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
