Stockholm whistling like in Young Folks
we stand on Mariatorget due to its strategic location: it is the metro stop located north of the hipster island of Södermalm and, in turn, the area closest to the old case of the city, Gamla Stan. Surprisingly no one out there whistles like Peter, Bjorn & John in Young Folks. We install the invention (which does not work if you are not in the city), press the green logo and the battery of suggestions begins. The process is similar to that other legendary song recognition app called Shazam. This new one, which is very smart, As soon as he can, he tries to sneak it in by recommending a restaurant that has nothing to do with music. under the premise "What does sushi sound like?", but it also includes some addresses and notes that are worth paying attention to.
Overview of the island of Södermalm
It is the case of Fotografiska (Stadsgårdshamnen 22), a photography museum that sits by the water , looking towards the museum island, Dujgården. But wait a minute: images are not made up of melodies and everything in Stockholm is by the water, considering that it is a city made up of fourteen islands. Have they sneaked us? No: the cultural center It has a complete program with live music and DJ sessions from Tuesday to Sunday , and the views from its restaurant are among the best in the city. Worth.
Modern territory: view of the island of Södermalm with the frozen Lake Mälaren
We hit the button again and the app guides us to the other northern tip of the island, this time to the western edge. Munchenbryggeriet (Torkel Knutssonsgatan 2) is an impressive brewery converted into a cultural center and events, which attracts the best live music such as, in the coming days, Pixies and Jake Bugg. The interior of the complex also includes shops and bars.
Munchenbryggeriet, a brewery converted into a cultural center
In front of the place, there is a row of boats converted into pubs and hotels They shine especially in summer. One of them is the Vieille Montagne, which organizes surprise punk concerts. The next destination to which artificial intelligence invites us is a safe bet for the place where live legends have played and play. The world famous The Stampen Blues Jam (Stora Nygatan, 5) is, despite its name, a meeting point for more than one musical style: rock and roll, R'n'B, rockabilly, jazz or swing also take turns in its programming every night. concerts in the old town.
A concert on the ship Vieille Montagne
The Debaser live music rooms are another note, as well as berns , the hotel located in Berzelii Park that, in addition to being a treat for the eyes, brings together DJs and live bands in a most appetizing program. Among the upcoming Glasvegas dates, local pride The Sounds and White Lies.
Berns, the boutique hotel in Berzelii Park
Regardless of what the iPad says, it is necessary to remember the Hall of Fame and the museum of a certain Swedish quartet in Dujgården. And one of the favorite places of Howlin' Pelle Almqvist, singer of the rock band The Hives and a resident of the Swedish capital for years, is the Pet Sounds vinyl record store, at 53 Skånegatan . The psychedelic garage of the Blues Magoos or the pop side of the Californian Sunshine Company are pure 60s that lives in the store, but there, as they are not purists, they have a very modern catalog and even sell CDs.
The Pet Sounds Vinyl Record Store
We must not forget that this track has brought us back to Södermalm and in full SoFo -South of Folkungagatan, the Swedish SoHo - , so it doesn't hurt to pack the biggest, most padded headphones on the market to blend in with the hipster vibe. Listening to music with them is the least of it, they serve to show off and act as earmuffs if you have to fight the cold. Along the street it is easy to find electronic stores that sell the most popular models (for those who have forgotten to put them in their suitcase) and where they also offer all kinds of vintage design radios . Opposite the fully stocked vinyl store is its late-night version, the Pet Sounds Bar with matching piped music.
Shop assistant at Pärlans Konfektyr
The cinema has also been a good music selector in the city , so an alternative tour for tight budgets is offered by the documentary Sounds of Stockholm . In it, Valerie Toumayan decides to pay tribute to the city's music scene by recording live performances. Among the bands that appear throughout the footage are Those Dancing Days, a female folk quintet made up of post-adolescents, or the somewhat more Martian girl duo Little Marbles, among others.
One of the performances that appears in the film is precisely that of Peter, Bjorn and John, performing a jazz version of It doesn't move me at the Gigstudion, also in Södermalm.
*** You may also be interested..**
- Stockholm's SoFo: Swedish charm and hipster - 7 silly things to watch out for in Stockholm - Flavors of Sweden: the northern food revolution