Get ready to slip into your suit and tighten your tie as ‘the president of pop’ Justin Timberlake makes his way to Parken stadium in Copenhagen on 6 May 2014 as part of the world tour for the hit album The 20/20 Experience. The third studio album by the Grammy and Emmy award-winning artist has dominated the charts, with more than 3.5 million copies sold worldwide making it this year’s best-selling album to date. Tickets range from 675 to 4,609kr, so be sure to snap one up soon as they are guaranteed to sell out before you can mouth the phrase ‘Sexy Back’.
Bringing boy-bands back and also gracing the stage at Parken is British-Irish pop-rock band One Direction. The boys, now aged in their late teens and early 20s, were first discovered on the British television series The X Factor and their debut album Up All Night became the fastest-selling debut album in the UK in 2011. Tickets can be purchased through www.livenation.dk, but only the incredibly expensive options remain.
The X factor doesn’t stop there, with the talented winner of The X Factor in 2012 (UK), James Arthur set to fill the halls of Lille Vega with his debut album and soulful voice on 20 February. VEGA also presents Scottish indie-rock band Frightened Rabbit as they return to Denmark with their latest album Pedestrian Verse. If you missed their acclaimed concert at this year’s Northside Festival, you can catch their grandiose sound and poetic lyrics on Monday 11 November. Rapper and producer Tricky will appear at Lille Vega with this new album The English on 29 November, an album the artist says is “about me finding myself again … if people do not like it, it does not matter to me,” but we’re sure you’re free to make up your own mind.
Experience one of rock’s legendary bands Deep Purple – who have been performing for over 40 years – on 11 February at TAP 1. Tickets cost 385kr. Speaking of legends, the winner of three Brit Awards and the record holder (along with Elvis Presley) for releasing singles in six five consecutive decades (1950s-2000s), Cliff Richard will perform at Forum in May 2014.
After rocking and rolling your heart away, you can indulge in a myriad of cultural experiences including opera, design, art and architecture during three days of art and inspiration as part of Copenhagen Art Weekend beginning on 15 November. A highlight of the weekend includes the Royal Danish Opera’s special introduction to the ongoing Verdi and Shakespeare opera festival with three outstanding Shakespearian operas – Othello, Falstaff and Macbeth – presented by very different directors, but all pulled together by a unified set design.
Get your dose of stand-up on December 14 at Bremen theatre when American comedian, actress, author and activist Margaret Cho comes to town with her stand-up show MOTHER. But don’t expect light and frothy jokes about diapers. “MOTHER offers an untraditional look at motherhood and how we look at maternal figures and strong women in queer culture. It’s probably my edgiest show to date, filled with riotous observations on race, drugs, sexuality – gay-straight-everything in between, celebrity, culture, politics – nothing is sacred,” says Cho. Tickets range from 290-320kr.
With the chill of winter well and truly setting in, you could easily conclude that the festival season is well and truly over. However, you would be mistaken as Copenhagen’s carousel of festivities continues to turn to its own magicial tune with something for everyone. The Festival of Wonder: Silkeborg International Puppet Theater Festival will host master classes, workshops, exhibits and exciting performances presented by theatres from Denmark, England, Sweden, Canada, Netherlands, France, Germany, Portugal, Taiwan and Israel from November 7-10. You can also enjoy buttery popcorn and a documentary film from November 7-17 during CPH:DOX and perhaps even sip on a Guinness during the Irish Festival, also in November.
