Muddy fields and camping in a tent one gust of wind away from taking flight is no way to experience a festival.
Book yourself an apartment, make it a city break and watch reruns of The Sopranos in your downtime. The contrast between the sunny skies and calm atmosphere of Øya in Oslo, Norway, and the packed crowds and mudslides of this year’s Glastonbury Festival in England, are clear.
Jet off and out of the UK for four days of British legends and homegrown talent taking to the stage in a defiant 25th Anniversary of Scandinavia’s finest music experience. It is a stacked lineup, from reunion tours to first-timers taking to Øya in debut performances.
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The festival has always been a mixture of young go-getters and established acts, and this year is no different. The only true difference is the quality, an immense kick-on from last year’s event.
With the likes of Lorde, Blur and Caroline Polachek featuring in the 24th Øya festival, topping the reunited Brit legends and powerhouse songwriters would be a tall order. But Øya has smashed it with the 2024 edition, which featured Pulp and PJ Harvey in a shared headline slot on the first night. Tøyen Holding came before them, a Norwegian-based act who handed out oysters to the packed crowd on the Ampitheatre stage.
Dishing out seafood and bringing guest after guest onto stage was a warm and welcome experience, a generosity which highlights the friendly atmosphere of the festival itself. Thousands gathering in one ground to hear the reunited Pulp or the in-form PJ Harvey, both of which give stellar sets and demonstrate a cool talent built on longevity in the business.
PJ Harvey slips from macabre new releases to punk-inspired classics from Rid of Me while frontman Jarvis Cocker teases old songs for the first time in over a decade. The usual hits of Disco 2000, This is Hardcore and Common People are sprinkled throughout an outstanding show from Pulp, who have kept a similar setlist running since their first reunion show in Bridlington last year.
(Image: Pål Bellis)
The trio of main stage acts are a welcome introduction to the festival. They shake the ground with their impressive, booming performances and Øya festival kicks on from there.
Former OutKast member André 3000 of Hey Ya fame is armed with a flute and instrumental interest for the opening slot of the second day. No hits here, just sweet and sophisticated woodwind work as canapés are served to those sat in the right spot. Delicious.
As is the rest of the music that day with Alvvays and English Teacher providing two must-see moments, the former for their sharp alternative guitar efforts and the latter as a chance to see one of the finest rising artists on the UK scene at present. Lily Fontaine and the rest of English Teacher are a fantastic addition to the line-up and run through their Mercury-nominated album to a delighted crowd.
Big Thief and Jack White are clear highlights of day three at Øya festival, with neither artist shying away from fresh material attending audience members may not yet know. Big Thief’s singer-songwriter, Adrianne Lenker, rattles through a few unreleased tracks while Jack White performs a nice collection of The White Stripes hits and pieces of his recently released No Name album.
(Image: Ole Christian Klamas)
Catch a glimpse of Sivert Høyem from the corner of the barrier while waiting for Yard Act to appear. One of the great and unmissable strengths of Øya festival is its close proximity. Smart planning means few overlaps, if any, and there are places where if you sit just in the right spot you can watch all the acts on two separate stages.
No sprinting around with the fear of missing your favourite or a potential new favourite. Plant yourself on the floor with a picnic blanket and a paperback and wait for the music to come to you.
There is an emphasis on relaxation from the festival, which has plenty of high street experiences within. A record store selling albums from the musicians playing there as well as the usual run of food stalls. Spaghetti, fish, burgers, all the staples of your recently gentrified shopping centre.
At the front for Yard Act, the freshest and best part of the festival by far, is an immense pleasure. Their second album, Where’s My Utopia? has them feeling confident, sounding powerful and it covers the draining tour schedule well. Frontman James Smith has grown and grown as a frontman, as has Joe Talbot of Idles who headline the Circus stage behind Yard Act just five minutes after their set ends.
Øya festival is a festival for everyone. Those who prefer the hardcore rush from act to act, the never-ending cycle of new sounds and exciting music are in luck for every stage has something on at all times.
But those who wish to relax, to lay on the sweet Norwegian grass and misuse the word “fjords” are in luck too, the music comes to you at Øya festival, one of the finest experiences you can ever hope for. It safely trumps most, if not all, UK festival experiences. Quality music, quality people. What more could you want? It beats the warm can of Guinness to start your day somewhere in a field in Bramham Park.
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