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CULTURE

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.

Published: 1 February 2008 15:17 CET
Popcorn, Schlager and Reggae: what's on in Sweden

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

READER INSIGHTS

‘Benny is always very kind’: Foreigners’ top encounters with Swedish celebrities

We asked The Local's readers to tell us of a time they met a Swedish celebrity. Here are their best stories.

Published: 16 April 2024 11:10 CEST
Updated: 16 April 2024 14:27 CEST
'Benny is always very kind': Foreigners' top encounters with Swedish celebrities

Some readers shared stories of encounters with Swedes who are also global stars, such as Abba or the King and Queen of Sweden, others spoke of meeting national celebrities who had helped them get to know their new home country.

Anne Foo from Malaysia is a fan of the Sällskapsresan movies by Lasse Åberg, who plays the kind but hapless Stig Helmer.

“It was one of the first Swedish films I watched when I first moved to Sweden that I could understand without needing to be fluent. It helped me understand the Swedish psyche and their humour and Swedish people in general,” she said.

Multi-talented artist Åberg is also known for his sketches of Mickey Mouse, as well as Trazan & Banarne, one of Sweden’s most famous children’s shows, and his band Electric Banana Band. Anne met him when she visited his museum, Åbergs Museum, outside of Stockholm.

“We were not expecting to see him there but we kind of heard he pops by the museum often to help out. We bought tickets for the guided tour and lucky us the guide fell sick (sorry guide!) and Lasse, who happened to pop by just then, took over and gave us a personal guided tour of his museum. He is just as he was as Stig Helmer. Has a down-to-earth humour, very intelligent and humble.”

Another reader, Doug, met Swedish singer Lisa Nilsson when she was performing the lead role in the musical Next to Normal at Stockholm’s Stadsteater, a performance she got rave reviews for.

“I have loved Lisa Nilsson for years, ever since Himlen runt hörnet was required listening in my Swedish class,” he wrote on The Local’s Facebook page.

“After the performance I waited by the stage door to see if I could meet her. Many people came out, but not her – until finally she exited, alone. I approached her and she was not just gracious – she seemed genuinely excited to meet an American fan. We stood (in the rain, no less) and spoke for a while. I came away feeling that my adoration was well-placed: talented, beautiful, and so down to earth. A wonderful entertainer and an extraordinary human being.”

Some readers also shared pictures of themselves running into a Swedish celebrity.

Benjamin Dyke met football coach Sven-Göran Eriksson in Torsby, where Eriksson grew up, at the opening ceremony of the Svennis Cup, a youth football competition held every year in his honour.

Eriksson, more known by his nickname Svennis in Sweden, during his long career coached teams such as Lazio in Italy and brought England, as coach, to the quarter-finals of the 2002 and 2006 World Cups. Earlier this year he disclosed he had been diagnosed with fatal pancreatic cancer.

Dyke’s encounter with Eriksson happened a few years ago, and he walked up to the Swede to thank him for his time as England manager and the two chatted for a while about that.

“He asked where I came from in England and I answered that all my family come from Liverpool. His eyes lit up (I now know he supported Liverpool all his life, as did his dad) but when I explained that I was an Everton fan (the other Liverpool team…) he quickly shut down the conversation and walked away,” said Dyke.

Sven-Göran Eriksson, left, and Benjamin Dyke in 2018. Photo: Private

Readers also shared their stories on The Local’s Facebook page. Lindelwa posted a picture of her chance meeting with Swedish Melodifestivalen winner John Lundvik at Stockholm’s Arlanda Airport, although she revealed they did not share a flight.

Lundvik represented Sweden in the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest with the song Too Late for Love (and co-wrote the UK’s entry, Bigger than Us, the same year), with which he came in fifth.

Lindelwa and John Lundvik. Photo: Private

Gerard met Abba legend Benny Andersson outside his studio in Stockholm.

“I had never seen Benny’s studio so I went to take a look with the ferry from Djurgården to Skeppsholmen. I was told that Benny was in so I waited for a little while and he came out to meet a few fans,” he said, revealing that it was in fact not the first time he ran into Andersson, a composer also known for co-writing hit musicals such as Chess and Kristina from Duvemåla.

“He’s always very kind and patient. I had met him before, last time in 2010 in London for the concert of Kristina at the Royal Albert Hall. Next stop will be May 27th, the second anniversary of Abba Voyage in London where Benny and Björn will do a Q&A before the show.”

Gerard and Benny Andersson back in 2010. Photo: Private

Several other readers also said they had met members of Abba.

“I was a child visiting my relatives in Sweden the year Voulez-Vous was released. My aunt took me to NK [Stockholm mall] to buy the LP. On our way back to her apartment, she spotted Frida on Hamngatan. My aunt was amazing at celeb-spotting, and she was usually very discreet, but in this case she insisted I go up and say hello! Frida was happy to autograph the album for a young fan; it’s still one of my prized possessions today,” said Sue Trowbridge.

Of course, it’s not always easy to recognise celebrities. You might spot a familiar face but not be able to place it, as happened to Linda on two separate occasions when she ran into a Swedish acting star and a member of the Nobel Prize-awarding Swedish Academy.

“I accidentally stared at Pernilla August in a local food shop. She looked familiar but I couldn’t recognise her. She stared back and I suddenly came to my senses and looked another way. Embarrassed. I’ve also stared at Horace Engdahl,” she said.

In The Local’s original survey call-out, we also included a story from Australian reader Jake Farrugia, who was on his lunch break in NK when he spotted a familiar face, Sweden’s Crown Princess Victoria. He walked up to her to ask for a selfie.

“She was very nice and we shared some small talk which truly made me feel like we were on the same level and that she had a strong sense of humanity, as I stood there, butchering her native language with my ‘work in progress’ level of Swedish. I can see why the Swedish people have a deep love and respect for her,” Farrugia said.

“It’s a very un-Swedish thing to do, that’s why I think it’s so fun! All of my encounters with celebrities in Sweden have been very positive so far. It’s all in the approach, you have to be respectful and be OK with others not wanting to give you their time of day, since we all have days where we are feeling less social and those can easily be interpreted as a part of our character, but they rarely are a fair representation.

“If I were to be a celebrity, Sweden would be the place to best blend in. It seems like celebrities can live a somewhat normal life as the construct of ‘celebrity’ isn’t viewed as a thing people go hysteric for as is the case in many other countries.”

The Local’s reader Jake Farrugia snapped this selfie with Sweden’s Crown Princess Victoria. Photo: Private
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