As Norway’s biggest and best boutique music festival, Øyafestivalen or Øya for short, provides both a lesson in history and lesson in how to put on a good music festival.
While the first two editions of the festival in 1999 and 2000 were held at Kalvøya just outside of Oslo, the festival has since settled at Middelalderparken.
In this setting punters are given the chance to appreciate not just music from international headliners, but the place where Norway was founded over a thousand years ago.
Amongst the music you may also find time to check out the ruins of Maria Church. What other festival allows you to be tourist and festivalgoer at the one time?
The 2014 event will be moved to Tøyenparken due to railway construction in the years ahead.
The event books around 80 acts every year, which play across over four stages. The first event may have only attracted 1000 attendees in a day, but it has since grown and now accommodates 85,000 people over the four days.
Such popularity has undoubtedly come from the organiser’s strength in booking some of the Summers best lineups.
Past acts have included the likes of Iggy and The Stooges, Arctic Monkeys, Beck, Morrissey, LCD Soundsystem, The Flaming Lips, The National and Bjork,
In typical Norwegian style not only is Øya green and beautiful it is also incredibly environmentally friendly.
The event has won the Greener Festival Award and the Green ‘n’ Clean Award on several occasions.
With the Oslo skyline and the exquisite green of Norway’s parks, Øya provides one of the most magnificent settings for a music festival.
Lineup
On their huge run of festival appearances across the world Queens Of The Stone Age will also fill the top spot of this bill. Just below them sits the team of Robyn and Röyksopp who will likely play new material from the former’s forthcoming new album. Neutral Milk Hotel will continue their run of reunion dates while The National and Janelle Monae will perform songs from their 2013 releases.
Blood Orange, Deafheaven and Darkside have also been announced with more names to be added to the bill as the festival draws closer.
See the full lineup here.
Where and When
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The festival is held at Middelalderparken (which translates to Medieval Park in English) in the Scandinavian country’s capital city of Oslo.
Norway’s biggest music festival will run from the 5th to the 9th of August.
How To Get There
Return flights to Oslo from any capital city in Australia will set you back around $2600 if you wish to only stop once. While return flights with two stops is valued at the cheaper price of around $2000.
Getting to the festival is remarkably easy. With the Medieval Park located just 10 minutes from the city’s central station.
From there you can decide to walk, tram or bus to the festival. Tram 18 or 19, bus 34 to St. Halvards plass, or bus 70 or 74 to Dyvekes bro. will suffice those who are in a rush.
Where To Stay
Past travellers to Norway will tell you that Oslo is one of the most expensive cities you’re likely to visit in Europe. So to save yourself some trouble it might be best to go for the hostel option.
The best hostels to book in Oslo are Youth Hostel Haraldsheim, Anker Hostel, Oslo Hostel and Cochs Pensjonat.
How To Get Tickets
For this four-day festival potential punters have two ticket options.
A Ukepass (week pass) is valued at 2425 Norwegian Krones or the comparatively less frightening Australian equivalent of $435.
A single day pass will set you back almost $150.
You can buy tickets to Øya here.
Insider Tips & Tricks / Things You Should Know
Øya festival provides over 29 tons of organic food each year cooked by Oslo’s best young chefs. The food at the Norwegian event is incredible. If you don’t believe it watch this video from 2010.
The 2013 event will see Rodriguez perform in Norway for the first time ever. After the release of last years Searching For Sugar Man documentary the musician has had a boost in popularity.
Øyanatt is the festivals after party-of-sorts. As Øya is organised in conjunction with clubs around Oslo, DJ sets and gigs are held after the festival ends each day at 11pm. These gigs add to the festival experience and provide punters with a taste of the local music scene.
American bands such as Merchandise and Mikal Cronin and UK acts like The Staves and Uncle Acid & The Deadbeats will play Øyanatt in 2013.
For more details head to Øyafestivalen’s Official Website.
2013 Lineup
Brit rockers Blur sit atop the Øya bill with The Knife venturing across to their neighbouring country to support their 2013 release Shaking The Habitual. German electronic legends Kraftwerk will stop by Oslo on their world tour, while Grimes, Kendrick Lamar, Beach House and Cat Power will play songs from their respective 2012 releases.
Slayer and Wu-Tang Clan will have plenty of song choice from their respective discographies, as James Blake will continue to spruik his Overgrown release to international audiences.
While Unknown Mortal Orchestra and Tame Impala represent the Australasian contingent, sets from Azealia Banks, Alabama Shakes, Disclosure, Local Natives, Rodriguez and Solange are sure to be highlights.
