Sweden - Becky Ohlsen [67]
RFSL (Map; 50 16 29 50; www.rfsl.se/stockholm, in Swedish; Sveavägen 57-59) The national organisation for gay and lesbian rights is a good source of information, with a library and cafe to boot.
Roxy (Map; 640 96 55; www.roxysofo.se; Nytorget 6; closed Mon) A chic resto-bar in Södermalm, it’s popular with lipstick lesbians, publishing types and SoFo’s creative set, all of whom nibble on brilliant mod-Med nosh to sultry tango tunes.
Side Track (Map; 641 16 88; www.sidetrack.nu; Wollmar Yxkullsgatan 7; Wed-Sat) This establishment is particular hit with down-to-earth guys, with a low-key, pub-like ambience and decent grub for peckish punters on the prowl.
Torget (Map; 20 55 60; www.torgetbaren.com; Mälartorget 13) In Gamla Stan, this is Stockholm’s premier gay bar-cum-restaurant, with eye-candy staff, mock-baroque touches and a civilised salon vibe.
* * *
Grodan (Map; 679 61 00; www.grodannattklubb.se, in Swedish; Grev Turegatan 16; admission Skr120; 10pm-3am Fri & Sat) At street level there’s a packed bar and mock-baroque restaurant serving great mod-nosh. In the cellar, A-list DJ talent from Stockholm, London and beyond (think Axwell, Özgur Can and Ben Watt) spin the vinyl, pumping out house and electro tracks for sweat-soaked clubbers.
Live Music
Stockholm’s music scene is alive and varied. On any night you can catch anything from emerging indie acts to edgy rock, blues and Balkan pop. Jazz and blues have a particularly strong presence, with several legendary venues saxing it up and an annual jazz festival held in mid-July.
All the following clubs have admission charges that vary depending on what’s on that night.
Debaser (Map; 462 98 60; www.debaser.se, in Swedish; Karl Johanstorg 1, Slussen; 7pm-1am, to 3am club nights Sun-Thu, 8pm-3am Fri & Sat) The king of rock clubs hides away under the Slussen interchange. Emerging or bigger-name acts play most nights, while the killer club nights span anything from rock-steady to punk and electronica.
Debaser Medis (Map; Medborgarplatsen 8; 7pm-1am Sun-Thu, 7pm-3am Fri & Sat) One metro stop further south is Debaser’s sprawling sister venue, with three floors rocking to live acts and DJ-spun tunes.
Mosebacke Etablissement (Map; 55 60 98 90; www.mosebacke.se, in Swedish; Mosebacketorg 3; tickets free-Skr250; to 11pm Mon & Tue, to 1am Wed & Sun, to 2am Thu-Sat) Eclectic theatre and club nights aside, this historic culture palace hosts a mixed line-up of live music. Tunes span anything from home-grown pop to antipodean rock. The outdoor terrace (featured in the opening scene of August Strindberg’s novel The Red Room) combines dazzling city views with a thumping summertime bar.
Glenn Miller Café (Map; 10 03 22; Brunns-gatan 21A; 5pm-1am Mon-Thu, 5pm-2am Fri & Sat) Simply loaded with character, this tiny jazz and blues bar draws a faithful, fun-loving crowd. It also serves excellent, affordable French-style classics like mussels with white wine sauce.
Fasching (Map; 53 48 29 60; www.fasching.se, in Swedish; Kungsgatan 63; tickets Skr100-300; to midnight Mon-Thu, 4am Fri & Sat) Music club Fasching peddles kick-arse jazz, swing and tango jams. DJs take over with either Afrobeat, Latin, neo-soul or R’n’B on Friday nights and retro-soul, disco and rare grooves on Saturdays.
Stampen (Map; 20 57 93; www.stampen.se; Stora Nygatan 5; admission free Mon-Thu, Skr120 Fri & Sat; 8pm-1am Mon-Wed, to 2am Thu-Sat) Once a pawn shop, Stampen is better known as one of Stockholm’s music club stalwarts, swinging to live jazz and blues every night. The free blues jam, at 2pm on Saturday, pulls everyone from local musos to the odd music legend.
Concerts, Theatre & Dance
Stockholm is a theatre city, with outstanding dance, opera and music performances; for an overview, pick up the free What’s On Stockholm guide from the tourist office. Ticket sales are handled by the tourist office at Sweden House. Alternatively, you can buy tickets direct from Ticnet (0771-70 70 70; www.ticnet.se).
Tickets generally aren’t cheap and often sell out, especially for Saturday shows, but you can occasionally