Photo: Oya Press/Steffen Rikenberg
Royal Ferry, Todd Terje and Royal Blood were among the acts who brought the final day of Oya Festival 2014 to a climactic close.
The final day of the brilliant Øya Festival came around far too quickly and despite being blessed with wonderful weather for the previous three days, the heavens decide to open to add a touch of the British spirit to the whole occasion. In fairness, the headline show from Norway’s own Todd Terje remained surprisingly dry, but it honestly would not have made a difference what the weather was like as Terje proved that he is a live act to be reckoned with.
Taking to the stage complete with a backing band that included a string section and a percussionist, the native dance music star provided the perfect soundtrack to end the festival. His unique brand of electronic music was only enhanced on the live stage, as he showcased a number of tracks from his 2014 LP It’s Album Time. 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.’
The infamous house music number got the slightly sodden audience moving and the only downside was the song did not go on for longer. Earlier in the day, Brighton duo Royal Blood played through the worst of the downpour to delight a sizable crowd. Showcasing songs from their forthcoming debut album including recent singles ‘Little Monster’ and ‘Out of the Black,’ the band are looking more and more comfortable and relaxed on stage as the confidence in their songs shines through.
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 excellent closing number ‘Still Together’ ensured the Canadian went down a treat with the crowd. The most eye-opening act of the weekend had to be Syrian techno artist Omar Souleyman.
His unique stage presence is one thing but when mixed with catchy dance beats, the whole package is unrivalled. Although it almost felt like a parody of itself, it is an act that everyone should witness.
