So, I finally caved and agreed to go to a festival. After years of avoiding crowds and thinking I was ‘too old for this,’ I figured escaping London’s heatwave for Lisbon in July was worth the risk. 

My Lisbon adventure began at the Vila Galé Collection Palácio dos Arcos, a canary-yellow palace that overlooked the Targus River. Here, my morning ritual started with Portugal’s signature Pastel de Natas, a small, golden-brown tart filled with sweet custard filling. In the evenings, a chocolate truffle, sometimes even two, waited for me in my room. Perfect end to the day. 

Festival Day One dawned with a generous slathering of SPF50 and a sigh of pure relief as I stepped onto the astroturfed Oeiras docks. No mud! The whole setup was impressive; they miraculously transformed what was a mundane car park into a green-carpeted music paradise.

I immediately got sidetracked by all the brand sponsors. Lined up along the festival grounds were amazing setups designed to look like traditional Lisbon lojas – think colourful, ornate facades, some even decorated with beautiful ceramic tiles. Festival-goers were queuing up for all sorts of freebies, giveaways, makeovers and more. I even stumbled onto the Turismo Centro Portugal loja, where they were offering free back massages. I was shocked by how short the queue was, so of course, I jumped in for a few minutes of pure relief before diving back into the crowd.

Feeling more relaxed, I kept exploring and suddenly felt like I was caught in this sparkly wave of young girls in sequined miniskirts. Apparently, these are ‘Livies’ and they were losing their minds waiting for Olivia Rodrigo. I then made my way to the more intimate Heineken Stage, where I caught incredible sets from Barry Can’t Swim and Glass Animals. I may have accidentally gotten a contact high from people smoking weed nearby, adding to this hazy, euphoric atmosphere. 

Then it was time for Olivia Rodrigo to absolutely dominate the NOS Stage. Her all-female band was a powerhouse, and her outfits were fierce. Before “So American”, she gave a knowing wink about a certain British guy in her life who, by chance, has done a photoshoot for 1883 – you know the one! She commanded the stage with raw, kinetic energy, even with the crowd’s singalongs which were a little too loud sometimes and mostly off key, but hey, it’s a festival! She’s a total superstar in the making, seamlessly switching between powerful vocals and instrumental moments on the guitar and piano, sprawling across the stage making use of the camera placed inside the stage floor creating dynamic visuals. People are quick to prejudge Olivia because of her Disney star beginnings, but no one could deny the exceptional performance this 22-year-old put on, winning over even the sceptics.

Friday was I was completely mesmerised by French duo Justice’s dynamic performance. Imagine towering visuals pulsing with their pounding beats, transforming the whole place into a massive outdoor rave. I then pushed my way to the front row for Anyma’s set, where the energy was just soaring and the story-telling visuals were cinematic. 

Now, for the truly brave, there were 5€ ‘Willy’s,’ and decent 5€ pints of wine. I skipped the ‘Willy’s,’ but one sip of that wine instantly transported me back to my uni days and knowing how that story always ended, I wisely stuck to Bandida do Pomar cider.

On the last day of NOS Alive, Bright Eyes’ set at the Heineken Stage delivered pure indie bliss. Conor Oberst, with his iconic guitar changes which, I guess, was his version of a wardrobe change, and an amusing, most likely ironic, stage sign reminding everyone, ‘You’re at a Bright Eyes Concert.’ They launched into all the crowd-pleasing bangers, filling the air with their signature sound.

Then, on a friend’s recommendation, I hit the Heineken Stage again for Amyl and the Sniffers. I hadn’t been familiar with them before, but they were the biggest surprise for me. The lead singer, with serious Harley Quinn vibes, had such a strong, fun personality. Their raw, punk energy was an unexpected jolt, and it was a party-atmosphere from start to finish, with mosh-pits and crowd-surfing all over the place! Definitely the discovery of the festival.

Muse closed out Saturday (for me, at least) and despite being a replacement act for Kings of Leon, they smashed it further proving that even a last-minute swap can be legendary. Matt Bellamy’s charismatic presence captivated diehard fans from the moment they opened with their newest song “Unravelling”. At one point, the camera focussed on bassist Chris Wolstenholme, who wore a Portuguese national shirt for number 21 – a powerful tribute to the late footballer, Dioga Jota, that got a huge, emotional cheer from the crowd. They absolutely rocked out, ending their set with “Starlight” and a spectacular fireworks display that lit up the Lisbon sky.

Honestly, my biggest regrets were missing St. Vincent and Nine Inch Nails, but I quickly realized that the best way to do NOS Alive is just to soak up the vibe and not stress about catching absolutely everything. And maybe, that’s exactly how festivals are meant to be.

When I finally made it back to my hotel room, I felt totally exhausted but happy at the same time. As I winded down for the night, with songs I didn’t know an hour ago stuck in my head, I realised just how much I missed festival life and all the great memories that come with it.

For more info, go to www.nosalive.com

Words by Angeliki Sofronas