ART: THE MONOCHROME SYMPHONY
What is the Monochrome Symphony? It’s an exploration of the impact of explorations in monochrome in art, built around Kazimir Malevich’s 1915 painting Black Square. It delves deep into the artform, examining the use of monochrome by artists in art, design, fashion and music.
LIVE: LIGHTNING BOLT/ DAN FRIEL
Fancy some Sonic Youth-esque noise to shred your ears this weekend? Stockholm gig organisers Fritz’s Corner are bringing American squall punk act Lightning Bolt to Kägelbanan. Lightning Bolt’s music sounds like normal music, in the same way earthquake rubble looks like a building. Instead, it’s a burning storm of chaos and noise, but somehow, somehow, the band make it work. Support comes from scuzzy electro mastermind Dan Friel, and Sara Wilson, Gavin Maycroft and Johan Toorell wrap up the night with DJ sets.
CLUBBING: SLAKTHUSET
Slakthuset’s packed winter program continues. This Friday DJ Marcel Dettmann, all the way from the famous Berghain in Berlin, will be play a set. He’ll be joined by a live performance by techno star Ansome.
CLASSICAL: MADE BY BJÖRK
One of the most iconic artists of our time, Iceland’s Björk Guðmundsdóttir, is turning 50. She released her first solo album when she was 11 years old , formed the all-girl punk band Spit and Snot and was the first Icelander performing at Roskilde with her band KUKL. But the first time the world paid her any attention was with the seminal Sugarcubes single *Birthday*, fittingly first released on her own 21st birthday.
Fast-forward 29 years and Stockholm’s Berwaldhallen is arranging a tribute birthday concert with the Swedish Radio Symphonic Orchestra and invited guests. “Björk has created her own mysterious universe and its grandeur is very well suited to a symphony orchestra,” says conductor Hans Ek.
The *Made by Björk* concert comprises parts from her successful and eclectic back catalogue, as well as music from other artists that have inspired her, such as Brian Eno and Kraftwerk. Among the guests who are going to pay homage are Moto Boy, Jenny Wilson and the half-Icelandic Edda Magnason.
THEATRE: EN FRÖJDEFULL JUL
Christmas is a time when disparate groups of people come together to spend awkward moments in each other’s company. For a lot of people, distant friends and relatives who are mercifully absent during the rest of the year pop back into your life with all the subtlety, grace and sheer fun of a brick being tossed through your car windscreen.
Alan Ayckbourn’s play En Fröjdefull Jul explores just how chaotic and traumatic a holiday season reunion can get, complete with drunken cooking, kids with guns and the kind of inter-familial tension not seen since Cleopatra had all her siblings massacred. If that sounds like a welcome distraction for you from the stresses of Christmas shopping, it’s playing at Stadsteatern all through the Christmas season.
COMEDY: MARGARET CHO
The New York Times has described her as the funniest comedienne ever, and after her guest appearance on the TV series 30 Rock she was nominated for an Emmy for her gender-bending imitation of the North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il. She has won a myriad of prizes and been nominated for the Grammy Awards and also received the American Comedy Award for Best Female Comedian. It goes without saying that this ‘Frisco born and bred comedian is the real deal.
HBQT protagonist Margaret Cho is Stockholm-bound in December, where she will perform her new show Psycho at Södra Teatern. A show about madness, and her rage about what’s going on in the world right now – everything from police brutality to racism and what she sees as increasing amount of violence towards women.
Margaret Cho’s humour can be best explained as a colourful spectrum, and her shows have a record of leaving piles of positive reviews, so be prepared to be gob-smacked by her visit.
FRIDAY DECEMBER 4
Art
Arkitektur- och Designcentrum
Pepparkakhus 2015
The 25th anniversary of ArkDes’ annual pepparkaka house exhibition
Opens Dec 2
Artipelag
The Monochrome Symphony
Mash up of art, music, fashion and design and examination of the impact pf radical monochrome aesthetics
On display until March 2016
Live
Lightning Bolt/ Dan Friel
Chaotic noise-punk
Kägelbanan, Södra Teatern, 2000
Motörhead/ Saxon/ Girlschool
Veteran US rock band
Hovet, 1930
Bob Hund
Chirpy, Swedish language pop
Debaser Strand, 1900
Lightning Bolt/ Dan Friel
Sprawling, complex prog-metal
Kägelbanan Södra Teatern, 2100
Doe Paoro
Twitchy, dancy electro-pop artist
Scandic Grand Central, 2200
Clubbing
Wrong Side of the Tracks
Northern soul club with Tobias Palmér and Karl Blom.
Etablissemanget, Södra Teatern, 21-02
Mosebacke Torg
Hammer Time.
Amat Levin och Hasan Ramic’s hiphop club, with rap, dancehall och r’n’b.
Södra Teatern, 22-03
Mosebacke Torg
Swing It – DJ Masaya
DJ Masaya is back at Calexico’s to present a cocktail of transatlantic tunes!
Calexico’s, Debaser Strand, 22-03
Hornstulls Strand
Weekends at Slakthuset
EDM, electro, techno and all the deep stuff, every weekend at Slakthuset.
Slakthuset, 22-03
Slakthusgatan 6, Globen
Classical
Konserthuset
Soppconcert with Violin and Piano
With Matts Arnberg on violin and Katarina Ström-Harg on piano.
Dec 4, Grünewaldsalen @1215
Berwaldhallen
Svenska Stjärnor: Made By Björk
A concert in celebration of Björk’s 50th birthday
Dec 3, 4 @ 1800 & 1930 (4)
Theatre
Dramaten
Den e vi
A show that tells the often-hidden stories of young people, with the help of hip-hop artists
Opens Dec 4, Lilla Scenen
Maximteatern
A Christmas Carol
Performance of the classic Dickins tale. In English
Opens Dec 4
Comedy
Maffia Comedy Club
Restaurang Södra Sällskapet @ 2000
Åsögatan 111
Özz Nujen and Måns Möller- Sveriges Historia
Rival @ 1930
Mariatorget 3
Farzad Nouri, Martin Lagos, Messiah Hallberg
Norra Brunn Comedy @ 2100
Surbrunnsgatan 33
Carl-Einer Häcker
Mix of humour, monologues and stories
Södra Teatern @1900
Mosebacke Torg 1
SATURDAY DECEMBER 5
Art
Arkitektur- och Designcentrum
Pepparkakhus 2015
The 25th anniversary of ArkDes’ annual pepparkaka house exhibition
Opens Dec 2
Artipelag
The Monochrome Symphony
Mash up of art, music, fashion and design and examination of the impact pf radical monochrome aesthetics
On display until March 2016
Live
Judas Priest/ U.F.O
Legendary rockers
Ericsson Globe Arena, 1930
Joey Bada$$
Musically innovative rap
Nalen, 2100
Children Of Bodom/ Sylosis
Scratchy metal
Fryshuset, 1930
Bob Hund
Chirpy, Swedish language pop
Debaser Strand, 1900
Kadavar/ The Shrine
High-intensity rock
Debaser Medis, 1900
Roffe Wikström
Traditional, old school Swedish-language music
Fasching, 2000
Clubbing
Vivrant
Techno and progressive house with Jeremy Olander and more
Kägelbanan, Södra Teatern, 22-04
Mosebacke Torg
Weekends at Slakthuset
EDM, electro, techno and all the deep stuff, every weekend at Slakthuset.
Slakthuset, 22-03
Slakthusgatan 6, Globen
Classical
Konserthuset
Genesis with Martin Fröst
The premiere of Fröst’s new performance, where he interprets the music of Schumann, Hildegard and Lutoslawski among others.
Dec 5, Stora Salen @1500
Pavel Haas Quartet
Performance by the famous Czech quartet
Dec 5, Grünewaldsalen @1500
Theatre
Boulevardteatern
Finnar är Lejon
Comedy show with Janne Westerlund
Dec 5
MOD Människor och dans
A performance that aims to help people discover the courage to dance
Dec 5
Comedy
Maffia Comedy Club
Restaurang Södra Sällskapet @ 2000
Åsögatan 111
Özz Nujen and Måns Möller- Sveriges Historia
Rival @ 1600 & 1930
Mariatorget 3
Carl-Einer Häcker
Mix of humour, monologues and stories
Södra Teatern @1500, 1900
Mosebacke Torg 1
Behrad Rouzbeh, Thomas Järvheden, Fredrik Andersson
Norra Brunn Comedy @ 2100
Surbrunnsgatan 33
SUNDAY DECEMBER 6
Art
Arkitektur- och Designcentrum
Pepparkakhus 2015
The 25th anniversary of ArkDes’ annual pepparkaka house exhibition
Opens Dec 2
Artipelag
The Monochrome Symphony
Mash up of art, music, fashion and design and examination of the impact pf radical monochrome aesthetics
On display until March 2016
Live
Quireboys
Raw, husky rock’n’roll
Debaser Strand, 1830
Föllakzoid
Layered, complex art-rock
Geronimo’s FGT, 1900
Classical
Berwaldhallen
Luciakonsert with Nacka Musikklasser
The music students of Nacka give a tradition Lucia performance
Dec 6 @ 1600 & 1800
Theatre
Stadsteatern
En fröjdefull jul
A comedy by Alan Ayckbourn concerning a chaotic Christmas.
Playing until Dec 30, Stora Scenen.
Farmor och vår herre
A play about a woman about to celebrate her 85th birthday, and Sweden’s journey from poverty to wealth.
Playing until Feb 2016, Klarascenen
Comedy
Big Ben Stand Up
The Big Ben @ 2000
Folkungagatan 97
Margaret Cho
Famous US comic comes to Stockholm
Södra Teatern @2000
Mosebacke Torg 1