Photo: Johannes Granseth/Press
Oya Festival 2015 kicked off with one hell of a party, courtesy of Chic, Belle & Sebastian, The War On Drugs and many more performing at the opening day yesterday (Wednesday 12 August).
The 16th edition of the now legendary Norwegian festival was baked in sunshine and good vibes, as thousands soaked up the Scandinavian sun on the lush green hills of Oslo's Toyenpark for the best local, European and international talent.
Chic featuring Nile Rodgers headlined the main stage, drawing on an epic catalogue of disco classics, as well as an utterly bewildering range of collaborations and modern hits, all written under Rodgers' umbrella.
The likes of 'Everybody Dance', 'He's The Greatest Dancer', 'We Are Family' and 'Lost In Music' saw the Norwegians finally throw caution to the wind and lose themselves to dance, but it was the likes of Madonna's 'Like A Virgin' and David Bowie's 'Let's Dance' that unified all of Oslo in sheer disco abandon.
The night reached an emotional climax when he told the story of how his battle with cancer led him to work with Daft Punk and Pharrell on Random Access Memories, before bursting into a soul-tinged explosion of 'Get Lucky'. Cancer free, full of vim and at the absolute peak of his powers, Nile Rodgers truly is invincible. He's made of music.
Photo: Press/Johannes Granseth
The War On Drugs proved to the be perfect early evening sunset act on the main stage, locking Oya in their dreamy haze of flawless Americana-tinged psych-rock, with 2014 highlight Lost In The Dream is given the space in needs to breathe live on stage.
This came after Belle & Sebastian charmed Oya in the way that only they can - with every moment of their canon of indie classics carrying the weight of their playful character and bookish romance.
"We're going to play this next song in celebration of the beautiful weather we've been having," smiles frontman Stuart Murdoch, "but not back in Scotland - we've been shat on". As the crowd bursts to life to maniacally bounce through 'I'm A Cuckoo' and 'The Boy With The Arab Strap', it feels like the sun shines wherever Belle & Sebastian stand.
Photo: Press/Johannes Granseth
Courtney Barnett meanwhile drew one of the largest crowds of the day, with the laissez-faire flow of her smouldering grunge-pop and the easy-going nature of her stage presence rendering her as one of the most magnetic talents you could hope to see this summer.
Drawing on cuts from her Sea Of Split Peas double EP and astounding 2015 debut album, Sometimes I Sit And Think And Sometimes I Just Sit, Barnett effortlessly blends the raw aggression of Nirvana, the dry class of Pavement and a playful poetry all of her own.
Many who try to add a touch of the wistful to rock end up with something quite contrived, but from her banter to the ease with which she wraps herself around the twisted charisma of 'Dead Fox', 'Depreston', 'Avant Gardner' and 'Pedestrian At Best' before clawing at her howling guitar on hands and knees, Barnett is only ever herself. She is without doubt an utterly natural talent, and if she maintains this consistency, a legend in the making.
Photo: Press/Eric Moholdt
For the metal faithful, In Flames brought a bolder self to Oya than had been seen at Download Festival in June. Clearly more comfortable on familiar ground, their vocals roared from the stage with a new found force. As for At The Gates - never before has Swedish metal sounded so intricate; compelling every member of the crowd to ryle their fists and stomp the golden green ground. Crowd-geering, baseball cap wearing, voluminous hair owning frontman Tomas Lindberg exuberantly hollers at the willing cult following before him, demanding the attention reserved for no less than metal gods.
Fans were spilling out of the tent for Brit kings and Sound Of 2015 Years & Years, but the true newcomer success story came in the form of Liverpudlian teen Lapsley - an utterly enchanting master of twitchy electro-pop, both sublime but soulful as she pierces sparse atmospheres with a depth and grace far beyond her years. When the world does catch up with her, she's going to be massive. Expect her debut album to be a true highlight of 2016.
Oya continues today with performances from Florence + The Machine, Ride, Team Me, Lianne La Havas, Run The Jewels, Bad Religion, Father John Misty, Flying Lotus and many more.
