Yes, yes! Time for the old Way Out West festival again, this time without the videos to spare or there may be actually, we'll have to wait and see but I promise you, there are pics! Mouseover them if you want to see more info.

This time around there were a lot of people. A lot. Way Out West set a new attendance record this year but I feel it was at its best when organisation and service was concerned. Everything was nice, neat and people were informed. Their Android app kept us updated ((No Frank Ocean? Noo! - despite X overhearing this from some visitors before the app said so.)) and there were big signs throughout to guide all. A whole bunch of port-a-potties as well.

They've listed a bunch of people's shots on Instagram and Facebook.

OK, so the food was festivally agreeable, which means no love. The one time we had festival food it was agreeable but not more. Kind of like military food.

On the other hand, the food from Bon was excellent! That's a restaurant in central Gothenburg. A salad + spinach/cheese pie was terrific, and I was just blown away by that. Marvellous. The menu, ooh-er.

Whoa - what about the music, dammit? OK.

We kicked things off to Thurston Moore. Having seen Sonic Youth at Way Out West a few years prior was even sweeter, but what's wrong about starting the festival feel with distortion and dissonance? ((Nothing.)) And he even dedicated one song to Roky Erickson from the 13th Floor Elevators, and mentioned Austin, Texas in the same breath. Kudos, axebitch.

De La Souuuul! Haven't seen them since ATP a few years back, and it was great to hear them go on in the background while having a cider in the sun. People everywhere, everybody calm. Among the trees. Leafy green surroundings constantly. Brilliant. Plug 1, 2, 3... "Me, Myself & I" really did me in.

Florence + The Machine was nice to hear. She skipped around on-stage, while some of the older tracks were great to hear live. A bit stiff perhaps.

We were standing right next to this bunch who sat down and had a rest amidst all of the festival stand-ups. I applauded them. They didn't seem bothered at all. And they were drinking alcohol throughout.

F+TM had a harp on stage. Posh fuckers.

A band that did not sport a harp, however, were Refused. They fucking ruled. Yes they did. Dennis Lyxzén spoke on how the band feared a reunion as they didn't want to seem pathetic or uncalled for, but upon re-reading the lyrics, Lyxzén found that they are more valid now than 15 years ago. And hell yes to that. His speech was a powerball! I applauded him throughout it. And they killed all.

David Sandström, the Refused drummer (and a very accomplished musician in his own right).

Dennis Lyxzén.

When in Gothenburg, do yourself a favour and go visit Da Matteo, which is the best café/roasting establishment that I've come across in that fair city. The café itself is really relaxing, offering simple yet tasty desserts in the shape of buns, croissants and whatnot, while the atmosphere relaxes you, makes you feel at home while offering...a certain je ne sais quoi. It was brilliant to just sit there between shopping instances and have another sip of coffee and read the morning paper. By the way, Dagens Nyheter, you fucker who reviewed Blur, you. Fuck you and your "no electric basses were used by F+TM and Bon Iver" fucking fuck. And your mother!

I know this picture looks like hell, but veggie skewers with sweet potatoes and chimichurri... It was good, only to be topped by:

OH YES. Mojito time for sure. Good measuring technique from the bartender plus a serious will to win = great premise for the coming evening with Blur and whathadwenot.

Oh, lovely Tranquilo.

Hello, Feist! She was far more relaxed and easy-going than Florence and her lot was. Don't know why I'm comparing them, it just feels natural to do. And Feist had some great tracks going.

Bon Iver on a big stage? Seemed and looked weird. I remember seeing them live at Berns a few years back when the room was half-filled. Very weird. And this year at a quite large space in Stockholm, but...this was very weird. The songs felt further away than before, and it all felt detached, even though some Bon Iver-ish feeling was there; I mean, they still sound like they first did in one way.

Yes, I'm still wondering what Dexter's brother's actually doing in Bon Iver.

Then, there was Blur.

I can't even begin to describe how this felt. I've loved Blur for a long, long time. I remember when I was in upper secondary school, having convinced my local librarian to get the album "Modern Life Is Rubbish" and I tried learning the songs from the chords that were written inside the CD folder, and I...remember trying to learn "Colin Zeal" - you try going from Dm to Am without having a fucking clue as to what you're doing - on a weird crap acoustic guitar I'd nicked off my sister, and...I knew that some of those songs would in all probability stay with me forever. And I played Damon and Ray Davis' "cover" of the Kinks' "Waterloo Sunset" without ever having heard the original off a cassette tape from the NME, and I played it to a hall of a few hundred kids a couple of years later, along with Blur's "The Universal".

And Blur finished their gig at Way Out West with "The Universal", too. And we knew that all was good. And I nearly, nearly cried as they went into overdrive with "Beetlebum".

And they actually played "Young & Lovely", a very aged b-side which I up until then had only heard a handful of times, and it was beautiful.

Young and Lovely by Blur on Grooveshark

So was "Sing", which was plonked out magnificently by Damon on a tacky school-type piano. I cannot tell how many times I've heard that track and practically gone nuts to it. I remember my dad telling me to shut the fuck up upon playing it in my boy's room. And I remember exactly where it's played in the film "Trainspotting".

Sing by Blur on Grooveshark

It was so nice to see both Graham and Damon explode into big grins during the gig. It's a matter of love. Alex was as suave as ever. The same could not be said for Damon. And I really need to see the documentary on the band, "No Distance Left To Run", again soon.

Birds guiding us along the way.

X's hand being a little wild - or rather, she was - as we took in Jonathan Richman, a punk hero. His charm is fucking irresistible. His playful rhythms and dances are a bit of what I hope to gain as I grow a little older.

I was dancing in a lesbian bar by Jonathan Richman on Grooveshark

When he sang about his "Pretentious art portfoooolioooo"...I'll probably carry that with me forever.

At Bönor & Bagels. Smoothie. Avocado bagel. In the sun. Gothenburgians all abound, being chilled the hell out. Way Out West is terrific - and a lot of that's due to the people.

Sitting outdoors while walking around. We did a ton of walking. I think we walked nearly 6.2 miles (10 kilometers) every day. At least.

There's something to be said about a band that lets its audience have especially crafted 3D glasses for a concert. I don't consider that to be a plus at all, rather a magician's trick than anything else, catering to the kids. Ralf Hütter is the only original member of Kraftwerk who is left, and their last original album - apart from "Tour De France Soundtracks", which is really more a remix idea than an LP, based on a single which is nearly 30 years old - was released in 1986. To me, that's fucked up. And no, I've not used variations on the word "fuck" more than the number of years that have between 1986 and 2012.

Yes, even the innards of Gothenburg city are beautiful.

Kraftwerk with the "Autobahn" background. All of their animations were from circa 1986, all seemingly rendered on an Amiga 500 which is not cool. It's not retro. And if you think it is cool, you're probably the type of person who thinks "special effects" in LOTR is a fitting term ((The true term is "effects" as they're not special in any way. And yes, you're fucked. In all ways.)) for that sort of stuff. And you're probably very entertained by clowns.

Da Matteo again, on the Sunday. Soon, it was time to go home. But not until we'd had good drip coffee and a nougat croissant.

Shot through their shop window. X's poncho freckling the scene.

From where we sat.

Yeah, I know what you're thinking. OH GOD HOW CAN ANYONE BE THAT FUCKING HAIRY!!!!??? The bracelet is so cool.

Gothenburg, so much to answer for.

In short: if you ever get the chance to, go visit Gothenburg and for fuck's sake, go visit Way Out West. They'll be back in 2013.