Host a Pop-Up Acoustic Set at a Copenhagen Market to Land a Gig (Like Efterklang’s Street Hustle)
- Tapetown
- Jun 29
- 2 min read
Trying to play a Copenhagen venue like Rust or Ideal Bar but don’t know any bookers? Getting into Danmarks music scene can feel like navigating a new city without a guide. One way to get noticed: set up a pop-up acoustic set at a Copenhagen market to draw a crowd and catch a venue’s eye. This post shares a straightforward strategy to turn a market performance into a club booking, no contacts needed. We’ll also look at how Danish band Efterklang used street gigs to build their early fanbase, with an odd twist. Want to play in a market and book gigs in Europe? Here’s the plan.
Host a Market Acoustic Set to Draw Venue Interest
A pop-up acoustic set at a local market can create a laid-back vibe and show venues you’ve got an audience. Here’s how to do it in Copenhagen without connections:
Pick a Market Spot: Choose a busy market like Torvehallerne or Reffen, where locals and tourists gather. Check Copenhagen’s busking rules to avoid permit issues or fines. Aim for a weekend morning to draw 20-50 people.
Play a Short Set: Perform a 15-minute acoustic set of your best originals, maybe tossing in a Danish folk tune to connect with the crowd. Set up a small sign with your band name and a QR code linking to your SoundCloud. Record the set to capture the market’s energy.
Pitch Venues with Your Footage: Share the clip on Instagram with hashtags like CopenhagenMusic or DanishLiveMusic. Message venues like Rust with a note: “Our market set drew 30 fans at Torvehallerne. Can we bring them to your stage?” Include crowd size to show your pull.
This works because it proves to venues you can engage a crowd in a public setting.
Efterklang’s Street Hustle
Before Danish band Efterklang became known for their experimental pop and festival slots across Europe, they were unknowns hustling in Copenhagen around 2001. According to a 2010 interview with The Line of Best Fit, the trio of Casper Clausen, Mads Brauer, and Rasmus Stolberg played impromptu street sets in Copenhagen’s public spaces, including markets, to test their dreamy soundscapes. One Saturday at a local market, likely near Nørrebro, they set up with minimal gear and drew a small crowd of shoppers, some filming on early smartphones, spreading word about their unique vibe.
A booker from Ideal Bar, a cozy Copenhagen venue, heard about their market gigs through a friend and checked out a performance. Impressed by the crowd’s response and their atmospheric sound, he offered Efterklang a slot at a 2002 show, a gig that helped them build a local following and eventually sign with The Leaf Label. The odd part? During one market set, a street vendor tossed them free pastries to keep playing, which they later called their “first payment” in a music blog interview. Efterklang’s market hustle shows how a public set can open doors, and Copenhagen’s lively markets are your chance.
A market acoustic set is a low-key way to book gigs in Europe’s music hubs like Copenhagen. Pick a market, play a set, and pitch your crowd to venues. No contacts? Just a guitar and some effort.
Read about the legendary recording studio 'Sound City' here:
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