Music and dancing

Sweden may be a small country, but it is still one of the world’s leading music exporters per capita. And Stockholm is the motor driving Sweden’s musical engine. Plug in to the Swedish music scene during your visit to Stockholm. We’ve gathered the best of traditional Swedish and contemporary music here.

Traditional music events

  • Allsång på Skansen (Sing-along at Skansen) On Tuesday evenings in July, Skansen’s Sollidenscenen fills up with visitors ready to sing from near and far. And that’s how it’s been for nearly 80 years. The audience includes everyone from gray-haired ladies with canes to urban youths and families with children. Sweden is one of world’s foremost choral singing nations – maybe the singalong is one of the secrets. Allsång is just one of many music experiences here. www.skansen.se
  • Ångfartyget Blidösund (Steamship Bildösund) Music and food combine with the sight of Stockholm’s beautiful archipelago out the window of a classic steamship. Could it be any more Swedish? Live music on the aft deck. The season begins in early May and ends in late October. Most cruises depart from the Royal Palace at 6:30 pm and return to the dock at 10:15 pm. www.blidosundsbolaget.se
  • Gröna Lund To check out the most popular Swedish artists of the moment, head for the amusement park. During the season, Gröna Lund offers over 50 concerts by Swedish and international stars, as well as 85 dance nights with everything from Swedish dance bands to tango and salsa. www.gronalund.com

Clubs with live music

  • Debaser With two locations, one in Medborgarplatsen (Medis) and one in Slussen, Debaser is a hub for clubs, concerts and live music. Debaser Medis has music on three floors while Slussen offers a smaller and more intimate vibe. www.debaser.se
  • Hornstulls Strand An ambitious concert and club stage with a restaurant, Franska Öppna, and a bar, Bar Brooklyn, on the dock. Don’t miss their weekend brunch. www.hornstullstrand.se
  • Södra Bar Party in a turn-of-the-century environment. A restaurant and club with solid live shows, adjacent to the entertainment venue Södra Teatern on Södermalm with a view of Stockholm. www.sodrateatern.se
  • Nalen This historic jazz club is now a popular entertainment venue with a club, studio and restaurant. The house was rebuilt by musicians for musicians and maintains the highest standard. www.nalen.se
  • Lunch Beat Dance away once a month for an hour at a Stockholm location. Don’t say anything. Just move. See you at lunch. www.lunchbeat.org

Jazz

  • Fasching A legendary jazz club with club nights and jazz, soul and Latin concerts. An ambitious and varied program all year long. www.fasching.se
  • Glenn Miller Café A notable jazz café with great food and an intimate space. Come here to see wellestablished artists and the stars of tomorrow. www.glennmillercafe.com
  • Blå Söndagar (Blue Sundays) A diverse afternoon program that includes ballads, jazz and blues in the charming restaurant Gubbhyllan at Skansen. www.skansen.se
  • Stockholm Jazz Festival The best of today’s Swedish and international scenes at Fasching, Berns, Kulturhuset and Konserthuset. When: October 5-7, 2012. www.stockholmjazz.com

Outdoor festivals

  • Filharmonikerna i det gröna (The Philharmonic in the Green) Every August, the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra offers a free concert in the park outside of the Maritime Museum. Bring a picnic and enjoy the greenery and the view of Djurgården Canal. www.konserthuset.se
  • Summerburst Summer is welcomed in June with a two-day electronic music festival featuring the sounds of world-famous DJs at Stockholm Stadion. Takes place in June. Previous acts include Tiesto, David Guetta, Alesso, Adrian Lux and more. www.summerburst.se/stockholm
  • Stockholm Music & Arts A three-day international music festival in August with food, drinks and friends in an urban island environment on Skeppsholmen. August 3-5, 2012: Patti Smith, Marianne Faithful, Emmylou Harris, Björk and more. www.stockholmmusicandarts.com
  • Kulturfestivalen (The Culture Festival) A six-day cultural festival encompassing a variety of arts. Music, dance, live performances and street theater for children and adults. Based at Sergels Torg. August 14-19, 2012. www.kulturfestivalen.stockholm.se