A small but determined group occupied the gravel area outside Gärdehov in Sundsvall on Saturday morning, waiting for Saturday evening's big event: Håkan Hellström. Some brave individuals secured the absolute best places by being on site several hours before everyone else. All five who are first on site come from Sundsvall, and some have avoided taking their own car. According to SVT Mittnytt, Malva described the opportunity to attend as something one takes if given the chance, while Henrik Edin noted the desire for good visibility and better atmosphere when standing close to the stage.
Håkan Hellström's current Sweden tour includes a performance at Globen in Stockholm, where fans also gathered early outside to secure front-row spots. The tour represents a shift in venue programming, as it becomes a completely different event when Håkan Hellström replaces Melodifestivalen at Gärdehov in Sundsvall. Over 5,500 in the audience during the live Melodifestivalen will become over 10,000 in the same venue when Hellström performs, highlighting the artist's significant draw and fan dedication across multiple cities.
If you have the chance, I think you take it.
Logistical preparations for the Sundsvall concert are extensive, with Gärdehov arena offering only standing places tonight. The concert features only standing tickets after removing all stands, allowing more people to attend, according to Jennie Sahlin, the municipality's arena chief. There are only about 600 parking spaces around the arena, prompting Sundsvalls kommun to add extra buses on line 5 that passes the arena. Organizers have provided eight shuttle buses to take the audience back to town after the concert, and the bar in the arena will stay open for a couple of hours after the concert ends, allowing visitors to leave at different times.
Local concerns have emerged regarding parking and safety, with gas station owner Houtan Ebrahimi expressing worry about a lack of parking spaces during Håkan Hellström's concert. According to SVT Mittnytt, Houtan Ebrahimi described people not thinking when parking at a gas station, blocking pumps and entrances, and noted that the situation during Melodifestivalen was a big chaos with many safety aspects. Houtan Ebrahimi has suggestions for handling the issue at future events, though the specific safety risks he foresees beyond parking chaos and his exact proposals remain unknown.
You want to see well and because it becomes much better atmosphere when you stand far forward.
Other notable concert events across Sweden include Valter Nilsson's success as a guest artist at Håkan Hellström's concerts in Scandinavium. Valter Nilsson's concert at Bananpiren in Göteborg sold 12,000 tickets in two days, and the 36-year-old performer has garnered significant attention through these appearances.
Huggorm performed a sold-out concert at Skylten in Linköping, with their new album 'En värdelös historia' considered one of the best Swedish albums of the year so far.
We got a ride. That's what's luxurious when you're on home ground.
ShitKid made a return with a sold-out concert at Slaktkyrkan in Stockholm, marking a comeback after announcing in 2020 that the band and music career were over. Åsa Söderqvist is the only constant member of ShitKid.
Hurula performed a sold-out concert at Kulturens hus in Luleå, while Weeping Willows, active for over 30 years and with 13 albums released, continue to perform with frontman Magnus Carlsson.
People do not think when parking at a gas station, blocking pumps and entrances.
Claire Rousay performed a concert at Fasching in Stockholm, with her music described as lived rather than composed. Originally from Canada and a citizen there, Claire Rousay lives and works in Los Angeles.
Niklas Hallman performed a two-hour artistic drama based on the Gospel of Mark at Elmiahallen, having memorized the entire Gospel of Mark over one and a half years. Hallman grew up in Kättilstorp in Jönköping and worked as a pastor for most of his adult life, but is no longer employed by the church and now makes apple cider in Gränna.
The situation during Melodifestivalen was a big chaos with many safety aspects.
Milagros Amud, a 20-year-old singer from Argentina, is on tour in Sweden with concerts in Tierp, Rasbokil, and Uppsala. She broke through in the TV competition 'La Voz Argentina' in 2025, reaching the final.
Arena management and crowd control strategies are critical for events like Hellström's concert, with the arena chief detailing preparations in a video. The bar staying open post-concert to stagger departures is part of these efforts, though the effectiveness of the extra buses and shuttle services in managing the expected crowd of over 10,000 remains to be seen.
Local attendees have shown varied transportation choices, with all five early arrivals from Sundsvall and some avoiding their own cars. According to SVT Mittnytt, Malva Henriksson described getting a ride as luxurious when on home ground, reflecting personal strategies for navigating the event.
Unknowns persist regarding the exact attendance numbers for Håkan Hellström's concerts at Globen and other tour stops, as well as the overall effectiveness of transportation arrangements. The specific suggestions from Houtan Ebrahimi for handling parking issues at future events are also not detailed.