Music
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Five amazing live music venues in Malmö
Richard Orange - [email protected]
Published: 23 Aug, 2019 CET.
Updated: Fri 23 Aug 2019 15:21 CET
When Debaser closed four years ago, it was a blow for Malmö's live music scene. But the city has bounced back. Here are some of the best venues for gigs.
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Plan B
When indie label owner Carlo Emme couldn't find anywhere decent for his bands to perform four years back, he decided to create one. Four years ago, the Malmö-based Italian opened Plan B together with his Swedish friend Viktor Höber in an old industrial building in Norra Grängesbergsgatan.
"We did a lot of metal, stoner music and small artists, indie psychedelic rock, and a little punk," Höber says. "A lot of rock shows and some pop artists as well, and now it's going to expand and be bigger."
Earlier this year, the club finally got an alcohol licence.
It's a great place, with a great atmosphere, drawing an interesting selection of bands from Sweden and abroad.
This Monday they've got US hardcore pioneers Agnostic Front. They've also held 'baby raves' for (slightly) older clubbers who want to combine techno with childcare.
The California psychedelic rock band Earthless play Plan-B earlier this month. Photo: Gianluca La Bruna
Kulturbolaget
Kulturbolaget, a club on Bergsgatan, has been going nearly 40 years now (although it only moved to its current premises on Bergsgatan in 1993).
It primarily purveys what's known in Sweden as gubbrock – middle-of-the-road guitar music that appeals to men over the age of 40 (known in Sweden as gubbar).
Ageing Scottish metallers Nazareth are playing next month, as are (or is) goth pioneers The Sisters of Mercy, and former-Scorpions guitarist Uli Jon Roth. What's not to love?
Here's Malmö 80s legends Wilmer X doing their stuff at a concert last year.
Inkonst
In a weird symmetry, Inkonst, across the street from Kulturbolaget, is more or less its polar opposite. The performing arts venue puts on things like experimental jazz trios, world music groups, and chin-stroking electronica. In December, the German electopunk pioneers DAF will be playing at the venue's annual electriXmas festival. It's almost always interesting, and sometimes even fun.
Moriskan
Occasionally, you hear of far-right extremists complaining about "the mosque" in the centre of Malmö's Folkets Park. But Moriska Paviljongen (The Moorish Pavilion) is in fact a pleasure palace, opened in 1902 for the enjoyment of Malmö workers.
Today, it hosts a varied mix of acts, with a slight bias towards reflecting Malmö's diversity. This month there's Malmö rapper Osman 'Ozzy' Maxamed, and in November, there's the British DJ Fatboy Slim.
Moriskan also hosts some unpretentious, fun club nights, such as Disco 2000 this Friday night.
Mässingshörnet
A cosy, slightly threadbare, pub venue in Kirseberg, outside the city centre, Mässingshörnet on Thursday nights hosts what may be Sweden's best blues jam (at any rate, I never found one in Stockholm to touch it).
Once guitarist Sven Kaa Hedberg and his regulars have warmed up the stage (by about 9.30pm), a mix of young, old, skilled (and less skilled) come up to bang out blues classics until the small hours, making for an entertaining night.
The venue also hosts an open mic night on Tuesdays for singer-songwriters which, as you might expect, varies from spell-bindingly brilliant to cringingly embarrassing.
The pub also has cheap beer, good, stodgy food, and a friendly atmosphere on the bar side.
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This article is available to Members of The Local. Read more Membership Exclusives here.
Plan B
When indie label owner Carlo Emme couldn't find anywhere decent for his bands to perform four years back, he decided to create one. Four years ago, the Malmö-based Italian opened Plan B together with his Swedish friend Viktor Höber in an old industrial building in Norra Grängesbergsgatan.
"We did a lot of metal, stoner music and small artists, indie psychedelic rock, and a little punk," Höber says. "A lot of rock shows and some pop artists as well, and now it's going to expand and be bigger."
Earlier this year, the club finally got an alcohol licence.
It's a great place, with a great atmosphere, drawing an interesting selection of bands from Sweden and abroad.
This Monday they've got US hardcore pioneers Agnostic Front. They've also held 'baby raves' for (slightly) older clubbers who want to combine techno with childcare.
The California psychedelic rock band Earthless play Plan-B earlier this month. Photo: Gianluca La Bruna
Kulturbolaget
Kulturbolaget, a club on Bergsgatan, has been going nearly 40 years now (although it only moved to its current premises on Bergsgatan in 1993).
It primarily purveys what's known in Sweden as gubbrock – middle-of-the-road guitar music that appeals to men over the age of 40 (known in Sweden as gubbar).
Ageing Scottish metallers Nazareth are playing next month, as are (or is) goth pioneers The Sisters of Mercy, and former-Scorpions guitarist Uli Jon Roth. What's not to love?
Here's Malmö 80s legends Wilmer X doing their stuff at a concert last year.
Inkonst
In a weird symmetry, Inkonst, across the street from Kulturbolaget, is more or less its polar opposite. The performing arts venue puts on things like experimental jazz trios, world music groups, and chin-stroking electronica. In December, the German electopunk pioneers DAF will be playing at the venue's annual electriXmas festival. It's almost always interesting, and sometimes even fun.
Moriskan
Occasionally, you hear of far-right extremists complaining about "the mosque" in the centre of Malmö's Folkets Park. But Moriska Paviljongen (The Moorish Pavilion) is in fact a pleasure palace, opened in 1902 for the enjoyment of Malmö workers.
Today, it hosts a varied mix of acts, with a slight bias towards reflecting Malmö's diversity. This month there's Malmö rapper Osman 'Ozzy' Maxamed, and in November, there's the British DJ Fatboy Slim.
Moriskan also hosts some unpretentious, fun club nights, such as Disco 2000 this Friday night.
Mässingshörnet
A cosy, slightly threadbare, pub venue in Kirseberg, outside the city centre, Mässingshörnet on Thursday nights hosts what may be Sweden's best blues jam (at any rate, I never found one in Stockholm to touch it).
Once guitarist Sven Kaa Hedberg and his regulars have warmed up the stage (by about 9.30pm), a mix of young, old, skilled (and less skilled) come up to bang out blues classics until the small hours, making for an entertaining night.
The venue also hosts an open mic night on Tuesdays for singer-songwriters which, as you might expect, varies from spell-bindingly brilliant to cringingly embarrassing.
The pub also has cheap beer, good, stodgy food, and a friendly atmosphere on the bar side.
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