Øyafestivalen: Andre 3000 Review

Everything aligned as well as it could for the André 3000 experience. A sunny, warm feel washed over the festival grounds and though the former OutKast member should be closer to the top of a lineup, his opening performance on a calmer Thursday morning was perfect. His flute-based wonders were an experience suited to the environment and hundreds agreed – sitting themselves down and settling in for a considered and nature-filled experience. It still stands as a better experience with the album, to listen to in the comfort of your home with noise-cancelling headphones, ignoring the call to cook dinner or take out the bins. No, the New Blue Sun experience is wherever you can find the time for peace – and at Øyafestivalen, it is easily done. 

As such, being served a canapé and listening to what is surely Night in Hawaii for all its cat roars and whistling winds, is a wonderful experience. To command such calm on stage is impressive and André 3000 manages to drown out the hustle and bustle of the bar at the top of the hill, the screaming babies and the expected drones of the festival experience. It is an essential listen, live or otherwise. A truly unique and reflective portion of work which provides some true refreshment following a day of being battered by rain while clinging to the barrier waiting for Pulp. This is a set to move around to, wander the grounds and listen in. Stop a while and watch. André 3000 is an impressive flautist, and his band are remarkable in keeping pace with what feels improvised. 

But these are tightly defined songs and André 3000 maintains good form with the calmness he controls here. It is easier to gauge excitement than peace at a festival and yet this flute-based hour of clarity is one of the more poignant and impressive moments of the festival. There are no tricks at play to keep an audience invested, those who are half-expecting Hey Ya will realise, five minutes in, that the sincerity of this opener is not just walk-on music. This is it. And it is impressive. André 3000 is a perfect way to start the day of festival antics and in turn benefits from parts of the day out of his control. The sun beating down on the festival, and the calmness which covers the audience, all factor in more than anticipated and provide a welcome break from the heavy tones on other stages. 

Ultimately it is a fascinating display which goes against the conventional methods of festival opportunities. To take an audience through an hour of instrumental class is a neat fixture. André 3000 does just that and with it displays an infectious excitement for his contemporary work. No need to get too close. Go sit at one of the small wooden huts and lounge around, drinking cans of Solo while gauging the grumbles and moans of a fascinating jazz-like project. It plays out as well as expected and feels as lively as the album. New Blue Sun is an album to experience alone, or so we assumed. It is now best contained in an atmosphere both respectful and equally struck with awe at being captured by what seemed like a left-field, ultra-specific project. That it is, but its transition to the main stage has been incredible.