Øya is delighted to confirm 2012’s festival will see appearances from the legendary Swedish hardcore punk band Refused, who announced their long awaited reunion earlier this month.
Canadian favourite Feist, whose fourth album Metals received critical acclaim when it was released in late 2011; otherworldly songstress Florence and the Machine and recent newcomers Nicolas Jaar – who will be joined by a full live band – and recent BBC Sound Poll nominee A$AP Rocky.
They join previously confirmed headliners Björk and The Stone Roses, plus other acts including Yelawolf, Azealia Banks and Norwegian acts Ane Brun, Jonas Alaska and Sudan Dudan.
In addition to the new acts, Øya Festival is also announcing two special London shows in February with Rock Feedback and Club NME on Thursday 23rd and Friday 24th February respectively.
Hosted in association with Music Export Norway, the events will showcase hotly tipped acts from both Norway and the UK. On Thursday 23rd February Razika and Young Dreams will take to the stage at The Lexington alongside Citizens! Friday’s show the following day takes place at the established Club NME night at KOKO in Camden and features additional support from Australian band Bleeding Knees Club.
Øya festival is the largest outdoor music festival in Oslo, Norway, and one of the most discerning in Europe. Renowned for its diverse line ups, 2011 saw standout performances from the likes of Pulp, Kanye West, Fleet Foxes, Wiz Khalifa, The Jayhawks, Aphex Twin, Lykke Li, Janelle Monáe, James Blake, Guided by Voices, Pantha Du Prince and Jamie XX.
Entering into its 14th year, the Øya team have pulled together an initial line up of talent that continues the festival’s tradition of showcasing some of the most ground breaking and iconic acts from across the globe.
Headlining the festival for 2012 will be the inimitable, Björk. Always one to push boundaries - whether through high-concept albums such as 2011’s, Biophilia, or groundbreaking production for her live shows - Bjørk is certain to deliver a spellbinding performance full of unexpected surprises and esoteric twists.
Joining her as headliners for 2012 are none other than The Stone Roses. Having recently announced their reformation this year, the iconic Manchester quartet will be playing at Øya as part of their hugely anticipated reunion tour.
From one highly anticipated act to the next, Azealia Banks, New York’s latest tastemaker darling has been topping all the major ‘Ones to Watch’ lists for 2012 thanks to the success of teaser tracks such as 212. She sits alongside fellow US rapper, Yelawolf, signed to Eminem’s Shady Records and a fellow fast-rising MC.
Placing equal importance on acts closer to home, Øya welcomes native Norwegian acts to the 2012 line up, including acclaimed singer/songwriter Ane Brun, hardcore punk band The Good, The Bad and The Zugly and Sudan Dudan, a duo who have made a name for themselves as one of the most innovative folk outfits in Norway today.
Øya is held in a medieval park, a picturesque spot surrounded by sandy beaches, the OsloFjords, the green Ekeberg Hill and the Oslo skyline. Rooted deep in history, the medieval park is also the place where the capital of Norway was founded a thousand years ago. For 4 days in the middle of August, the Medieval Park in Oslo is transformed into an arena for musical, visual and cross-cultural performances. The Øya Festival is an energetic and symbiotic experience with a unique atmosphere and audience that bares resemblance to no other.
Amidst the festival area of trees, green grass and water, the festival is well equipped with stages, shopping streets and small shops serving food (almost 100% organic and locally sourced) and drink. The site creates an exciting rendezvous between nature and culture, being just a short walk from the city centre of Oslo.
In addition to receiving nominations for ‘Best Line Up’ and ‘Best Medium Size Festival’ at the 2011 European Festival Awards, Øya Festival is officially recognised as one of the greenest festivals in Europe, having won the "Greenest Festival in Europe" at the European Festival Awards 2010 and also the ”Green ’n’ Clean” award.
Published on 24 January 2012 by Wayne Feltham
