Next Week in Munich – Kovacs, Allah-Las & Ilona Szwarc

This week’s a busy one – there are lots of good gigs on at Strom, plus lots of exhibitions, performances and vernissages for those of you who enjoy art. The good weather could thwart all plans though, leaving us at the Isar with a beer and a picnic…

The Praterstrand opens for the summer on Monday, so let’s hope for good weather. Head down there from 4pm for a cold glass of wine and DJ sessions. If you get there early enough, you can enjoy a drink before heading down to the Lenbachhaus, for the opening of the new exhibition So Ein Ding Muss Ich Auch Haben.

Also on Monday, Irish singer-songwriter duo Hudson Taylor are at the Orangehouse, playing a sold-out show, and electro duo Howling will play at Strom.

On Tuesday, the Isar Slam poetry slam is on in the Ampere, featuring the slam poet/rapper/writer Bumillo.

There’s also a cool event on at the Haus der Kunst on Tuesday – Turner Prize winner Mark Leckey is going to be hosting a performance at his exhibition “As If”, where he will produce sounds with the five sound systems in the gallery. Tickets are available here, and entrance costs 13 €. The exhibition only runs until the end of May, so the sound performance could be your chance to take in the exhibition before it closes.

AC/DC are on at the Olympiastadion on Tuesday, and the concert has proven so popular there’s a repeat gig on Thursday. At the time of writing, a few tickets were still left, but they were over 100 €. Ouch.

London duo Public Service Broadcasting are playing at Strom on Tuesday, promoting their new album The Race for Space. They worked with the British Film Institute to create the album, which captures the 1960s Soviet and US race to the stars. I’ve had a listen to the album and it’s great. Tickets cost 15.40 € in advance.

Kovacs is playing at the Ampere on Wednesday, and this is my gig of the week. Her voice is dark and full of soul, and her music’s very catchy. Tickets cost 30 € on the door.

Also on Wednesday, the Amerika Haus are launching a photography exhibition, featuring rodeo girls by Ilona Szwarc. The US-American Polish artist is based in New York City, and her work has been featured in the likes of the New York Times and The Telegraph. The vernissage starts at 8pm.

Folk band Allah-Las are playing at Strom on Wednesday (see? Every day great gigs!), with their California summer sounds. Perfect music for late-May!

Mike and the Mechanics (who knew they were still going?!) are at the Muffathalle on Thursday. The band now consists of Mike Rutherford, but the other members are all new. They will however, be playing all the old hits (yes, including Over My Shoulder), so old fans should be happy. Tickets cost 40 € in advance.

The Neue Pinakothek is opening a new exhibition on Thursday, featuring photographs and paintings of Italy. The exhibition will run until September 21st, giving you plenty of time to check it out should the weather turn over the summer.

From Friday until Monday, you can enjoy African culture at the Afrika Tage at the Theresienwiese. With music, an African bazaar and lots of delicious African food stands, you can spend a day at the event.

The Muffatwerk is celebrating 20 years of Compost Records on Friday. The Munich label is one of the most prolific in Europe, with the likes of Acid Pauli, Ben Mono and Koop on the label. Endorsed by Gilles Peterson, the label is still going strong after its launch in 1994. Tickets can be bought for 28 € in advance, and the party will feature some of the label’s most beloved artists.

On Saturday, you can combine street food and flea markets at once, at an event at MMA. Shopping and food sounds like good fun, if you ask me.

Also on Saturday, the Visions Party is on at Strom, with music from DJ Albert Royal.