March 18, 2018
According to the owner of my regular the tourist season starts this week, and as visitors with more money to spend and time to enjoy than locals hit the streets you can expect a clear uptick in the action, both free and paid, in the cafés, bars, nightclubs, theatres and squares.
And thus while small and somewhat second rank as a European city, we’re sure there’s at least one thing happening in Ljubljana this week you’d enjoy. So scroll down, check out the videos, images and music, and see what the place has to offer.
One big event this week, not based in Ljubljana but viewed on screens in cafés and bars all over town, is the Planica ski-jumping competition, held at the weekend. If you don’t know who to cheer for then follow the legendary Noriaki Kasai, the 40-something veteran who can’t quit the game
As ever, clicking on the venue name should get you more details with regard to the time, price and location, and if visiting note that the options for 24-hour dining or shopping are rather limited, so stock up on drinks, snacks and cigarettes if you think you’ll need them between midnight and sunrise.
CINEMA
You can read about all the cinemas in town here, while a selection of what’s playing this week is below.
Kinodvor – This week the art cinema not far from the train station is hosting a Francophone Film Festival (see here), as well as screenings of The Phantom Thread, Un beau soleil intérieur and The Last Ice Hunters.
Kinoteka – The archive and revival house continues its season of matinees with Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, at 17:00 on Sunday.
Kolosej – The multiplex out at BTC City Mall is playing a lot of movies, as usual, including I, Tonya, Black Panther, Lady Bird and Game Night.
Komuna – The basement theatre just behind Nama department store is playing I, Tonya, The Shape of Water, and Three Billboards…, among others.
Mini Teater – various films will be shown as part of the House of Tolerance Festival, with the schedule here.
Some of the rules of Metelkova (more here)
CLUBS
Channel Zero – A night of industrial music called Concrete Reality, with A Humanoid Individual and Herman K.
Gala Hala – Friday night is techno with a night called Versus w/ Nulla/Shekuza.
Klub Cirkus – Friday the Klub has a night called Trip with Kosta Radman. The next evening there’s Play some Bruno and Monkey Business Live!, which promises that “hip hop, r&b, soul, funk and other urban sounds will mix with dance rhythms and live singing performances”, as well as DJ Dey, who can hear playing below.
Klub K4 – Friday has a packed night of DJs going under the title Synaptic vs Sezam, with Ross From Friends headlining, and also featuring Nitz, Zergon, and Felis Catus. Here’s a short set Mr Ross From Friends.
Then Saturday K4 has Monolog with Schrauff, playing techno, wave, and electro, with an old set below.
Koncertna Dvorana Rog – Friday night there seems to be a night of live music until after midnight, and then DJ sets playing techno (details in Slovene here), including Herman K, with the events a benefit promotion for this alternative cultural centre at the colourful end of Trubarjeva cesta.
EXHIBITIONS
Aksioma – This small and vibrant space not far from Dragon Bridge (just walk up the hill, away from the Castle, on the corner at Komenskega 18, open noon to 18:00, Tue–Fri). A new show opens on Wednesday called cellout.me by Jeroen van Loon, a man who sold his DNA data.
>The Balassi Institute (The Cultural Centre of the Embassy of Hungary) – This is at Barvarska steza 8, Ljubljana, not far from Dragon Bridge, and from March 6 until April 30 will be hosting a show by László Herman, a Hungarian painter living in Slovenia, with an example shown below.
Cankerjev dom – Running from February 13 to May 20 is Ivan Meštrović: Physicality and eroticism in sculpture, with an example shown below from the venue's Facebook.
Ivan Meštrović: Physicality and eroticism in sculpture
City Museum – An extensive exhibition on Medieval Ljubljana is showing until May 2, 2018.
Galerija Vžigalica – From February 27 to April 1 there will be Sea by the City, an exhibition showcasing works from the Trieste art scene.
MAO – a show called Stanko Kristl: Poetry and Humanity in Architecture continues until May 27.
Moderna galerija – The Marij Pregelj retrospective is on at the Moderna’s main branch, near Tivoli. Well worth the entrance fee, this occupies several large rooms, with the works from the last decade of the painter’s life being especially impressive. Highly recommended and showing until May.
National Gallery –NeoRealismo: the New Image in Italy, 1932–1960 runs until the end of March at the National Gallery, as shown below, and you can read more about it here.
Nino Migliori. People of Emilia, 1959, Emilia-Romagna. © Fondazione Nino Migliori
National Museum of Slovenia – The Past Under the Microscope. Scientific Analyses in Museums is on until the end of April.
Photon Centre of Contemporary Photography – Running until March 23 is Branko Lenart: Big Sur Real.
Branko Lenart, Pelluhue, Sur-real, 2013
Slovene Ethnographic Museum – Afghanistan - Slovene Views continues until March 30, 2018.
LGBTQ
Klub Monokel – No events posted, but still fun to be had at this predominately lesbian bar.
Klub Tiffany – Saturday night is a fun night at this gay bar, just beside Monokel in Metelkova, with, among other things, games of bingo and dance music.
MUSIC
Cankerjev dom – The Estonian singer and violinist Maarja Nuut will be playing Tuesday the 20th at 20:00, presenting “a world in which the traditional dance melodies, songs and stories with live electronics interweave. minimalism and experimental music meet with the folk music tradition of pre-war Europe”.
On Saturday, at 20:00, the same venue hosts the Wacky Blues Professors, as shown below.
.Channel Zero – The wonderful local band Koala Voice are playing on Wednesday, supported by The Mint.
Klub Gromka – Thursday you can enjoy live music along with a cinema classic, with Kinozvok # 2: Inhibis Vs. The Cabinet of Doctor Caligari.
Kino Šiška – Friday has a show by Leyya + Futurski.
Sunday night the same place has the very different Slam Jam Vol. 3, with Within Destruction, Walking Dead On Broadway, Morywa and Vasectomy.
Ljubljana Castle – Friday night is jazz night at the castle, and this week sees a show by the local group Jazz Ladies, playing jazz and evergreens.
Nostalgija Vintage Café – Saturday this cosy bar has Metal Najt (Night) II with DJ Chelik (read more about the venue here).
Orto Bar – Saturday, the 24th, has a Led Zeppelin Tribute by Kula.
OPERA, THEATRE, DANCE
SNG Opera & Ballet – The Philip Glass opera Beauty and the Beast (Lepotica in zver) is playing Saturday and Sunday, with an remix shown below.
MISC
Kino Šiška – Starting at 16:00 and running until 19:30 on Tuesday is the 54th Ljubljana Comic Book Fair.
Pritličje – World Day of Poetry will be marked all day on Wednesday (and you can read more about this venue here).
Ziferblat – Thursday night is Meet the Locals (read more about this pay-by-the-minute café here).
