What’s on in Ljubljana: Sept 03–09, 2018 (Videos & DJ Sets)

By , 02 Sep 2018, 14:00 PM Lifestyle
There's a lot happening this week to celebrate 25 years of Ljubljana's alternative cultural centre There's a lot happening this week to celebrate 25 years of Ljubljana's alternative cultural centre Metelkova's Facebook pages

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Metelkova turns 25. 

September 02, 2018

The summer’s over. All the grade schools in Slovenia restart tomorrow, Monday September 3, and the Ljubljana Festival is nearing the end for another year, with this week’s biggest show perhaps being a concert by local heroes Laibach in Križanke on Friday, albeit in a very different form to their first incarnation. So today is sad time for many, an exciting one for others, and a day to take stock of what’s been done and what remains for the rest of the year, with Total Slovenia and What’s on… rapidly approaching their first anniversaries.

In the 10 months since this started I’ve learned a lot about the life of the city, and most of all that there’s always a lot going on within the downtown area these weekly guides cover. Not just more than I can visit, but more than I can keep up with. So bare in mind that what’s presented below is just a small selection of the exhibitions, happenings and events in Ljubljana over the next seven days, and that it’s always worth keeping your eyes open for posters announcing something else, either set up and paid for in well-illuminated billboards, or stuck to a wall with tape. They all provide the rich ecosystem from which so much of interest emerges and often flourishes, and you can help by paying attention and maybe the price of a ticket. On a related note, one place that’s played a central role in the cultural life of the city for many years is Metelkova, which this week celebrates in 25th anniversary with a number of events from September 7–10. There’s a lot going on, and you can find all the details, in Slovene, on Facebook here, as well as in the related sections below.

Elsewhere in town, the INDIGO Festval of Contemporary Ideas will be bringing, music, dance, lectures, discussions, DJs, a book fair, "hair editing", smart T-shirt workshops and more to French Revolution Square and other venues from the 5th to the 7th (Wed to Fri). You can read more about that here, and maybe even spot me at the Laibach after-party in weather- and event-appropriate techwear. I'll be the guy taking notes.

As ever, clicking on the venue names in the list below should get you more details with regard to the time, price and location, as well as other events on this week in the same place.

If you want to get a Ljubljana Tourist Card, which gives you travel on the city buses and entry to a lot of attractions, then you can read more about that here, and if you want to use the bike share system, as useful for visitors as it is for residents, then you can learn more by clicking this. Visitors with reduced mobility will be pleased to find that downtown Ljubljana is generally rated as good with regard to accessibility, and that there’s a free, city-sponsored app called Ljubljana by Wheelchair highlighting cafés, attractions and so on with ramps, disabled bathrooms and Eurokey facilities, which you can read about and download here.

Ljubljana is a small and relatively safe city, but if need to contact the police then there’s a special number for foreigners, and that’s 113.

Finally, if there's something you want to promote in a future edition of What's on... please get in touch with me at flanner(at)total-slovenia-news.com

CINEMA

You can read about all the cinemas in town here, while a selection of what’s playing this week is below, and note that kid’s movies tend to be shown in dubbed versions, so do check before driving out to a multiplex and dropping off the young ones. (And if you like watching trailers with subtitles as a way of learning Slovene, then catch up on some from earlier this year here and here).

Kinodvor – The arts cinema not far from the train station, but still rather tucked away, showing, among other features, Mary Shelley, Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far on Foot, Whitney, Louise en hiver (French language) and this week’s big new movie, Spike Lee’s BlacKkKlansman.

Kinoteka – The revival house at one end of Miklošičeva is back after a long summer break, and this week features, among other things, Hair, Amadeus, Respiro and Offret.

Kino Šiška – This venue hosting the FER FeKK short film festival on Saturday night, with the focus on Slovenian productions. Details here.

Kolosej – The multiplex out at BTC City Mall is playing all the big movies, which this week include Mission Impossible: FalloutMamma Mia 2: Here We Go AgainSkyscraperAdriftJurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, a dubbed version of Hotel Transylvania 3: A Monster VacationThe Meg, The Spy Who Dumped Me, and Equalizer 2. New releases this week include BlacKkKlansman on Tuesday, and The Nun, a horror movie, on Thursday.

Komuna – The cinema in a basement behind Nama department store is showing a dubbed version of Hotel Transylvania 3: A Monster VacationMamma Mia 2: Here We Go Again, and Whitney.

CLUBS

A study conducted earlier this year found that Ljubljana is the 28th most affordable city in the world to get drunk and high in, as reported here. However, note that all the usual drugs remain illegal in Slovenia. We've also heard increasing reports - albeit anecdotal - of women's drinks being spiked in the city, so take care and let friends know where you're going. If you get a hangover then find out where to get paracetamol (and prescription drugs) in Ljubljana here, while details on emergency birth control can be found here.

Božidar – Friday you can enjoy Christian Kroupa / Alleged Witches from 19:00–01:00.

Channel Zero – Friday there’s Elektroliza: Detroit In Effect, a techno all-nighter with sound and vision from Detroit In Effect (M.A.P. , Clone / Detroit), DJ XED, Le Chocolat Noir, Ocular and RGB video.

Gala Hala – Thursday there’s the Goulash Disko Festival Warmup, with Fourmï Rouz providing the tunes. Friday there’s Bojler w/ Jubilee, Peglasus b2b KMN, TMA, cl_tr, VJ SMECH, DJ VERSO and Futon playing a mix of club, bass, rap, dancehall and afrobeat. Sunday night there’s then a party celebrating 25 years of Metelkova, with the music being “alternative hits”.

Klub Cirkus – The more commercial end of club has TRIP ft. Kosta Radman on Friday, while Saturday offers the Best of Summer, with DJs David Mel & Matthew Z.

Klub K4 – The klub 4 kool kids has UVK4: Symann, Softskinson, and Moare on Friday playing house, techno, and electro. Saturday there’s then UVK4 x 56315:ascent, with a variety of DJs and live acts, the names being Tschimy, simon$ezdie, Junker, Luza and casi, with an experimental programme of lofi / phonk / trap / bass / wave.

EXHIBITIONS

Please note that most public galleries and museums are closed on Mondays, although not the National Museum.

Ljubljana Castle has an exhibition on the history of dragons that runs until November 11, and there's plenty more to see and do when up there, including some nice walks in nature. Note that the bathroom is in the basement and rather difficult to find.

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Plečnik's desk. Photo: JL Flanner

Plečnik’s House is worth a visit if you want to learn more about the architect who gave Ljubljana much of its character. Read about our guided tour here.

Jakopič Gallery– Fans of Magnum and photography in general will wish to check out the Marc Riboud show here, as detailed in an earlier story, and on until October.

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Marc Riboud Beijing, 1965. Da Sha La street in old Bejing, as seen through an antique dealer’s window. Private citizens come here to sell family jewels or other objects. The prices are fixed by the government. ©Marc Riboud – all rights reserved.

Cankerjev dom – Running until the end of February 2019 is an exhibition titled Ivan Cankar and Europe: Between Shakespeare and Kafka. This is “An examination of Cankar’s art through an analysis of influences and interpretations, and juxtaposition with contemporary European writers. The visually elaborate architectural and graphic layout, supported by audio-visual media, installation art and diverse visual highlights, offers a vivid account of Cankar’s excellence, his comprehensively exquisite aesthetic and artistic vision.”

City Art Gallery Last Chance On until the first week of September is a show called Prrrrrr, featuring the work of seven female artists from Slovenia. More on that here.

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Simona Semenič, Nada Žgank - Zapis celote, triptih fotografij, 67 x 100 cm, giclée print, 2009. On display at the City Art Gallery

City Museum – The Museum in French Revolution Square has an exhibition on the writer Ivan Cankar that’s on until the end of February 2019, with pictures, books and manuscripts, all presented in Slovene and English. It also has a very interesting permanent exhibition on the history of Ljubljana, from prehistoric times to the present day, with many artefacts, models and so on that bring the story alive.You can read about my recent visit here.

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The Faces of Ljubljana in the City Museum. Photo: JL Flanner

Galerija Kresija There’s a fun show at this gallery between the Triple Bridge and Robba Fountain, showing Tina Kolenik wearing watermelons on her head. This runs until September 14, and is being promoted with the following image.

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International Centre of Graphic Arts – Among other shows, on Thursday there’s a new one here that runs until September 8, Trude Johansen & Maruša Meglič, who took part in the first residency exchange between Norway and Slovenia.

MAO – The Museum of Architecture and Design is showcasing Slovenian designers in a show called Made in Slovenia, lasting until the end of 2018: “The selling exhibition aims to present good practices of Slovenian designers and companies in the creative sector.” The same venue has an exhibition based on Slovenia’s Pavilion at the 16th International Architecture Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia, called “Living with Water”, and on until November 25.

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Something by Drago Tršar

Moderna galerija – The main branch of this gallery, to be found near the entrance to Tivoli Park, has a good collection of modern art, as well a nice café in the basement, and, until September 30th, a retrospective on the monumental sculptures of Drago Tršar, which you’ll recognise from around town (see more here). For even more contemporary work you can take a trip to the Metelkova branch, where there’s currently a show on the relationship between humans and animals.

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Photo: JL Flanner

Museum of Contemporary History – The museum in Tivoli Park has two new shows. One is called Museum's (R)evolution 1948-2018, marking the place's 70th anniversary with an exhibition tracing its evolution through artefacts, photographs and personal stories and running until January 6 2019 (details here). There's also In Search of Freedom: 1968-2018, looking at the 1968 student protests.

National Gallery – The country’s main gallery has “the best” of what’s on offer from the Middle Ages to non-contemporary modern visual arts, and is in a great location for exploring other areas, just by Tivoli Park and opposite the main branch of the Moderna galerija. Running until February 10 2019 is a show called Ivana Kobilca (1861-1926): But Of Course, Painting Is Something Beautiful!, featuring works like the one below. You can read about our visit to the room containing scared art from the Middle Ages here, and see a picture from our trip after the two girls.

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JL Flanner

National Museum of Slovenia – There’s plenty to see in the permanent collection here, from Roman times, Egypt and more, with the big draw this season being the exhibition of over 140 items of gold from Ming Dyntasy China, as reported here, and with an example below.

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Photo: Wang Wei Chang

Meanwhile, at the museum's Metelkova branch, located between one branch of the Moderna galerija and the Ethnographic Museum is the International Ceramic Triennial UNICUM 2018, which runs until September 30. It's being promoted with the following image. This branch also has some rooms on Church art, funiture and weapons, with the latter including more guns than you'll see anywhere else in town, and quite a thrill if coming from a nation where such objects are not household objects.

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Slovene Ethnographic Museum – The museum currently has a temporary show on Bees and Beekeeping, as well two permanent exhibitions. One of these is called Between Nature and Culture, and has a great collection of objects from Slovenia and around the world, well worth the trip up to the third floor to see it (as recounted here). This place is located near the newer branch of the Moderna galerija and Metelkova.

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Photo: JL Flanner

Union Experience – The Ljubljana-based brewer has a museum showing the history of the company, with the ticket also including access to part of the factory and a few samples of the product. You can read about our visit here.

It's not a formal museum, but if you're interested in "Yugo-stalgia" then you'll enjoy a trip to Verba, a small, privately run space that's crammed with objects and pop culture items from the era, and is conveniently located at the start of one of the short walks to the castle. It's also a great place to take pictures, if you leave a donation, and you can read more about it here.

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Verba. Photo: JL Flanner

Alternative Ljubljana isn't a museum or gallery, as such, but instead turns the city streets into a museum and gallery. Learn more about their tours of street art, history and LGBT Ljubljana here.

FAMILIES & KIDS

You can find our Top 12 list of things to do with kids in Ljubljana here. If want to read more about the philosophy behind the wonderful House of Experiments look here, while our trip to the Museum of Illusions is documented here, and there’s always riverside walks, ice cream and pizza.

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Museum of Illusions. Photo: JL Flanner

LGBTQI+

If you want to learn more about Ljubljana Pride, then take a look at our interview with its president here. If you're looking for more general links on "gay Slovenia", including a history of the scene and various projects, then you can find that here.

Klub Monokel – Friday there's an all-night at this lesbian bar in Metelkova, with the music coming from R36, Tetsuo, Torkar, and Liara T'Soni.

Klub Tiffany – Sunday, 19:00, the Lesbian-Feminist University is inviting you to the Lesbian cinema club and debate – Stormé. This will focus on Stormé DeLarverie (1920-2014) or Stormy, who was a black butch lesbian, a drag king and a singer who was a key figure in the Stonewall uprising and become known as "the Rosa Parks of LGBT community”.

Pritličje – This is the closest Ljubljana comes to a "gay bar" so it's a good thing this LGBT-friendly cafe / bar / events space is such a good one, and open from morning to night. You can read more about it here.

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Photo: JL Flanner

LIVE MUSIC

 

Cankerjev dom – Monday there’s the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra with the soprano Anett Fritsch, playing Berg, Bruckner and Webern. Tuesday you can enjoy a dramatic night with the Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra, and a programme of Strauss: Thus Spoke Zarathustra, Ligeti: Atmosphères and Berlioz: Symphonie fantastique.

Gala Hala – Saturday night sees a live show from An Eagle In Your Mind, followed by some DJs, with the music described as folk / psychedelic rock / abstract hip-hop / deep & dark psy & tech zenonesque / progressive tech house/ acid techno.

Klub Gromka – Friday night there’s experimental music in the varied forms of noise, glitch, sludge, etnotrash and more, with performances by Akami, Nevemnevem, Ssmkosk, Đezm!, and Tovariš Strmoglavljen.

Kino Šiška – Next Sunday sees a night of Black Metal, with Abbath, Baest, and Kholn frightening the horses.

Koncertna Dvorana Rog – The alternative to Metelkova has a show by Yawning Man and TSO on Tuesday, promising a night of stoner and psychedelic rock.

Križanke – The current line-up of Laibach will be playing in this outdoor venue on Friday, with a previous show in the same place shown below.

 

OPERA, THEATRE, DANCE

Pocket Teater Studio – Nothing is scheduled this week, but you can read about the man behind the theatre here, and keep your eye open for future flamenco and tapas shows, as they always sell ahead before the night.

SNG Opera and Ballet – Beethoven’s Fidelio will be performed on Saturday.

MISC.

Every Friday through the warmer months there’s the Open Kitchen in Ljubljana Market, where you can try food and drink from some the biggest names in town, and you can read more about it here.

Breg Embankment, just opposite the Old Town and by the river, has a small flea market open every Sunday morning. Learn more about it here.

If you’re in town and want to go jogging or walking in nature, why not take another look at the Castle, with a brief guide to the trails here. If you want something bigger, head to Tivoli Park.

If you want to get wet and work on your tan then consider going to one of the outdoor pools in town, which you can read about here, and that will be closing in a few weeks until next year.

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Laguna, but there are also pools for swimming in town.

And if you're bored with the Old Town, why not take a walk, cycle or boat ride to nearby Špica and enjoy the riverside life. Learn more about that here.

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Flickr - Dave Rosenbaum CC by 2.0

Want to stretch and breath? Then check out our list of drop-in yoga classes for tourists, visitors and the uncommitted. If you're heading to the coast, check out our interview with a yoga teacher who offers breakfast sessions there, while if you're staying in town (or nearby) and want to try some "family yoga" then you can learn more about that here and maybe get your kids to calm down a moment or two.

Pritličje – Thursday there’s slam poetry from 17:00 on with an international mix of authors/performers, including Marc Kelly Smith from America (and you can read more about this venue here).

TRIPS

Most of Slovenia is only a few hours from Ljubljana, and you can easily visit Lake Bled, Lipica Stud Farm, Postojna Cave, Predjama Castle, the coast and other locations.

FINALLY…

Jože Plečnik may be the biggest name in local architecture, but Edvard Ravnikar is another one to note, the man responsible for Republic Square, its two towers and Maximarket. We took a closer look last week, and you can see the pictures and learn more about the space here.

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JL Flanner

And keep your eyes open  around town and maybe you'll spot a K67 kiosk, in service or neglect. You can learn more about this Slovene design classic here.

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Photo galleries and videos

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