Facts: Way Out West
Way Out West was founded in 2007 and takes place in Slottsskogen in Gothenburg. The festival also has club gigs, Stay Out West, at various locations in Gothenburg.
In 2022, Way Out West had 50,000 unique visitors.
This year’s artists include Håkan Hellström, Blur, Wizkid, Tove Lo, Viagra Boys, Devo and Boygenius.
Devo celebrated 50 years on stage – without slowing down in energy level. With a deliberately jerky dance and visual elements, the new wave group from the USA offered, among other things, their biggest hit “Whip it”, wearing their characteristic red funnel hats. A headdress said to be inspired by a type of Mesopotamian temple structure.
The group’s name stands for de-evolution, and since its inception in 1973, Devo has argued that human evolution is going backwards. Something that co-founder Gerald Casale observed from the stage: “How many people here believe in devolution? You don’t have to look far to find the evidence!”
Devo frontman Mark Mothersbaugh.
After a short break, the band members stepped out wearing their traditional yellow rubber suits, which singer Mark Mothersbaugh tore to shreds during the song “Uncontrollable urge” – both his own and his colleagues’ stage clothes were left in tatters. Throughout the concert, they demonstrated that in the Devo concept, the visual is at least as important as the music.
“Uninhibited”
Sweden’s most cocky pop star Tove Lo attracted a large audience in front of the Azalea stage and delivered hit song after hit song in a rain of confetti, challenging dance and led screens with pictures of breasts and buttocks.
— I want the feeling you should have in you to be “unbridled”, she shouted from the stage.
The visitors heard, among other things, “Cool girl” (with the audience singing along), “Disco tits”, “Talking body”, “Habits” and the newly released single “Elevator eyes”.
When it was time for the “Jag kommer” cover “I’m coming”, Tove Lo surprised the audience by pulling Veronica Maggio up on stage, and together they performed the Swedish version of the song before a lyrical Way Out West.
Tove Lo surprised by bringing Veronica Maggio on stage.Wizkid finished
Nigerian artist Wizkid had the audience’s hips swaying to euphoric Afrobeats to close the first day of the festival.
— Sexy ladies, make some noise! shouted the jeans-and-sequin-clad world star from her podium on stage.
He performed, among other things, the Drake collaboration “One dance”, and during the show pyrotechnics in the form of large flames were interspersed with Wizkid throwing water on his fans.
“Big Wiz, we want to party!”, shouted the crowd in response (after some prompting from the artist’s DJ).
Wizkid repeatedly threw water on the crowd.