At Way Out West, male artists tread familiar ground while a girl would never have gotten away with it

The Way Out West festival in Gothenburg, Sweden, presented a stark contrast in gender representation on stage, with the author observing that "a girl would never have gotten away with it." While male artists dominated the lineup, the article suggests many exhibited a tendency to imitate rather than innovate, particularly drawing from 90s rock influences.

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I don't know how many asses I've seen since I came to Gothenburg, but they've all belonged to girls.

Performances by Nektar, Geese, and Blood Orange were scrutinized. Nektar, described as Gothenburg's youngest indie darlings, were noted for their surprisingly confident stage presence, though their sound was likened to a washed-out imitation of 90s bands like Kent. Geese's frontman, Cameron Winter, was observed to look "like he's about to die a little bit," delivering a performance that, while saved by his deep, trembling voice, felt otherwise uninspired and overly reliant on rock canon fetishes.

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He looks like he's about to die a little bit.

Blood Orange, whose real name is Devonté "Dev" Hynes, was hailed as a potential genius among the festival's bookings. He performed much of his recent work and older hits while wearing large studio headphones, creating an atmospheric set. However, the author found the performance itself to be somewhat listless, with Hynes appearing barely present despite his virtuosic musicianship. The piece concludes by expressing a wish for artists to break free from nostalgic influences and forge new musical paths.

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I feel like a parent who is grateful that their teenage son has even stepped out of his room.