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The Cultural Scene in Grünerløkka

By 3. februar 2025Visitorinfo

Grünerløkka is home to one of Norway’s most dynamic and diverse cultural landscapes. From intimate folk music performances and cutting-edge contemporary dance to legendary jazz nights and indie film screenings, the neighborhood offers something for every artistic taste. Whether you’re a spontaneous visitor or a meticulous planner, many venues offer last-minute tickets, so you can dive into the city’s creative pulse without a strict itinerary.

In this guide, we’ll introduce you to some of the area’s must-visit cultural hotspots and recomended standout events. For a full daily overview, check the Broadcast Events app on your phone or scroll to the end of this article for an event calendar. Now, let’s explore what Grünerløkka has to offer!

Riksscenen 

The Norwegian Hub for Traditional Music and Dance have given Norway an impressive new national venue for presenting all kinds of folk music and folk dance, including Norwegian, Sami and different music and dance from around the world. The venue is tailored to intimate acoustic concerts, fully produced stage shows, and modern dance productions, as well as social events on dance floors that are suited traditional dances. 

Some spring 2025 highlights:

Sahra Halgan, 14. Feb:

Sahra Halgan is an iconic artist from Somaliland, formerly a British protectorate in the Horn of Africa, and an independent country since 1991, although unrecognized by the international community.

In the 1980s, during the war in reaction to the terrible repression of Siad Barré, the dictator of neighboring Somalia, she earns her nickname “Halgan”, the fighter, and her songs win the hearts of an entire people forever. An improvised nurse at the front, defying tribal and family conventions, she sings to heal the wounded and encourage the fighters.

At the beginning of the 2010s in Lyon, with Aymeric Krol on percussion (BKO from MALI) and Maël Salètes on electric guitar (Orchestre Tout Puissant Marcel Duchamp, L’étrangleuse), she starts the Sahra Halgan Trio which generates a small but steady following among European audiences and the diaspora, who have never forgotten her.

The trio invents a minimalist form with a raw sound that they develop over two albums, carried by Sahra’s unique voice and her tireless political commitment to the recognition of her country. From tiny venues to prestigious festivals on three continents, the originality of the group’s music is confirmed at the Transmusicales de Rennes in 2019.

Bergen Madolinband avec Steve Riley, 27. March

We are proud to present Steve Riley in Norway for the first time! The concert will be a mix of music from Bergen Mandolinband’s new album and Steve Riley’s extensive repertoire of traditional Cajun music.

Bergen Mandolinband is led by folk musician Olav Christer «Laffen» Rossebø and author and musician Gaute Sortland. Olav Christer has studied American folk music for many years, through study trips and tours in the USA, and has particularly focused on Cajun music from Louisiana. Traditional music is combined with strong Norwegian lyrics by vocalist and author Gaute Sortland, creating a blend of the best from Cajun country and the worst from Western Norway. Dark, bittersweet, and unique. The band has also written a number of songs themselves.


Steve Riley is considered by many to be the world’s foremost Cajun accordion player. Since his early teens, he has toured with Cajun legend Dewey Balfa, and he has later collaborated with artists such as Eric Clapton, Robert Plant, Elvis Costello, Willie Nelson, Paul Simon, and Doug Kershaw. Steve Riley is also an excellent vocalist and fiddler.

Poing & Hekate  – Hunting High And Low, 28. March

2025 marks 40 years since the official beginning of Norway’s greatest pop adventure of all time. A-ha’s debut album became a massive success worldwide and included five hit singles: Take on Me, Love is Reason, The Sun Always Shines on TV, Train of Thought, and of course, the title track. But is this folk music? A-ha has often been called a British pop success, but now POING and Hekate will explore the Norwegian elements they believe can be found in these fantastic pop songs.
The musical wizards of POING – Rolf-Erik Nystrøm, Frode Haltli, and Håkon Thelin – have played everything from contemporary music to folk music from around the world. They have had great success with innovative and highly original renditions of Hellbillies’ Sylvspente Boots and Åge Aleksandersen’s Levva livet, both at the National Stage and at festivals across Norway.

This time, they are joining forces with Norway’s most exciting, innovative, and freshest vocal trio from the folk music scene, featuring three top-tier young singers: Synnøve Brøndbo Plassen, Silje Risdal Liahagen, and Malin Alander.

The three voices in the trio are both different and similar, contributing to a dynamic soundscape with a wide range of tone. The trio had their debut concert at Tuvas Blodklubb, creating a space with dance, listening, and excitement for the traditional folk music. Since then, they have become a hot topic in the Norwegian folk music community. The trio also performed on Lindmo – NRK, on March 8, 2024.

Full program at Riksccenen (NO)

The bar is open before and during concerts, and you’ll find multiple restaurants nearby.

Parkteatret Bar & Scene

One of the oldest cinemas in Europe (dating back to 1907), Parkteatret is now a 500-capacity music venue with an excellent reputation for Norwegian and international acts. The venue has a very charming bar next door, a favorite amongst locals.

The bar offers a wide selection of local beers, organic wines, salads, sandwiches and great pizzas. Tickets can be purchased both at the door (unless it’s sold out), and via ticketmaster.no

Program of concerts (NO)

Dansens Hus

Mamela Nyamza: HATCHED ENSEMBLE. Photo: Mark Wessels

Dansens Hus, Norway’s national stage for contemporary dance, is a place to experience, develop and talk about dance. A place for people who love dance, and for people who have never watched dance before. A stage for people who want to be inspired, moved and challenged. Dansens Hus is situated at Vulkan, next door to Mathallen, and presents a variety of Norwegian and international performances.

This spring some of the international headliners are: 

Full program of preformances (ENG)

Dansens Hus offers bar service one hour in advance of performances and 2 hours after. For meals before or after performances Mathallen next door can be recommended for informal dining. 

Folk

Folk i Storgata is a night club and an independent cultural organizer. Last year, we carried out 100 events to a greater or lesser extent. In the summer months, we have an outdoor stage in the backyard with capacity for 350 guests. In the coming year, we will continue in true style with concerts, jams, stand-up and summer parties. We do not have food service at the house, but all food and catering are completely allowed to be brought.

Inside we have a stage with room for approximately 50 audience members. Weekly stand-up and jam evenings are organized here, in addition to more or less intimate concerts. 

Program of events (NO)

Vega Scene

Vega Scene is a vibrant venue for art cinema and contemporary theatre located in the eastern part of Oslo. The program features new and old arthouse films in Norwegian distribution. In addition, they import titles for limited cinematic release at Vega Scene. 

They also offer screenings with English subtitles.
Check out their Theather program and Cinema Program (NO)

Vega Scene has both a bar and a snack bar with food. You are welcome to bring drinks into the screenings.

Grünerløkka Lufthavn / Mir

Grünerløkka Lufthavn is a non-commercial organization in Oslo that runs the music venue and bar Mir, the art gallery 69, rehearsal rooms for musicians, and studios for artists. Mir and the stage are in many ways the heart of Grünerløkka Lufthavn. It opens from 19:00 to 01:00 throughout the week (20:00 to 01:00 in July).

We have astonishingly many exciting and weird concerts and other events, free internet and a full bar! Customers can bring food to the venue.

Some highlights:

  • Gotham Nights, 30 Years, Not Dead Yet! 14. February
    Goth, Synth PoP, New Wave etc. DJ’s and dress up!
  • MaVe, Album Release Concert
    Electronic, experimantal pop music with edge.

Full progam of concerts (NO)

Blå

BLÅ is a medium-sized venue located next to the idyllic Akerselva River. What was once a storage facility for gold and diamonds(!), is now weekly filled to the brim with an eclectic selection of fine culture! Our specialties include up and coming local acts, world music, jazz, and world class club nights. 

Some highlights in 2025: 

  • Frank Znort Quartet, every Sunday. FZQ is one of the few constants in a world which seemingly has gone off the rails. They’ve delivered top notch jazz-punk to the people of Oslo every single Sunday since 1998 – completely for free. A truly classic Oslo experience. 
  • Karin Krog, 05.02.25. The undisputed queen of Norwegian Jazz finally returns to Blå!
  • Bulgarian State Television Female Choir, 08.03.05. Don’t let the slightly soviet-sounding name scare you — this is an otherworldly and truly unique musical experience. Since the re-release of their legendary album Le Mystere des Voix Bulgares on 4AD in 1986, this female choir has left listeners all over the world spellbound.  
  • Habibi Funk, 30.04.25. Habibi Funk is a Berlin-based label dedicated to funky music from the Arabic world in the 1970s and 80s. This time, they’re bringing special guests Roger Fakhr, a Lebanese singer-songwriter who grew up in the alternative music scene of Beirut in the 1960s, and the Lebanese multi-instrumentalist Charif Megarbane. 

Full program of concerts (NO)

BLÅ has food service during summer in the outside bar, and will open a restaurant in an adjacent building in march 2025. The outside bar is normally open every day from mid-april to November. BLÅ strives to be an independent addition to the art- and musical life of Oslo and Norway. 

Kulturkirken Jakob

Kulturkirken Jakob, named after St. James, the patron saint of pilgrims and travelers, is a «cultural church» devoted to a variety of eclectic music, dance, movie and theater events. 

2025 program highlights include:

  • «Interpuls» Festival in february: Enjoy a carefully curated selection of Norway’s premier musicians and singers performing new and older works from the minimalistic classical tradition — ideally, accompanied by popcorn and craft beer from the church’s bar, discreetly placed underneath the organ gallery
  • «På gølvet i Jakob» — literally, «On the floor in Jakob», a series of concerts taking place on the floor among the audience — acoustic, warm and intimate experiences 
  • «Jul i Jakob» in November & December— the church’s pre-Christmas concert series, featuring some of the country’s finest artists across genres

Full program (NO) and tickets

Event Calendar from our partner Broadcast.events