We’re well and truly in the thick of music festival season right now – all around Europe, people are packing up their tents and heading off to party the weekend away with some truly excellent music.
But amidst all the festivals dotted around Europe and the UK, Gothenburg’s Way Out West stands out. Sweden’s hippest city combines green credentials with some huge headliners and a vibrant clubbing scene – and even better, with only an hour and a half flight time from London, it’s not that hard to get to.
This year, it’s taking place between August 7-9. Here’s what to know – and why you should go.
A city-scape festival
Think all festivals have to take place in a field? Think again: Way Out West is situated in the heart of Gothenburg in the beautiful park of Slottskogen. There are five stages: the main ones are Azalea and Flamingo, while Linné is more of the club-focussed tent stage, and Dungen is the dance stage, which has been home to artists like Jon Hopkins and Peggy Gou.
It’s not just about the big-name acts, though – once the Slottsskogen area closes down for the night at 12pm, the city’s clubs open and the party continues there as part of the festival’s Stay Out West concept. This goes on until the early hours, and will see some of the world’s best DJs descend to spin the decks. Be warned, though – once the club is full, it’s full, so be sure to get there early.
The fact that the festival is so close to the city’s heart is also a boon for those who are jetting in for the weekend. After all, the festival ground only opens at 2pm, which means that all of Gothenburg is waiting to be explored.
This is the largest non-capital city in the Nordic countries and an important seaport. In addition to its gorgeous coastline, it is also famous for its excellent food: when you’re not raving, a trip to Suggan Vinbar (a cosy wine bar) and Walk in the Park (modern cuisine) is a must.
Eco-friendly
One of Way Out West’s biggest selling points is its eco-friendly credentials. Good news for veggies: the entire festival only serves vegetarian food, and has done since 2012 (at the time, this caused a massive stir).
That doesn’t mean it doesn’t serve great grub, though: these days, there’s even a Michelin-star restaurant on site. Single-use plastic is slowly being phased out, and even their festival beer, Norrlands Ljus Alkoholfri, is organic. The festival is also linked with Greentopia, Gothenburg’s annual climate conference, which is taking place this year on August 7.
Plus, the festival is progressive in other ways. Way Out West has committed to a 50/50 gender split on the lineup (hooray!), and it works with organisations like West Pride to ensure the site is inclusive and welcoming to everybody.
The lineup
This year, the line-up is especially good. Pop-star of the moment Charli xcx continues her Brat summer with a headline slot here, but arguably more exciting is the fact that Chappell Roan (who is only playing one UK festival, Reading and Leeds, this summer) will be playing as well.
The pair will be joined by Iggy Pop, rap group Kneecap, the ethereal Khruangbin and Fontaines D.C, as well as the Pet Shop Boys, Lola Young, Little Simz and Queens of the Stone Age. The list goes on (we didn’t even mention Wet Leg, who are also on the bill), but it’s also worth noting the excellent electronic music offering too.
Bicep will be doing a rendition of their Chroma set on Thursday night, but up and coming DJ Salute will also be spinning the decks, as will PinkPantheress and Sofia Kourtesis. Phew.
How to get tickets
Tickets are still available (though they’re selling out fast) and can be purchased here. A Standard ticket gets you access to the festival and Stay Out West for the duration of the festival, while a Youth Ticket gets you access to all the under-18 areas (ie. not Stay Out West).
For those wanting to splash out, a Premium ticket gets you queue jump entry plus 10 per cent off food and drink, while the ultimate VIP ticket gets you entry to the VIP area at Villa Belparc, complete with its own exclusive line-up and hush-hush live performances.
