Björk-like... Animal Alpha's lead singer
Agnethe Skjølsrud.
Photograph: Gwladys Fouché
Third and final day of Øya and it seems Pete Doherty draws as much press attention in Norway as he does at home, write Neil Perry and Gwladys Fouché.
We found out that the reason he did not show up in time for his gig on Friday was because he was busted by the airport police and fined £700 for narcotics possession. One of the Oslo newspapers had a giant headline which read: 'Vomit on the stage'. Classy.
Let's move on to more important things, and one of the highlights of the whole festival, Norwegian band Animal Alpha. Fronted by the theatrical and charismatic lead singer Agnethe Skjølsrud - her voice reminded us of Björk's with its mix of power and vulnerability - the band played a thrilling set of twisted punk/metal that had the crowd baying for more. It's surely only a matter of time before the UK succumbs.
With the sun finally blazing, the crowd was more inclined to take it easy, relax, picnic, nurse hangovers and make sure they weren't sitting downwind of the toilets. Norwegian rockers Thulsa Doom put in a sturdy set of anthemic tunes, but by this time the audience was already anticipating Franz Ferdinand's appearance on the main Enga stage.
The Glaswegian four certainly did not disappoint. Alex Kapranos charmed the audience with his attempt at speaking Norwegian - the girls thought it cute while the boys pretended not to understand - in between delivering all the well-known hits, plus new songs from their forthcoming album. Such was the band's pulling power that a small crowd had gathered on the nearby motorway overlooking the site. One of the best performances of the festival.
Later on, Roots Manuva brought a touch of hip-hop to a fairly rock-heavy day on the Sjøsiden stage. His easy-going banter and the warm grooves of his band hit the spot on such a pleasant summer evening. Nice change to have a major hip-hop act with real musicians behind him.
Local favourite Madrugada drew proceedings to a close with their REM-like blend of brooding ballads and dark, country-tinged rock. Singer Sivert Høyem has a great soulful voice full of yearning. It's a mystery as to why Madrugada aren't filling the pages of Q and Mojo every month.
And that was it for Øya 2005. A great eclectic mix of bands in a beautiful setting in a fantastic city, Øya is a refreshing alternative to the summer's rash of mega-rock gatherings - the small festival with a big heart. See you next year!
