Way Out West: Discover Gothenburg Between Sound, Sea and Urban Life

Photography and Words by Andy Gorel

“Thank you for being here, and thank you for having me,” said American pop darling Chappell Roan as a warm rain and the opening piano to her ballad “Kaleidoscope” began to cut through the cool Nordic air.

“My music traveled all the way here, this is so awesome,” she added earnestly, giving some much-needed oxygen to her airtight Swedish debut at the country’s premiere music festival, Way Out West.

A long way from her humble beginnings in Missouri, the singer-songwriter stomped and crooned her way through an electric 90-minute set, capping the three-day event with a major exclamation point. And those three days yielded no shortage of excitement.

Just 24 hours prior, on Friday, brat star Charli XCX drew what felt like all of the festival’s 35,000 attendees to the same Flamingo stage for a dance party that could only be described as pandemonium. On Thursday afternoon, the festival’s entry gates were vastly overwhelmed ahead of Irish rockers Fontaines D.C.’s 17:50 stage time – a billing clearly eclipsed by their recent meteoric rise.

“We booked them in December,” said the fest’s Head of Marketing, Filip Hiltmann, “and they’ve obviously only gotten bigger.”

Set in Gothenburg’s lush and mystical Slottsskogen (“The Castle Forest” in Swedish), Way Out West’s 17th iteration presented plenty of international stars beyond its headliners – ranging from rock ‘n’ roll bands like Queens of the Stone Age and Wet Leg to electro-pop acts like Pet Shop Boys, PinkPantheress, and Mk.gee.

And for a sold-out forest of mostly Swedish attendees, there was a fair slate of homegrown heavyweights too. Malmö’s Kite headlined Thursday night, and Stockholm’s Molly Sandén brought her show, fit for the big stage, on the next. Most prolifically, Svensk rap stars Yung Lean and Bladee teamed up for a set in the primetime on Friday night that parlayed itself right into the fever pitch reached just moments later by Ms. XCX.

Sponsored by Live Nation, the festival’s array of star power is a big deal for a country of just 10 million. So much so that much of the capital makes its way out west in droves to partake.

“We call this the Stockholm week of Gothenburg,” said Fredrik, 34, who traveled from Stockholm for the festival. “It’s like 80% of the people that are here are from Stockholm, more or less,” he added.

His friend, Marlon, 29, also of Stockholm, chimed in right thereafter. “You know, as Stockholmers, we need to be serious about what we fall into, because to be honest, it feels like being in a foreign place. We don’t know everything about Gothenburg, so it’s like almost being abroad. So we have to consider what we fall into, because we want some kind of authenticity, but we still want the festival as well.”

“Stockholm people are so serious,” he added before Fredrik jumped back in, and said, “Yeah, we’re also very progressive, and here they are a bit more laid back.”

As the two hinted, while the story during the first week of August may be the festival and the coinciding deluge of Stockholmers, beyond the fences is Sweden’s second-biggest city, Gothenburg – a nautical urban gem that’s undoubtedly worth a visit whether Charli XCX is in town or not.

Founded in 1621, Gothenburg’s history is storied and rich. During the prosperous tenure of King Gustavus Adolphus, the city was set up as Sweden’s gateway for trade, but also a bulwark against its foes.

While the Swedes were constantly worried about the neighboring Norwegians and Danes, they received significant help from the Germans and Dutch, whose influence on the city is still abundantly clear. Masters of the canals, the Dutch aided the Swedes in adapting the city’s downtown for its coastline. The Germans, on the other hand, built the prolific Tyska Christinæ church, which still stands pristinely near the lively Brunnsparken, meters from where many of the city’s trams and buses pick up.

Unsurprisingly, as a city of water, Gothenburg’s key industries have for centuries revolved around the seas – fishing, shipping, and vessel building. But in the past century, it’s made its mark on land as well with the Euro car giants Volvo and Saab.

“It’s very much a working man’s town,” said one Gothenburger at the Chappell Roan set, proudly pretending she didn’t speak English at first.

Yet with its excellent public transportation, lively downtown, and seemingly endless selection of chic cafes, restaurants, and shops, you wouldn’t know it at first glance.

On top of its sturdy blue-collar bedrock, the city has several beautiful and walkable neighborhoods that feel like town centers in their own right. The bustling Inom Vallgraven is home to plenty of attractions. From the Stora Saluhallen market, to the iconic Feskekôrka or “Fish Church,” to the Nefertiti jazz club, the district is enough to spend a whole afternoon and evening in.

Just across the canal is Haga, a quaint collection of cobbled streets and spirited eateries, anchored by the towering Haga church. At the neighborhood’s mouth is the hillside Skansparken, and Skanshof bar, a supremely popular bistro nestled under an almost-hidden second corridor lush with plantlife and friendly barmen.

To the east is Gothenburg University, in a pocket of town that is serene and picturesque by day, and teeming with energy at night. It’s here that houses the “Avenyn,” Gothenburg’s top strip for nightlife. In 2024, the university enrolled nearly 60,000 students, which measurably adds to Gothenburg’s youthful, forward-looking feel and direction.

While the Port of Gothenburg remains Sweden’s most crucial and employs 22,000, in recent years, the city has shifted towards tech, tourism, and fashion.

Way Out West has also evolved alongside its host. Though it began centered on music in 2007, it’s since added other programming like film screenings, talks, and intimate performances in non-conventional urban settings such as churches and cultural centers.

As part of Gothenburg’s commitment to sustainability, the festival also shifted to an all-vegetarian menu in 2012. And for both the city and festival at large, public transit plays a key role too. Gothenburg’s 13 tram lines run entirely on 100% fossil-free electricity, and rental bikes can be found across the city.

Beyond the more typical methods of public transit are the city’s ferries, which actively run picturesque return trips to what is arguably Gothenburg’s crown jewel, the archipelago.

Over 20 islands make up two distinct groups of islands, de facto referred to as the north and south archipelagos.

Away from the hustle and bustle of city life, the islands provide refuge for travelers and residents alike. On Donsö, one of the archipelago’s most populated islands and a crucial Swedish port, traditional homes line narrow, winding roads as boathouses donning Swedish flags are clustered along its shores.

Though it was established centuries ago as a fishing and shipping outpost, more recently, summer homes and a few restaurants have sprung up along the island’s jagged coastline. There, the water is crystal clear and deep blue, but most importantly, temperate and comfortable for swimming or boating throughout the entire summer season.

Cars are not permitted anywhere in the southern archipelago, making the air intensely pure and exhilarating to breathe. Many residents opt for bicycles or small electric carts in their place.

And as the island’s residents move more slowly, seemingly so does time itself. Having to ferry to the mainland every time makes those inhabiting the island ostensibly more committed to the here and now – a mood that comes over its visitors as well. But should one have to run downtown, Gothenburg’s public ferries go every hour, convenient enough to make a life of isolation a choice.

Though the islands lie in the extremities, the archipelago represents what Gothenburg is at its core. Practical, but beautiful. Traditional, but modern. Historic, but futuristic. While they may seem like contradictions on paper, the quaint port city way out west has proven otherwise — weaving sound, sea, and city life into one rhythm.