Oslo, Norway

Upon alighting from the Oslo airport Express, a series of functional but stylish indoor spaces led me all the way to the back door of my hotel. The rain outside was of little consequence in this well designed web of boutiques and eateries. In Norway even trains run door to door.

Norway’s efficiency is notable and even its festivals are no exception. Øya takes place in a surprisingly small, city centre park across five stages. Despite the close proximity of each stage, the programme doesn’t allow for sound bleeds and lineup clashes, while few and far between, are never more than a minute’s walk from each other. All of this means that seeing shedloads of music at Øya is no problem at all.

Our first taste of the festival’s eclectic lineup comes from the beguiling Christine & The Queens. Equal parts effortless and awkward, lead singer-songwriter Heloise is a star in the making, and the slept-on French band light up Øya’s largest indoor stage Sirkus. Tuesday also sees Norwegian artist Ary make a play for most exciting domestic act, Skepta playing the first of three well-received grime sets across the week and Massive Attack and Young Fathers closing off the first night with their ominous visuals and gloomy dystopian anthems. After a typically clamorous club set from Lightning Bolt, day one ended with an overwhelming sense of euphoria.

  • © Ihne Pedersen

Thursday’s lineup highlights included JLin who shelled down her off-kilter footwork to a sparse but appreciative crowd, a metal mass from Mastodon and a rolling slug of spirit from Hamburg’s DJ Koze. Today’s grime showcase came courtesy of Stormzy and the energy crew were out in full force to give the UK MC a warm welcome. PJ Harvey brought procedures to a close with a slick set that included most of her latest album alongside set staples like To Bring You My Love and Down By The Water. Leaving Hope Six Demolition Project cut River Anacostia ringing in our ears Harvey left her audience slack-jawed and in awe.

Although I shouldn’t grumble too much – the majority of Øya’s lineup was exceptional – Friday’s programming left me feeling a little lost. The day’s headliner Highasakite mean everything in Norway but they’re hardly a household name in the UK. Their music is charming but lacks edge, and while the crowd are clearly pleased with their local heroes, I was left feeling somewhat underwhelmed. The real highlight of the day came from Section Boyz who filled the absent Travis Scott’s shoes with their refreshingly gaudy South London take on grime. Again, the response they solicited was unexpected but refreshing. Mosh pits, singalong and gun fingers were employed in full force. The sound of the UK rang out loud at Øya and Section Boyz were perhaps the loudest sound of all. The resounding, accented shout of Lock Arf could be heard across the site for the rest of the evening and well into the next day.

  • © Anna Lerheim Ask

With some of our crew nearly done in from three days of dallying around a muddy site it was with some reluctance I found myself standing in front of a giant speaker stack for Neurosis on Saturday morning. I didn’t regret it. The metal monolith are slick and punishing with their trio of vocalists adding a multidimensional complexity to their already enormous sound. Anderson .Paak brought his soulful hip hop to the festival’s second largest stage in the afternoon and showered the audience with love, drum solos and amusing tales of trainer envy. Through playful banter with his band, The Free Nationals, .Paak provided one of the week’s most joyous and entertaining performances. Øya’s final show was a suitably excessive affair from Grace Jones who, clad in nothing more than a corset and zebra make up, ran through classics like Pull Up To The Bumper and Slave To The Rhythm to close the festival with a glittery, disco-tinted bang.

Øya sets an example that should be followed by international festivals of similar scope and capacity. It is well organised, walkable and there’s plenty to see and do in between bands. Ample facilities mean that there are rarely queues while friendly, helpful staff make entering and navigating the festival site a pleasure. For the casual festival-goer, Øya’s mix of off site accommodation and first class organisation makes it an ideal week away for anyone looking for comfort and class over hedonistic escapism.