Way Out West, Gothenburg. Nestled deep in the beautiful park of Slotskogen in Gothenburg, this year Sweden’s Way Out West promised us the likes of Jamie XX, Skepta, Morrissey and PJ Harvey.

We arrived on Thursday to the distinctive sound of French electronica band M83 who performed a healthy mix of old favourites amongst a great selection of new tracks from their recently released album, ‘Junk’. The set spanned from the upbeat and catchy ‘Do it, Try it’, to the hauntingly beautiful ‘Outro’; a perfect start to our three day festival weekend.

Priding itself as a completely meat free festival, it seemed fitting that Morrissey should headline the first day. “No meat for sale” he exclaimed, pleased with the festival’s ethical policies and then thanked us for being so “open minded” after performing ‘Meat is Murder’, through which disturbing footage of animals being tortured in slaughter houses was shown. Other sing-alongs included ‘First of the Gang to Die’, ‘Irish Blood, English Heart’, and ‘I’m throwing my arms around Paris’. One thing for sure, he’s still got it. His voice was impeccable and it seemed the whole festival, young and old, was captivated by his presence.

The morning of day two treated us to ‘Danny Says’ in the film tent, which documents the life and times of music manager and influencer, Danny Fields. Music from artists such as James Bay, Julia Holter and the legendary Grace Jones then filled our afternoon before we eagerly headed towards the Azalea stage for The Libertines; who, despite the messy set, were extremely well received by the Swedes. PJ Harvey then took to the Flamingo stage with a mesmerizing performance filled with power and passion.

Due to the diversity of the lineup, Way Out West is great for discovering new artists. We went eyes shut to our third and final day, trying our luck at stumbling across musicians we hadn’t heard of. Swedish singer songwriter Amanda Bergman was a pleasant surprise and British born instrumentalist Mura Masa got the muddy crowd moving at the Dungeon stage in the afternoon. Jamie XX was an eagerly anticipated act and he did not disappoint as the entire festival flocked to the Azalea stage for his solo performance. Despite the great music and positive vibes we couldn’t help but feel his set would have been better suited to a later evening slot.

The best was saved to last with a thoughtful and energetic performance from Massive Attack featuring Scottish hip hop group Young Fathers, who elevated the experience with their enthusiasm and rhythmic sound. As the light faded and they played into the night, the impressive light show added to the spectacle and the political messages that flashed up on screen encouraged roars of unity from the dancing crowd.

An all-around feel-good festival, Way Out West is a unique experience unlike any British weekender you’ll encounter. The park is kept impressively clean and tidy throughout the event; the food is thoughtful and healthy, focusing mainly on vegan options. This isn’t always what you fancy when feeling the cold and ankle deep in mud, however embrace the Way Out West spirit and you’ll discover numerous delicious dishes including generous sized pizzas, halloumi burgers and many falafel options. Way Out West is great for those looking for a chilled weekend away to enjoy music. Here you will find a diverse range of acts, friendly people and beautiful landscapes ready to be explored.

 

Words: LXN