Let Me Tell You About Sweden » Swedish Culture

Photos from Melodifestivalen 2010

Shane — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 10:51:27 +0000

Jag vill om du vågar …so that was Melodifestivalen…a very interesting Swedish Cultural Experience. I am surprised that attendance is not mandatory if you wish to become a Swedish Citizen. I think this is the only time I see the Swedes really cast away their shyness and inhibitions and go a bit wild! The question was whether I would as well? Read on:

Melodifestivalen

Globen is a fascinating arena, I have not actually been there when there is an event on and its hard not to suck in ones breath when you go out into the arena. Very impressive.

It was so big that we actually got lost. As impressive a venue Globen is the organisation wasnt the best. We spent 30 mins trying to find our seats. We came down the stairs at 8 exactly to the music of Eye of the Tiger as the show was co-hosted by Dolph Lundgren. It was hard not to throw a few punches as the old Rocky song was blaring out. I felt like a WWF wrestler coming out for a fight, My colleague was equally as lost and we eventually found our seats.

By the power of grayskull..no battle cat though, disappointing!

The only guy there in a tie..of course!

I was amazed at how the Swedes really threw themselves into this. Many people really put the effort in and dress up in amazing costumes. I was there as a corporate guest, luckily I didnt wear the smoking jacket as I felt overdressed as it was!

Timotej, these ladies had talent and not just in the looks dept.

Timotej...I thought it was a shampoo!

Another song by numbers...hard going!

There is a Light that Never Goes Out! Trying to get into it!

Dolph Lundgren

Now the Swedes go wild!

And the Norwegians!

Still trying to work it all out!

Gave up fighting it ...is this my final transition to becoming a Swede?

Finally some talent, last years winner Malena Ernman, an accomplished opera singer

The winner Anna Bergendahl...really not my choice!

Anna Bergendahl won the whole thing, I cant say it struck me as a great song but then what were. You can watch it here and make up your own mind if you like, I am an old school Indie and Punk so what do I know!

This is My Life

Melodifestivalen 2010 was certainly an interesting experience and after dreading it I was pleased I went. Very flattered to be invited though I dont think I will attend again, well unless my future girl friend happens to be singing in it

So who was my choice…did I vote? I am a little embarrassed to tell you that I did. I texted my vote having heard all 10 acts and my choice….finished…last! Get in there, I still have some musical taste left.

Unlucky Pernilla Wahlgren, still think yours was the best song of the night.

Jag vill om du vågar! I will if you dare …still not something I would really listen to or sing along with but I thought it was the song with the best energy and no it wasnt just because I fancy her ok!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHrKHV9Z7O4

Shane to go to Melodifestivalen final!

Shane — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 07:37:50 +0000

I have blogged before on how much the Swedes love Eurovision. I have also blogged on Melodifestivalen. These are the heats held in various Swedish towns to find the ultimate winner that will represent Sweden at the Eurovision Song Contest.

I watched Melodifestivalen once and vowed not to watch it again. I cant say I am too keen on the music, what with my Indie/Punk roots. Last year 4 million Swedes watched the final on tv, thats almost half the country!!!

But a corporate guest has kindly given me a VIP invite. Thats a nice meal and drinks at a nice hotel, then transported to Globen for the finals, then whisked away to an exclusive bar in town.

Its a very gracious invite, I could not really say no and as my client suggests, its a great way to become more of a Swede!

I was given two tickets but as there is currently no Mrs W… I am sure several lady friends would have liked the ticket but I am not that shallow. I decided to offer the second ticket as a prize in the office based on sales results. My guys are very excited about it!

Its been some year, what with Gunilla taking me to the very Swedish new year celebrations at Skansen and now a Melodifestivalen.

Of course blog report and photos to follow!!

Swedish Celebrities

Shane — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 17:24:49 +0000

I will try and make this a weekly feature. More Swedish Celebrities from the Fokus list of the ’100 people who made the 00 decade.’

I take out the foreign ones and concentrate on the Swedish ones in an effort to learn more about who is who!

Ok even I know the first one for todays Swedish celebrity blog post..

Step forward Miss Bernadotte, better known as Princess Victoria, the Swedish Crown Princess.

She does come across as very sympathetic. Certainly not as arrogant or snobbish as the British Royal Family. I think she will do a great job when she takes over from her old man the King!

Oh wow and I know the next one, well certainly by name:

Hans Blix

Hans Blix headed up the UN Weapons Inspection team in Iraq. He criticised the British and US Government for dramatising the situation in Iraq before it was fashionable to do so.

He was also Swedens Foreign Minister in the late Seventies and a member of Folkpartiet.

Bert Bolin

Bert Bolin was a Swedish meteorologist who servied on the first climate change panel. He passed away in 2007

And another one I know…

Anders Borg

Swedens serving Finance Minister and member of Moderaterna.

Arvid Carlsson

Arvid Carlsson is a Swedish Scientist who is best known for his work with neurotransmitter dopamine and its effects on Parkinsons Disease. For his work n Dopamine he received the Nobel Prize for Medicine in 2000.

He also debatted against the fluoridation of water in Sweden saying that medicine should be on an individual basis and not one size fits all.

I dont like to cheapen the work of scientists by calling them celebrities but I am learning a lot by including them.

Tune in next week for more!

Swedish Celebrities

Shane — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 15:27:07 +0000

The thing about living abroad is I could be in the queue at the supermarket next to Swedens most famous living singer/actor/painter/playwright and not know! Its kind of nice in a way.

I am reading Fokus’s ’100 people who made the 00 decade’ and thought it would be fun to blog on the Swedes who made that list. So here is the first in a series of blog posts on famous Swedes.

Tomas Alfredson.

Tomas Alfredson is a film director. He directed the vampire movie ‘Let the Right One In’

Dont like horror movies myself but as this film title was inspired a by a Smiths song I can live with it

Karin Mamma Andersson

Karin Mamma Andersson is a Swedish painter, you can read more about her and her work here

Anne Sofie Back

Anne Sofie Back is a fashion designer and former winner of Designer of the Year( 2002 and 2004)

Jocke Berg

Joakim Berg is the singer, songwriter and rhythm guitarist for Swedish Rock Band Kent

Ingmar Bergman

Famous Swedish writer, producer and director. Worth noting that he was hounded by the tax authorities for tax evasion which affected his health. He went into exile from Sweden even though the case against him was later dropped.

I will profile another five more famous Swedes next week.

In the meantime what do you think about any of the above celebs?

Skansen on New Years Eve

Shane — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 15:24:46 +0000

OK here are the photos from the Swedish New Years celebrations.

As I blogged before I dont think I have ever worn so many clothes at one time, but standing for an hour in -10 degrees celcius looking sexy goes out of the way. Well for me anyway!

I thoroughly enjoyed the evening. Even managed to understand quite a bit of it. Some of the voices were incredible, I had forgotten how much I enjoy opera, I know I know a working class boy from Swansea should not admit to such things but there we go. At one point I even had to ‘shhh!’ some noisy people behind me. How rude to chat and laugh during this performance. I can never understand it. They were rather mature as well so should know better, then again I was sober, they were not…

Lisa Nilsson‘s voice was amazing. She is a soul/pop singer but she sounded like she would not be out of place at any Opera Hall. I was also very impressed with Swedish Baritone Peter Matei. The choir were also very good as was Swedish actor Jan Malmsjö who powerfully read out this moving poem in Swedish by Tennyson. I had not read this before, very powerful.

Ring out, wild bells, to the wild sky,
The flying cloud, the frosty light:
The year is dying in the night;
Ring out, wild bells, and let him die.

Ring out the old, ring in the new,
Ring, happy bells, across the snow:
The year is going, let him go;
Ring out the false, ring in the true.

Ring out the grief that saps the mind,
For those that here we see no more;
Ring out the feud of rich and poor,
Ring in redress to all mankind.

Ring out a slowly dying cause,
And ancient forms of party strife;
Ring in the nobler modes of life,
With sweeter manners, purer laws.

Ring out the want, the care, the sin,
The faithless coldness of the times;
Ring out, ring out my mournful rhymes,
But ring the fuller minstrel in.

Ring out false pride in place and blood,
The civic slander and the spite;
Ring in the love of truth and right,
Ring in the common love of good.

Ring out old shapes of foul disease;
Ring out the narrowing lust of gold;
Ring out the thousand wars of old,
Ring in the thousand years of peace.

Ring in the valiant man and free,
The larger heart, the kindlier hand;
Ring out the darkness of the land,
Ring in the Christ that is to be.

So here are the photos..please enjoy!

Could have done with a bit of Prodigy here 'I am the firestarter...'

Lisa Nilsson

Jan Malmsjö reads Tennyson

Jan Malmsjö Skansen

My little flat, complete with christmas lights in the window

Free Royal Opera

Shane — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 09:51:41 +0000

Right now the Stockholm Kulturfestival is running.

Last night we went to watch the Royal Opera – Kungliga Operan play at Gustav Adolfs Torg. It was free as part of the festival and I was really impressed by them. Fantastic musicianship. It was outdoors which always adds something to an operatic performance and luckily the weather held off until the last twenty minutes but it was worth getting soaked for, yes it was that good.

Such a shame I didnt have my camera with me as it really was a beautiful setting. Made me realise that I don’t go to enough concerts something that I need to fix.

celebrating a bajen victory with a…

Shane — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 13:22:12 +0000

Bajen beat Trelleborgs FF so a nice plankstek to celebrate

Very Swedish dish called plankstek, although apparently it originates from Hungary. Anyway it was very nice…Mums! (thats yum in Swedish!) I was celebrating the Bajen win which I have posted on on Hammarby in English

Small frogs

Shane — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 09:38:52 +0000

Yes its that time again! The Swedes go to town over Midsummer and we get a nice day off tomorrow. Miss P has invited me out to the island of Yxlan (means axe land!) in the Archipelago. There are a few of us going, should be good. I will take my fishing gear of course.

Yxlan

I didnt bother last year, I stayed in town as the Euro’s were on so it will be nice to see an actual Midsummer.

I wonder if it really will be like this:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=8I5BGsK5ZAU

One chapter finishes another begins

Shane — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 14:01:40 +0000

Its one of the hottest weekends in Sweden since I have been here and I am…packing!

Yes my time at Mariatorget is drawing to a close. I first came here in January 2008, worried as I arranged everything online and had not even seen the flat.

I moved in with a firm belief that I would only be in Sweden for six months. I never thought that in almost 18 months I would be buying a flat and settling in Stockholm.

Its been an interesting 18 months on both a work and personal level and now as I leave this place I move to sunny Årsta and a new adventure is waiting to begin.

I may be quiet the next week or so as I move and get settled in.

Easter Witches

Shane — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 17:31:30 +0000

How funny! I love living in a different country with different traditions. The UK/US has Halloween where the kids dress up and knock doors for sweets or cold hard cash.

The Swedes do things differently of course. They have Easter Witches, today is the day that the witches flew off to Blåkulla, so Swedish kids get dressed up and knock doors.

I saw some kids dressed up like this today and I shamefully turned into London mode and hand my hand on my wallet as I thought they were the kids of beggars after cash. Yes bad arent I but still when it comes to my wallet I am always paranoid!!!