Last time around, the temperature outside was a frightful minus something, and in spite of a few flickers of optimism, the bleak, dank atmosphere of a standard savage Scandinavian winter was very much upon us. Fast forward a month and the snow and ice has returned with a vengeance, even though the sun is high in the sky these days and actually warms the skin when the wind abates. Spring is nigh, bringing with it the new-found optimism that tends to literally ‘light up’ Copenhagen. Here’s the best of what to expect from the start of the season:
Dome Of Visions
The architects and performance designers behind the dome of visions concept thought it would be cool to toy with the way we use our time and space in cities. Dome of Visions (DOV) is a 21m wide, 12m high Plexiglas dome that’s been smacked temporarily on the waterfront-edge of Krøyers Plads in Christianshavn, opposite the world’s best restaurant, Noma. There’s an event to suit all tastes over the next few months of the dome’s life in Copenhagen (it will be relocated to Aarhus in May), the highlight of which is the Danish DJ and musician Andreas Trentemøller’s performance on the 30th as part of the ‘Dusk to Dark’ series of experimental musical experiences at the DOV. Other events include ‘Cre-active spaces’ on May 2 (a networking event that unites urban planners, social entrepreneurs, urban gardeners and essentially anyone and everyone who has radically rethought space use in an open dialogue) and ‘waves of transformations’ (an audiovisual bombardment series that takes place once a fortnight). The walk there takes one past some of the old, romantic leaning houses along Christianshavn’s canals, so if you fancy a scenic stroll with entertainment at the end of it and a sneak peak at Noma from the outside, the DOV will surely be worth your while. For more info and specific event prices, check out the website. You’ll find that tickets to most events can, for the most part, only be purchased onsite and will probably do less than 100kr worth of damage to your wallet.
Expand your cultural horizons/Perform YOUR city
Various venues; runs through April; ticket prices mostly under 100kr; www.domeofvisions.dk
Dawda Jorbateh
If you’ve never heard a kora played live, then Dawada Jorbateh’s show at Loppen is a must-see. The Gambian will be backed by Danish guitarist Preben Carlsen and Ghanian bassist Nana Osibio and looks set to usher in the spring at Loppen in style with a concert that will probably showcase quite a few tracks of his new, highly-rated album, Northern Light Gambian Night. Originally a percussionist, Jorbateh has in recent years performed at Roskilde and carved a name out for himself on the world music scene after moving to Denmark a good few years ago.
Loppen, Christiania; April 14; 50kr
Rangleklods
Rangleklods’s music is better than his name suggests. The last few years have seen this electronic musician follow in the heavy-bass line shadows of the likes of fellow Danish artists Troels Abrahamsen, Veto and Vinnie Who. Rangleklods’s music consists of ephemeral vocals and instrumentation slapped wittily onto a foundation of thumping electronic beats. Like many other musicians du jour, Rangleklods has pulled off the in-vogue maneouvre of practising his trade in and seeking inspiration from Berlin, a move which seems to be paying off for him following the release of his debut album Beekeeper last year and a solid showing on Roskilde Festival’s Cosmopol Stage.
Rust, Guldbergsgade 8, Cph N; April 19; 120kr
Mames Babegenush,
Mames Babegenush sounds like the sort of band you’d hire at a wedding if you wanted things to steam up. The klezmer musicians produce exactly the sort of rattling, rowdy musical concoctions that’ll get most crowds jumping in no time. They aren’t all that established yet, so their gig at Rust will definitely be an opportunity for them to showcase their trade and make more of a name for themselves.
Rust; April 13; 100kr
Chronixx
At just 20 years of age, Jamaica’s Chronixx is a breath of fresh air in the dancehall world at the moment. Following in the steps of groups like the legendary TOK, Chronixx combines a traditional dancehall affiliation with powerful lyrics and a down-tempo edge. His Danish debut at Christiania’s Loppen will provide a welcome substitute for the popular Rub-a-Dub Sundays that have disappeared off the nightlife radar for the moment, depriving local reggae and dancehall enthusiasts of their weekly fix of Caribbean vibes.
Loppen; April 16; 180kr
