Entertainment in Northern European Russia
-
Purga
A naked derriere moons you at the top of the entry stairs forewarning of this place’s delightful craziness. Sit in cave-alcoves while bands play blues-rock and art students dressed up as fake grannies engage customers in hilariously nonsensical conversation. They also serve standard food (mains from R150), so you can make a night of it. Booking ahead is wise at weekends. It’s around 35 minutes south of the centre by trolleybus 6 then 30m west of bus stop Pervomayskaya.
reviewed
-
TNT nightclub
You can down a few beers at the rustically wood-furnished Pivnoy Bar Bochka and then move on, still within the same building, to the TNT nightclub which provides different ambiences for different nights. Friday and Saturday (when there's an admission charge) feature a floor show with erotic dancing; Sunday is students' night with karaoke.
reviewed
-
A
Trud Stadium
Arkhangelsk is proud of its bandy team Vodnik, several times European and world champions. Bandy? It's like field hockey on skates, with a red ball and 11 players per side on an ice-covered, soccer-size arena. Vodnik's season is from November to March.
reviewed
-
Kaffee Haus
Widely acclaimed for Petro-zavodsk’s best coffee and cakes, there are also hubble-bubbles to smoke and there’s a pleasant outdoor terrace shared with the neighbouring Germanic pub, Bar Neubrandenburg (small/large beers from R30/50).
reviewed
-
B
Musical & Russian Drama Theatre
Once renovation is complete, this magnificent Parthenon pile should once again stage light operas, plays, ballets and folk-group shows. The interior decor is a wild mixture of Ancient Greek, Roman and Soviet styles.
reviewed
-
Kafe Kuba
Great Latin-themed cocktail-bar–café offering a wide choice of cigars, water pipes and tequilas on three floors: upstairs is more interesting. Decent coffee from a mock-’50s espresso-brewer.
reviewed
-
C
Pivnoy Bar Bochka
You can down a few beers at the rustically wood-furnished Pivnoy Bar Bochka and then move on, still within the same building, to the TNT nightclub which provides different ambiences for different nights.
reviewed
-
D
Bar XXXX
A vintage car bursts through the outer wall above the entrance to this appealing motor-themed rock-bar. On Friday and Saturday evenings there’s a DJ or live music and a R200 cover charge.
reviewed
-
E
Kafe Randevu
Good for a nightcap, the 'Rendezvous' has large glass windows, indoor street lamps, and a uniquely relaxed atmosphere. Occasional DJ nights are staged. The entrance is actually on pr Marksa.
reviewed
-
F
FM-Art Kafe
This large student-oriented basement beneath the Philharmonia isn’t really arty but each evening the theme varies wildly: jazz, chess, folk, iPod-battles… could be anything.
reviewed
Advertisement
-
G
Philharmonia
As well acclaimed for its vibrant program of mostly classical music (October to May), the Philharmonia also organises a two-week festival of open-air concerts at the Kremlin (June).
reviewed
-
H
Spartak
Lavished with soccer memorabilia, the football theme of this pub-style sports bar stretches as far as the hooligans’ welcome from offensively humourless bouncers.
reviewed
-
I
Jazz Klub Artel
Jazz fans in town on a Saturday night shouldn’t miss the almost-mythical jam sessions at this cavern–club hidden within the Gostiny Dvor.
reviewed
-
Kafe Vodoley
With weird Jurassic Park decor, Kafe Vodoley is an internet café that, for once, really is a café. It sells soft toys too.
reviewed
-
Las Galletas
Spacious modern café decorated in chocolate tones with bare-board floors and a selection of freshly squeezed seasonal juices (R100 to R130).
reviewed
-
J
Leto
Bright lime-green, blood-red and apricot-orange decor dangling with long conical funnel-lamps. They serve coffee, cocktails and café food.
reviewed
-
Klub Karelia/Cinema Pobeda
Behind a pseudo-classical columned facade, the Pobeda Cinema shows movies by day but morphs into a double-level nightclub after 11pm.
reviewed
-
K
Red Pub
Fun if out-of-centre Soviet-nostalgia pub. It’s ten minutes’ walk from the trolleybus 6 route along pr Kolsky.
reviewed
-
Kafe Dzji
The relatively intimate black, red and white nightclub room includes cushioned ‘cabin’ lounge-rooms.
reviewed
-
Onega Café
The bar’s decor isn’t special but the draft Bobroff beer and live acoustic blues-folk music are.
reviewed
Advertisement
-
Klub Dekabr
Red-and-black basement disco beneath the Murmansk Cinema also hosts jazz concerts and striptease competitions.
reviewed
-
L
Karelia
A palatial, silver-pillared, two-level disco/nightclub enlivened by Petrozavodsk's large student population.
reviewed
-
M
Karelian National Theatre
Performances of locally relevant Finnish/Karelian dramas, fairy tales and some ground-breaking musicals.
reviewed
-
N
Philharmonia
For opera, folk music or classical concerts, buy tickets in advance from the kassa.
reviewed
-
O
Puppet Theatre
Murmansk's puppet theatre was the first in the USSR (founded in 1933) and is still one of the best.
reviewed
