOperan symphony. Andersson has wonderfully combined three previous pieces into one with new choreography and costumes.

Price: 200 kronor
Location: The House of Dance, Barnhusgatan 12-14.
Time: Friday, February 1st, 7pm
Phone: 08- 508 990 90
Tickets: 077- 170 70 70

Galleries:

Vårsalongen

Vårsalongen, the Spring Salon, has been holding art exhibitions since 1921 and this year’s exhibition displays 214 works of art by 101 different artists. The youngest artist is just 19, and the oldest is 82.

Location: Liljevalchs Konsthall, Djurgårdsvägen 60.
Times: Friday/Saturday/Sunday


Hans Arnold

Although Arnold was born in Switzerland, he has worked in Sweden since 1948 amazing people with his surreal, and sometimes terrifying art. This exhibition displays more than 80 pieces from the 1960s onward.

Price: Free.
Location:Seriegalleriet, The Comics Gallery, S:t Paulsgatan 14.
Times: Saturday/Sunday during regular opening hours
…and continuing until March 5th.
Phone: 08- 702 24 25

More information: www.seriegalleriet.se (English).


International Video Art Exhibition

Kulturhuset is displaying artwork on three different screens for three weeks at a time. The current theme is Reassuring calm/Disturbing silence by Keren Yeala-Golan, Manal Mahamid, and Kate Hawkins.

Price: Free.
Location: Kulturhuset, Lava, Sergelstorg 3.
Times: Friday/Saturday/Sunday during regular open hours
…and continuing until February 18th.
Phone: 0704- 93 66 50

More information: www.kulturhuset.se (English).


Films:

Popcorn

The Popcorn Film Festival begins this weekend and this year’s theme is humour. Although it can be difficult to be funny on film, a line up that includes Dylan Moran, Fredrik Lindström, Lars von Triers and The roots of Monty Python sounds promising.

Location: Södra Teatern and Kägelbanan.
Times: Friday/Saturday/Sunday
For the full timetable and more information, visit the website below

More information: www.popcorn.nu (Swedish).

Other:

Stockholm Tango Festival

The Swedish-Argentine Tango Society invites you to the seventh annual tango festival in Stockholm. Classes are offered to everyone from beginners to tango masters. The classes are all held by world-renowned tango dancers.

Location: Dieselverkstaden, Marcusplatsen 17, Sickla.
Time: Friday/Saturday/Sunday (check website for a specific timetable).
Phone: 08- 718 82 90

More information and tickets: www.tangonorte.com (English).


GOTHENBURG

Galleries:

Boats

Summer may still be far away, but the summer feeling begins again in Gothenburg this weekend with the opening of the annual Båtmässa, or Boat Fair. This traditional start to the boating season brought over 94,000 visitors to the exhibition last year alone.

Location: Svenska Mässan, Mässans gata.
Times: Saturday/Sunday 10am-6pm
…and continuing.
Phone: 031- 7088000


Open Call

Currently on display are 25 pieces selected from over 446 entries coming from 13 different countries.

Location: Röda Sten, Klippan vid Älvsborgsbron.
Times: Friday/Saturday/Sunday 12pm-5pm
…and continuing.
Phone: 031- 12 08 16


Take Action! 83 Ways to Change the World

In this exhibition you can find at least 83 ways that others have changed the world. How will you contribute? Come to the exhibition for a little inspiration.

Location: Världskulturmuseet, Södravägen 54.
Times: Friday/Saturday/Sunday 12pm-5pm
…and continuing.
Phone: 031- 632730

More information: Världskulturmuseet


Films:

Samtidskonst

Röda Sten presents Magnus Bärtas’ film about Johnnie Walker, a Japanese, Jewish, homosexual man in Tokyo who finds it difficult to be accepted. A Stefan Römer documentary containing interviews with over 40 internationally recognized artists about the Concept Art of the 1960s is also playing.

Location: Röda Sten, Klippan vid Älvsborgsbron.
Times: Friday/Saturday/Sunday 12pm-5pm
…and continuing to Monday, March 2nd.
Phone: 031- 12 08 16


Gothenburgs International Film Festival

Today, the Gothenburg Film Festival is the largest public film festival in the Nordic region. Every year, about 400 films are shown to about 11,0000 people. This year’s film festival began last Friday.

Location: Gothenburg.
Times: Friday/Saturday/Sunday
…and continuing to Monday, February 4th.
(Check the website for schedules).

More information: Gothenburg Film Festival (English).


Concerts and clubs:

Dastan Ensemble and Homayoun Shajarian

The well-known Iranian musicians play their own and others’ music.

Location: Göteborg’s Konserthus, Götaplatsen.
Time: Saturday, February 2nd, 8pm
Phone: 031- 726 53 70


Lena and Orup

Schlager stars Lena Philipsson and Orup team up for a popular live tour.

Location: Rondo, Örgrytevgatan 5.
Times: Friday, February 1st, 9.30pm-11.30pm
Saturday, February 2nd, 3.30pm-5.30pm and 9.30pm-11.30pm
Phone: 031- 400200


Theatre/Entertainment:

Poetry Slam

It's time for this spring’s poetry competition at Café Hängmattan at Musikens Hus. The first round begins this Sunday and continues every Sunday until March 13th.

Price: Free.

Location: Musikens Hus, Djurgårdsgatan 13.
Time: Sunday, February 3rd, 6pm
Phone: 031- 121 583


Other:

PULS

Go with the family or a group of friends to PULS and compete against them in handball, motocross, and much more.

Location: Universeum, Södra vägen 50.
Times: Friday/Saturday/Sunday 10am-6pm
Phone: 031- 335 64 50


MALMÖ

Galleries:

Bombay

At the Form/Design center, art from the Bombay Sapphire Designer Glass Competition 2008 is on display.

Location: Form/Design Center, Hedmanska gården, Lilla Torg 9.
Times: Friday, February 1st, 11am-5pm
Saturday/Sunday 11am-4pm
...and continuing.
Phone: 040- 664 51 50


Ulrik Crone

Crone, born in Denmark in 1964, uses his innovative style to comment on trends in society.

Price: 40 kronor (Children - 10 kronor)
Location: Malmö Konstmuseum, Slottsholmen, Malmöusvägen.
Times: Sunday, January 26th, 12pm-4pm
...and continuing.
Phone: 040- 344437


Concerts and Clubs:

Justice

Club Killers, Sweden's top ska/reggae club, hits Malmö this Friday.

Price: 90 kronor
Location: Debaser, Norra Parkgatan 2, Folkets Park.
Time: Friday, February 1st, 7pm-3am
More information: Debaser
Phone: 040- 23 98 80


Theatre/Entertainment

Persia

Restaurang Bodoni presents live oriental music accompanied by belly dancers and different DJs.
Location: Restaurang Bodoni/The Watt, Bergsgatan 20.
Times: Saturday, February 2nd, 9pm
Phone: 040- 97 63 87


Other

Taste of Wedding

Visit Southern Sweden’s largest wedding fair and get inspired with wedding ideas from a wide range of exhibitions. There is even a chance for one couple to win their wedding.

Price: 100 kronor
Location: Slagthuset.
Times: Saturday/Sunday 11am-5pm
Phone: 0708- 21 45 80
More information: Smak av Bröllop Swedish.


Let’s Go

Let’s Go amusement park is always full of activities. Why not take the family bowling or for a few rounds of “adventure” golf this weekend? Or pick three out of the five activities offered and do battle in a two-hour competition.

This Friday there is also a live band performing.

Price: 60 kronor after 9pm
Location: Let’s Go, Krossverksgatan 3.
Times: Friday, January 11th, 4pm-1am
Saturday, January 12th, 11am-1am
Sunday, January 13th, 11am-6pm
Phone: 040- 440 000

More information: Let’s Go Swedish.


Ice Skating in Folkets Park

You can ice skate outdoors all winter this year at Malmö Folkets Park. Ice skates (sizes 27-45) are available to rent 4pm-7pm on weekdays and 10am-5pm at weekends. Rental costs: 30 kronor/half hour.

For group skate rental at other times, contact Föreningen Ponnygården Arken at 0705 - 17 65 05.
Location: Folkets Park, Amiralsgatan 35.
Times: November 24th to March 2nd 10am-7pm


UPPSALA

Winter Sauna at Fyrishov

Warm up in Fyrishov's large, wood-fuelled sauna, then give the body a refreshing shock in the adjacent ice pool. A 25C warm pool is available for the faint-hearted.
Location: Idrottsgatan 2, Uppsala
Open until the end of February.

More information: www.fyrishov.se