It’s the second Saturday of August which traditionally means the closing day of Gothenburg’s Way Out West festival. The rain keeps on pouring down turning the beautiful Slottsskogen into a mud field that will see acts such as Skepta, Jamie xx and Sia perform during the day.
Amanda Bergman opens the festival just after noon in great company as fellow Swedes The Tallest Man On Earth and First Aid Kit join the stage during her concert. The Amason singer mainly showcases songs from her recent solo record finding her beautiful voice at it’s peak.
Jamie xx offers a classic DJ set which includes both his own offerings such as 'Loud Places', 'I’ll Take Care Of U' and 'Gosh' as well as tracks provided by Axel Boman, Skepta and Oxia. The sun even makes an appearance during Jamie’s set which after a rough start really charms the crowd. Smith seems to have a great time infront of the gigantic disco ball which elegantly spins behind the dancing producer.
At night, it’s time for the grime takeover. Judged by the mental crowd Stormzy’s attracted to the Linné tent, it’s something grime fans of Sweden have been waiting for for a long time. 'Shut Up' and 'Know Me' From sees giant mosh pits combined with a brutal response to every word the new superstar screams out. Skepta continues the victory lap when he later closes the same stage with a classic performance. Massive Attack bring Young Fathers but not many classics during their ambitious live show.
The Gothenburg crowd gets left without both 'Paradise Cruises' and 'Teardrop' but is overwhelmed by the political and suggestive projections lighting up the dark. Sia offers an artistic performance in-front of a huge crowd, a perfect finale for the festival and it’s record breaking 33,000 attendees.
As the tenth Way Out West comes to an end the crew confirms that the rumors of this year being the last are completely untrue, meaning the festival will be returning to Slottsskogen again next year!
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Words: Axel Franzén
