Way Out West

So why fly to Gothenburg when Oslo is an hour closer to Karlstad? Way Out West, of course! It's recently been ranked one of Europe's top 20 music festivals.

Not quite at the same level of quality as past videos, but not bad for a camera the size of my fist and using only the built-in mic for sound.

I would say Grizzly Bear was the highlight of the Way Out West Festival, but it's hard to choose just one. My Bloody Valentine, Vivian Girls, Wilco, Röyksopp ... to name a few. Like all multi-stage music festivals, the schedule over laps and you have to make some tough decisions. I missed some great bands like Beirut, Gang Gang Dance, Vetiver, Final Fantasy, and most regrettably, Echo and the Bunnymen.

The festival sold out at 25,000 tickets. Slottsskogen park can hold that amount of people for a joke. Finding a decent spot at the stage wasn't too difficult no matter how late you arrived. The late night shows, on the other hand, took place in several cramped venues around the downtown. All combined, they could maybe hold a couple thousand making it a competition to get in. I was one of the many unlucky ones the first night, hence the list of "missed great bands." I was sure not to miss Jay Reatard on the last night. I left Slottsskogen in the middle of Lilly Allen's set thinking I was ahead of the game. When I arrived at Stinky Fingers bar I was greeted by a line that streched well over a block long. I waited for over an hour, but got in.

When the show ended, I walked my usual route back to the hotel. I passed by the same ladies hangin' out on the corner, night after night. The thought never occurred to me that these women were hookers until a guy approached one.

"How much?"
She mumbled the price for a couple of different services.
"Hmm. I duno. It's my first time, so..."

So this is how you bargain with a prostitute, I thought. Next time I'll take a cab.

Picutres

Bands I Saw
Vivian Girls
Bon Iver
Grizzly Bear
Wilco
Röyksopp
Arctic Monkeys
Calexico
Olle Ljungström
Wolfmother
My Bloody Valentine
Lilly Allen (winner of the best costume award)
The Adolescents
Jay Reatard