Way Out West Opens Its Gates

There is an air of anticipation when this year's Way Out West opens in Gothenburg. A festival where this year's bag ban leads to creative storage solutions and where the music brings memories to life and creates new ones.

» Published: August 08 2024

Way Out West Opens Its Gates
Photo: Björn Larsson Rosvall/TT

Leaning against the green-painted letters with the festival's name, friends Artur van der Lay and Henrik Landervik, wearing hats, sit.

We're going to go and see PJ Harvey. But we're here more for social reasons, says Henrik Landervik.

We like the atmosphere. We meet old friends and have fun, adds Artur van der Lay.

In festival days with bag bans, a question arises about whether the hat can function as a kind of storage. Or if he has to part with it during the security check?

No hat, no festival, says Henrik Landervik firmly.

Understanding the bag ban

Near the entrance, the couple Tomas Duhourq and Eva Milona, wearing a jeans jacket with many pockets, stand.

To have my phone in, she says, and later adds that they understand the bag ban, that it's for security reasons.

The disappointment is great that The Smile and Queens of the Stone Age cancelled. But there are more favorites, such as Air with the album "Moon safari".

I listened a lot to Air when I studied. When the exams approached, the music kept me company, says Tomas Duhourq.

Part of the Partridge family takes the opportunity to grab some food before entering.

Daughter Elsa has just turned 13 years old.

I've been to a small festival before, but not one this big, she says, adding that it's the music and atmosphere that attract.

Special to share the experience

Mom Linn is looking forward to seeing The National. She says it's something special to share the experience with her children.

Getting to experience the atmosphere together, agrees dad Darren Partridge.

After the security check, where snus boxes are also checked, it's time for the countdown.

In the crowd, you can see carpenter pants, cargo pants with a phone in the side pocket, a scarf unwound from the neck and folded as a handbag.

This year, the bag ban is perhaps the most prominent point in the security work. But some details about how the festival works with security are not something the organizer Luger wants to go into.

"Tell us directly"

Filip Hiltmann from Luger also sends a message to the audience.

If you see something that doesn't feel right, you should absolutely tell us directly. We have security personnel and police on site, he says.

How did it go for Henrik Landervik, did he get to keep his hat?

"Yeah! The hat is on", he greets in a text message when he is in front of one of the stages in a music-vibrating Slottsskogen in Gothenburg.

Way Out West takes place in Slottsskogen in Gothenburg on August 8-10.

Fred Again, PJ Harvey, Pulp, and Benjamin Ingrosso are some of the headliners.

Concerts connected to the festival also take place outside the area, under the name Stay Out West.

The police's bag ban has been discussed extensively even before the festival started. No bag-like objects are allowed to be brought into the area. But it's possible to rent lockers on site.

In 2022, Way Out West had 50,000 unique visitors.

In 2023, when Håkan Hellström got the audience to dance in the heavy rain, the festival had 65,000 unique visitors.

The organizer Luger does not want to give exact figures yet for 2024, but says that there are more sold tickets than last year at this time.

Source: Way Out West

Tags

TTT
By TTThis article has been altered and translated by Sweden Herald

More news

Tarantino's Hollywood Sequel May Land
1 MIN READ

Tarantino's Hollywood Sequel May Land on Netflix with Fincher Directing

New Films and Series: Minecraft
3 MIN READ

New Films and Series: Minecraft Movie Debuts and More This Week

Susanne Yakes Could Be Chosen
2 MIN READ

Susanne Yakes Could Be Chosen as Listeners' Summer Host on P1

Munich 1972: How Live TV
3 MIN READ

Munich 1972: How Live TV Coverage Changed Journalism Forever

Val Kilmer, Iconic Actor from
2 MIN READ

Val Kilmer, Iconic Actor from Top Gun and Batman, Dies at 65

The Hives Announce New Album
1 MIN READ

The Hives Announce New Album and European Tour Starting October

Meg Westergren Honored with 2023
1 MIN READ

Meg Westergren Honored with 2023 Fatima Prize by Karl Gerhard Society

Authors Demand UK Action on
1 MIN READ

Authors Demand UK Action on Meta Over Alleged Book Copyright Breach

Ane Brun Cancels Istanbul Concert
1 MIN READ

Ane Brun Cancels Istanbul Concert Following Protest Backlash

Marion Brunet Wins Alma Prize
4 MIN READ

Marion Brunet Wins Alma Prize for Young Adult Literature

Oliver Stone to Testify in
1 MIN READ

Oliver Stone to Testify in Congress on New JFK Documents

Maria Montazami and Samir Badran
1 MIN READ

Maria Montazami and Samir Badran Join The Traitors on TV4

Masked Singer Tops TV Ratings
1 MIN READ

Masked Singer Tops TV Ratings with 1.5 Million Viewers

New Beatles Biopics Cast Revealed:
1 MIN READ

New Beatles Biopics Cast Revealed: Mescal, Quinn, Keoghan, Dickinson

World's Largest Children's Book Prize
3 MIN READ

World's Largest Children's Book Prize Set for 1 PM Announcement

Micke Syd Joining Noice as
1 MIN READ

Micke Syd Joining Noice as Drummer Revealed as April Fool's Joke

Meet the New Faces of
2 MIN READ

Meet the New Faces of Married at First Sight Season 12

Sweden's Creative Industries Generate 650
2 MIN READ

Sweden's Creative Industries Generate 650 Billion Kronor Annually

Lady Gaga Adds Third Stockholm
1 MIN READ

Lady Gaga Adds Third Stockholm Show to European Tour

Net Fishing in Torneälven Nominated
1 MIN READ

Net Fishing in Torneälven Nominated for UNESCO Cultural Heritage

Pernilla Wahlgren Welcomes Second Grandchild
1 MIN READ

Pernilla Wahlgren Welcomes Second Grandchild as Oliver Ingrosso Celebrates New Arrival

British Schools to Screen Netflix
1 MIN READ

British Schools to Screen Netflix Hit Adolescence After PM's Endorsement

Laleh's New Album I Am
1 MIN READ

Laleh's New Album I Am Drops June 27 with Summer Tour

New Novels by Sandgren and
1 MIN READ

New Novels by Sandgren and Schulman Explore Teachers' Journeys

Love is Blind Season 2
1 MIN READ

Love is Blind Season 2 Reunion Arrives on Netflix April 3

Sweden Revives Field Artist Training
1 MIN READ

Sweden Revives Field Artist Training After 25-Year Hiatus

Örebro Museum Plans Exhibition on
2 MIN READ

Örebro Museum Plans Exhibition on Risbergska School Tragedy

Netflix Unveils Live-Action Scooby-Doo Series
1 MIN READ

Netflix Unveils Live-Action Scooby-Doo Series Exploring First Mystery

Richard Chamberlain, Iconic TV Star,
2 MIN READ

Richard Chamberlain, Iconic TV Star, Dies at 90

Richard Chamberlain, Beloved TV Icon,
2 MIN READ

Richard Chamberlain, Beloved TV Icon, Dies at 90

Genre image
1 MIN READ

Actor Bruce Glover, Known for Bond Role, Dies at 92

Sigge Eklund's Play Bolero Brings
3 MIN READ

Sigge Eklund's Play Bolero Brings Family Drama to Stockholm Stage

Bob Hund's Thomas Öberg Honored
1 MIN READ

Bob Hund's Thomas Öberg Honored with Hassepris for Humanistic Spirit

Roger Daltrey Shares Vision Loss
1 MIN READ

Roger Daltrey Shares Vision Loss News at Charity Concert

Ferry Svan Advances in Let's
2 MIN READ

Ferry Svan Advances in Let's Dance as Ciara Zelmerlöw Exits

Academy Apologizes to Director Hamdan
1 MIN READ

Academy Apologizes to Director Hamdan Ballal After Criticism

Mammas Nya Kille Returns for
1 MIN READ

Mammas Nya Kille Returns for a Ninth Season on Sveriges Radio

Hov1 Expands Farewell Tour with
1 MIN READ

Hov1 Expands Farewell Tour with New Dates in Sweden and Finland

Olympic Champion Sarah Sjöström First
2 MIN READ

Olympic Champion Sarah Sjöström First Out on Masked Singer Sweden

Zelda Film Set for 2027
1 MIN READ

Zelda Film Set for 2027 Release with Live-Action Adventure