Photo: Oya Press/Steffen Rikenberg
Gigwise embarked on a wonderful adventure to Norway’s capital city last week to attend the 16th annual Øyafestivalen, held this year for the first time in Oslo’s Tøyenpark.
The weather was wonderful (most of the time), the people are beautiful (all the time) and with a stellar line-up to boot, this Scandinavian escape was oh so very enjoyable.
There was A LOT of great things about the 4 day event but we have managed to put together our Top 10 things about Øya.
10. The Districts
Pennsylvania quartet The Districts have one hell of a future ahead of them. Taking to the Hagen Stage on day one, these bluesy rockers, who harbour all the goodness of early Kings of Leon and all the brilliance of The Black Keys in one awesome sounding package, left us lusting for more. Frontman Rob Grote’s hollers down the mic with all the angst and husk of a man possessed and as he and his band mates thrash around the stage with a real sense of purpose, its tracks like ‘Lyla’ and ‘Funeral Beds’ that really hit the spot.
9. YOGUTTENE - Norwegian Hip-Hop
Nothing short of solid gold entertainment. Maybe it is because we have no idea what they are saying, it might even be the slight hint of Goldie Lookin’ Chain about them or, more than likely, it is because they perform with a giant homemade spliff above them.
8. Queens Of The Stone Age
A headline set that saw both new and old songs, all complete with huge hooky riffs loudly rocking the festival to its very core are good for us. With the sun setting over Oslo, Joshua Homme and co delivered a career-spanning set and despite some disappointed murmurings coming from a few in the crowd, all the while the epic bass line in ‘No One Knows’ can make the hairs on the back of ours necks stand up, there will be no complaints.
7. Omar Souleyman
The most eye-opening act of the weekend had to be the wonderful Syrian techno artist. His unique stage presence is one thing but when mixed with catchy dance beats and three staple dance moves, the whole package is unrivalled. Although it almost felt like a parody of itself, it is an act that everyone should witness.
6. Young British Bands
Jungle and Royal Blood have been dazzling festivals across Europe throughout the summer, and despite having two very different sounds, these two new British acts are proudly flying the flag by delivering excellent shows.
Jungle dazzled with a set that, as ever, was full of funk and catchy beats. Showcasing material from their recently released self-titled debut album, the band was thankful to the Oslo audience who particularly enjoyed recent single ‘Time’ and the always amazing 'Busy Earnin’.
Brighton duo Royal Blood played through the worst of the downpour to delight a sizable crowd. Debuting songs from their forthcoming debut album including recent singles ‘Little Monster’ and ‘Out of the Black,’ looked more and more comfortable and relaxed on stage as the confidence in their songs shines through.
5. Todd Terje
More importantly than just how good Todd Terje was is the fact that the Norwegian artist not only headlined the main stage, but closed the whole festival. Complete with a backing band that included a string section and a percussionist, the native dance music star provided the perfect soundtrack with his unique brand of electronic music. A special guest appearance from Bryan Ferry to perform their rendition of Robert Palmer's 1980 single 'Johnny & Mary' proved to be a magical moment, only trumped when Terje and co were joined by 20 odd dancers for set closer ‘Inspector Norse'.
4. Janelle Monae
A truly unbelievable performance from the magnificent Janelle Monáe not only warmed the crowd up brilliantly before Thursday night headliners OutKast, but the American was close to putting on a show to steal the whole festival. With a stage show to rival any of the big hitters in popular music, Monáe and her tremendous band were full of gusto and pizzazz which in turn created an unbelievable atmosphere in the crowd. A poignant cover of James Brown’s ‘I Feel Good,’ was as apt a song title which summed up our mood perfectly.
3. Mac DeMarco
Without a doubt, Mac DeMarco and his band of merry men provided the most entertaining set of the whole festival. With a laid back attitude and quirky on stage remarks, the hazy sounds of tracks like ‘The Stars Keep On Calling My Name’ and ‘Freaking Out the Neighborhood’ ensured the North Americans went down a treat with the crowd. Excellent closing number ‘Still Together’ is still stuck in our heads and not just because Mac completed one of the most impressive crowd surfs we have ever seen, but because the catchy chorus just will not go away!
2. Oslo a truly wonderful city
What a setting for a music festival. Magnificence is all around.
1. OutKast
We love OutKast, so there was undoubtedly some apprehension before the show. We had heard mixed reviews of shows so far but had not seen one for ourselves so when they kicked things off with 'B.O.B' it is safe to say all the worries flew out the window.
The duo, joined on stage by two backing singers, a bass player and DJ Shapeshifter, delighted the massive crowd with their 23 song set. Andre 3000 came onstage dressed in a grey wig and jumpsuit with a ‘sold out price tag’ attached, which felt like a dig at themselves. However when firing out hits like ‘The Way You Move’, ‘Miss Jackson’ ‘Hey Ya!’ ‘Gasoline Dreams’ and ‘Roses’ you just got to get your feet moving. See them while you can at all costs.
Below: The best bits of Oya Festival in photos
