Stengade is a volunteer-run live music venue at Stengade 18 in the Nørrebro district of Copenhagen, Denmark. The main concert hall has a standing capacity of around 230 people, while the smaller upstairs room Retrograd holds approximately 120. The programme focuses strongly on alternative and underground music, including metal, punk, hardcore, rock, indie, hip-hop and electronic music. Stengade operates as a non-profit association and presents around 200 concerts across approximately 100 events each year.

The building was constructed in 1936 in the Functionalist style as a meeting house and offices for the Danish Painters’ Union and was among the earlier concrete buildings in Copenhagen. In 1972, it was occupied by members of the Slumstormerne squatting movement and subsequently developed into the cultural and music venue Stengade 30. Later redevelopment of the surrounding area changed the street number from 30 to 18, but the venue continued to use the Stengade 30 name for many years.

Stengade 30 became an important part of Copenhagen’s alternative music scene, particularly from the 1980s onwards. Punk, hardcore, psychobilly, metal, indie and experimental music all became closely associated with the venue, which regularly hosted both local bands and international touring acts. Danish psychobilly band Nekromantix played some of its earliest concerts there and recorded the live album Undead ‘n’ Live at Stengade in 1999. During the 2000s, the venue also became known for genre-specific club nights and concerts aimed at music that rarely appeared at Copenhagen’s larger commercial venues.

Financial problems led to Stengade 30 closing in 2009. After renovations supported by Copenhagen Municipality, a new association reopened the venue as Spillestedet Stengade on 18 September 2010. The new organisation retained much of the underground profile of its predecessor while continuing to rely heavily on volunteers. The main concert hall occupies the ground floor, with bars, backstage facilities and the smaller Retrograd space elsewhere in the building.

Metal remains a major part of Stengade’s programme, with regular death, black, thrash, doom, progressive and traditional heavy metal concerts. Artists appearing at the venue have included Pyrexia, Brujeria, Heretoir, Sarcator, Havok, Blood Red Throne, Monolord and An Abstract Illusion. Stengade has also hosted rounds of Wacken Metal Battle Denmark and concerts with emerging Danish extreme-metal bands including Galge, Sunken and Terrorpy. Its small size, long underground history and broad alternative programme have made Stengade a long-standing part of Copenhagen’s metal, punk and hardcore scenes.

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ADDRESS:
Stengade 18, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark

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