World City Guide

Nightlife

Nightlife, in the sense that most people understand, arrived comparatively late in Norway. For centuries, family life was the lynchpin of Norwegian society, and people tended to socialise at home. Draconian alcohol controls, including a form of prohibition in the early 20th century, did not encourage going out.

Since the late 1980s though, with relaxation of drinking laws, it became possible to drink until 0200. Many pubs and clubs opened to take advantage of the change in legislation.

A publication called What’s On in Oslo has the most comprehensive venue listings and is free from hotel foyers and tourist offices, but good first port of call is Rosenkrantz gate, a street teeming with bars, music pubs and other nightspots. Many nightclubs are located on and around Karl Johans gate. Oslo nightlife is generally relaxed, with neat smart-casual clothing good for everywhere but the most expensive restaurants.

Drinking alcohol in Norway is still, however, a prohibitively expensive business – a half-litre of beer will cost up to NOK60 and a 40ml shot of spirit even more. The minimum drinking age is 18 years for beer and wine and 20 years for spirits. Distilling spirits at home is illegal, although that doesn’t deter production of a form of moonshine called ‘hjemmebrent’, a lethal concoction of distilled sugar and yeast widely available on the black market. The national drink is Akevitt, a fiery spirit flavoured with herbs. Many Norwegians go out late on Fridays and Saturdays after a ‘vorspiel’ (pre-party) involving drinks at home, so the street atmosphere from 2200 on the weekends can be lively, to say the least.

Bars: The Dubliner, Rådhusgata 28, is a typical ‘Irish’ themed bar, as is the Kilkenny Inn, Øvre Slottsgate. Similarly, the Scotsman, Karl Johans gate, is popular with ex-pats and visitors and also offers the adjacent Angus Steakhouse. English is more often spoken than Norwegian at The Belfry, Lille Grensen 7. A recent arrival in town is an Australian theme pub, Down Under, in Fridtjof Nansens plass. In summer, there is a choice of open-air bar/restaurants along the quaysides of Aker Brygge, in front of Akershus Festning. But again these tend to stretch the traveller’s budget somewhat. Stravinsky, Rosenkrantzgate 17, is a swanky venue for those who don’t mind a bit of ‘clubbing’ thrown in – there is a disco night every Wednesday. The Kristiania Bar and Café, right by the central station in Jernbanetorget, is a cavernous and rather elegant venue that gets absolutely packed on Friday and Saturday evenings.

Casinos: There are no casinos in Oslo, as gambling is illegal in Norway, other than through the state-run lottery, football pools and horse-racing schemes, for which tickets can be purchased in the ubiquitous ‘kiosker’, small shops also selling newspapers, sweets, hot dogs and soft drinks.

Clubs: Skansen, Rådhusgate 25 (website: www.skansen.no), is known as a ‘real’ house venue, and although relatively small hosts international DJs on a regular basis. Sikamikanico, in Møllergate, offers a choice of house, techno and similar music genres. Gotham Nights, Bjerregaardsgate 68, offers something a little different than the usual techno/house combination, with regular live music for the ‘goth’ fraternity. Tiger Tiger, a relatively new venue at Torggata 5, which has become rapidly popular with the mainstream clubbing crowd.

Live Music: Stortorvets Gjæstgiveri, Grensen 1, is a lively traditional jazz joint featuring ragtime and New Orleans-style bands. Galleria, Kristian IV’s Gate 12, features a disco and a live jazz club, while Oslo Spektrum, Sonia Henies Plass 2 (website: www.oslospektrum.no), is where all the visiting international big names play. Skuret Kulturpub, Christian Krohgs gate 2 (website: www.skuret.no), offers a regular programme of rock bands and music-related quiz nights.