A small but determined group occupied the gravel area outside Gärdehov arena in Sundsvall on Saturday morning, waiting for the evening's big event featuring Håkan Hellström. According to SVT Mittnytt, Malva described the early arrival as a chance worth taking, while Henrik Edin noted that standing far forward improves both visibility and atmosphere. The concert is expected to draw over 10,000 people, more than double the 5,500 who attended the live Melodifestivalen at the same venue earlier. This shift marks a significant transformation for the arena, as it hosts a large event after Melodifestivalen, with all stands removed to accommodate only standing places, allowing many more attendees to fit, according to SVT Mittnytt's report from Jennie Sahlin, the municipality's arena chief.
Fan dedication was evident as some brave individuals secured the best spots by arriving hours before others, with all five of the first arrivals hailing from Sundsvall. Gärdehov arena offers only standing places for the concert, and some attendees avoided bringing their own cars, a prudent move given the limited parking. Håkan Hellström's concerts often attract visitors from across the country, putting enormous pressure on local parking areas, with only about 600 spaces available around the arena. According to SVT Mittnytt, Malva Henriksson highlighted the convenience of getting a ride when on home ground, easing some logistical burdens.
If you have the chance, I think you take it.
In response to the anticipated crowds, Sundsvall municipality hopes most people will choose public transport and has added extra buses on line 5 passing the arena. Organizers have also arranged eight shuttle buses to transport the audience back to town after the concert, though the exact frequency of these shuttles remains unspecified. After the event, the bar in the arena will stay open for a couple of hours, allowing visitors to leave at different times, but the precise closing time is not confirmed. According to SVT Mittnytt, Houatan Ebrahimi, a local gas station owner, expressed concerns about a lack of parking spaces during the concert, describing it as a ticking safety bomb due to cars blocking pumps and entrances, and he has suggestions for handling the situation at future events, though his specific proposals are unknown.
Beyond Sundsvall, other notable concerts took place across Sweden, including Claire Rousay's performance at Fasching in Stockholm. Claire Rousay, originally from Canada and a citizen there, creates music that is lived rather than composed, and she has released numerous works on Bandcamp while collaborating with other artists. Meanwhile, Niklas Hallman performed a two-hour artistic drama based on the Gospel of Mark at Elmiahallen, having memorized the entire text over one and a half years. Hallman, who grew up in Kättilstorp in Jönköping and worked as a pastor for most of his adult life, is no longer employed by the church and now makes apple cider in Gränna.
You want to see well and because it becomes much better atmosphere when you stand far forward.
Valter Nilsson appeared as a guest artist at Håkan Hellström's concerts in Scandinavium, initially worried no one would recognize him at the event. The 36-year-old singer is often compared to Håkan Hellström, adding to the buzz around these performances. In a different vein, Milagros Amud, a 20-year-old singer from Argentina, is on tour in Sweden with concerts in Tierp, Rasbokil, and Uppsala, following her breakthrough in the TV competition 'La Voz Argentina' in 2025, where she reached the final.
In Luleå, Hurula performed a sold-out concert at Kulturens hus, with Hugo Ledin noting that his songs address deep problems among youth and in cities, as well as love and loss. The same venue hosted Weeping Willows, a band active for over 30 years that has released 13 albums, with Magnus Carlsson as its front figure. Håkan Hellström also performed at Globen in Stockholm as part of his Sweden tour, where a small group of fans gathered early outside to secure front-row spots, mirroring the dedication seen in Sundsvall.
We got a ride. That's what's luxurious when you're on home ground.
Looking ahead, Karl Noremo will perform with his band at 'En kväll för Tierp' at kulturhuset Möbeln in Tierp on March 28, after finishing top ten in Idol. He is also set to appear in the musical 'Jesus Christ Superstar' at UKK on April 1 and 2. Meanwhile, Hannes Aitman, from Västerås, released the single 'Dying for a name' in 2023, contributing to the vibrant music scene. Broader concert trends show several sold-out shows in Gothenburg and Stockholm in the autumn, including a concert at Bananpiren in Gothenburg in August that sold 12,000 tickets in two days, indicating strong demand for live events across the country. The transition from Melodifestivalen to Håkan Hellström's concert at Gärdehov arena in Sundsvall represents a major shift in event scale, with the venue adapting to host a larger crowd. This change underscores the popularity of Hellström's performances, which consistently draw fans from diverse regions, highlighting the ongoing challenges and solutions in managing such large-scale events.
The local gas station owner Houatan Ebrahimi is concerned about a lack of parking spaces during Håkan Hellström's concert.
People do not think when parking at a gas station.
The problem with cars blocking pumps and entrances is a ticking safety bomb.
There was more or less a big chaos during Melodifestivalen, with many safety aspects in the area.
All stands have been removed for Håkan Hellström's concert, so only standing tickets are available, allowing many more people to fit.