Oya’s Nine-Timer

Norway’s Oya Festival sold out for the ninth time in succession, demonstrating the staying power that’s made it Norway’s top summer outdoor.

While Quart Festival has fallen by the wayside – apparently unable to make money despite selling out – and Hove Festival would have followed if it hadn’t been rescued by the UK’s Festival Republic, Oya has consolidated and expanded into Oslo’s club scene.

On the eve of this year’s gathering, some national and international acts played shows in Oslo’s clubs, while throughout the festival others had slots after the main 15,000-capacity Middelalderparken site’s 11 p.m. curfew. More than 30 of the Norwegian capital’s clubs were involved in 2010.

This year’s festival was also subject to an extensive BBC News feature, which focused on the event’s efforts to be environmentally friendly.

Earlier this year it won the The Green ’N’ Clean Award, presented by Virtual Festivals and festival organisation Yourope. The industry award was one of four the festival has collected for its ecological approach.

The BBC piece highlighted the fact that Oya gets its power from a hydroelectric dam about an hour’s drive from the festival site, has teams to sort rubbish into 14 different categories and does its best to encourage people to arrive by public transport.

In Oslo the public transport is partly powered by sewage from the city, which is converted into biomethane gas, a renewable fuel alternative to diesel. The daily amount of waste from just one person is enough to power a biomethane bus for up to 50 metres.

The acts helping Oya clean up Aug. 10-14 included Pavement, The Flaming Lips, Iggy & The Stooges, Marina & The Diamonds, The Gaslight Anthem, M.I.A., La Roux and The xx.