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home » festivals » WOMAD » WOMAD 2008
music overviewWOMAD 2008 reviewThursday 31st July 2008 And what music, it seems just as WOMAD have got it right, they'll be changing it next year. The 2009 WOMAD will have guest artists curating the musical selections on offer, let's hope it's as good as this year's. Right from the more interesting Thursday events with a decent soundtrack to start our festival Lee Scratch Perry was in good form, as was the Siyaya sing along, and both eased the arriving festival goers into the evening. 
For me, Friday's line-up was predominantly the Big Red Tent's selection of the lively Hamid Baroudi, the lovely Mor Karbosi, and Bedouin Jerry Can Band. The latter I actually saw twice once with them seated in their makeshift tent on the Siam stage and in the more intimate surrounding of the Radio 3 Stage – their upbeat attitude was infectious. The Ceilidh with Harry Nilsson's 'Everybody's Talking' by Mundy, and an on form bit of ceilidh dancing post an emotional 'Fairytale of New York' by a lively Shane McGowan. Oh, and the awesome tent overspill of Nathan 'Flutebox' Lee with Shlomo and 'Knight Rider'. The techno global beats of Speed Caravan ended a high standard of music, not one duff act all day. 
Add to that the addition of some monks, and a commentary on their culture with funny hats and dances. The seminal African soundtrack of Kenge Kenge Orutu System, some slow Thai-esque Cambodian dancers with a kids orchestra, a seventies cheese disco feast, with a host of big disco tunes from the magnificent Chic, that had teenage rock chick daughter shocked at the crowd all 'daddy dancing'. Plus a scorchin' 'Rock el Casbah' singalong with Rachid Taha, and that's one heck of a fab way to spend a Friday. It was so good I missed new project Terakaft by the guys from Tinariwen, mainly because someone had badly reported to me that they weren't going to be at the festival. I'd also missed an earlier Djembe Drumming workshop I'd earmarked to go to. It had still been a great first day proper and I was still happily grooved on down to James Brown in the campsite bar for hours. I have to say that place was a real winner, in my opinion and quite possibly the best campsite bar in all festival-dom. Saturday really got into gear early with Babylon Circus getting the large crowd leaping about like mentalists, arms in the air, before Kora and the Red Arrows kept the place smiling and sweaty in the heat. I stuck to the shade of the WOMAD flag above me, and so remained in the main arena to see Mavis Staples even knew a few songs, a flat Dengue Fever (they were great in the Red Tent on Sunday), and the monumental Eddy Grant & The Frontline Orchestra, all quite well known festival acts, as opposed to WOMAD type acts, but I wasn't complaining it was a terrific evening of sun and sounds. 
I miss Lo Cor de la Plana, twice! The Sufi night takes second place to sitting in the warm night air, although DJ Marky & Stamina provide a drum and bass background, before the inevitable return to the campsite late night bar. Listening to the festival's very own radio station (why don't all festivals have this?) the next morning it appeared that a few of the highlights I fancied watching like Dhoad Gypsies of Rajasthan had not managed to get their visas, but Little Feat with an immense version of 'Willing' and the "Jamaican National Anthem" of course that's 'Don't Bogart that spliff' and a little of Ernest Ranglin more than made up for their no show, least they didn't actually show, as opposed to the day before's supposed no show! 
The quite frankly wonderful Sa DingDing, the sing along feel good of Squeeze, my hometown heroes and folk energy of Show Of Hands, a bit of dance with Transglobal Underground, Gocoo + Goro, and Norte© Corporation are perhaps the strongest quintet of music I've ever witnessed, back to back at a festival. Sa Ding Ding was mesmerising, lavish costume, eerie Chinese flute and violin accompany her traditional infused folk, world dance music and the spinning flowing movements, Chinese fans, and the huge leaps of acrobatic dancers keep us all entertained. Squeeze deliver top singalong classic tunes as befits their classic act status, as do Show Of Hands, particularly if you come from Cornwall, '99 Problems but the Witch ain't One' is a particular highlight. Transglobal Underground start the dancing, we would dance to Gocoo but the strobe lights, and the fact all these women are thunderously beating huge drums, while a crazy banshee leads proceedings, quite frankly was a bit over-powering. It is a heady mix, that has us enthralled. and for me is the highlight of the weekend, a classic WOMAD act that is truly stunning, and very different. 
Forget techno, the future is folkno, mixing decks with accordion and a horn section to produce a ruddy good rave up. It's just possible that Norte© are good enough to outlive the genre busting tag. Their music is certainly a good gimmick mixing the traditional Mexican Norteno music with a kickin' dance beat to create a sound which even gets the old folks up and dancing. More dancing ensues in the campsite bar, as the drinks slowly run out, and cider is the last to go. Forgoing bed, we sit up and watch the dawn, watching some of the more totalled partygoers dance to a blinking light and chant to the sound of a van reversing. Highlights of the weekend are all the acts but if I had to pick three, Sa DingDing, Goocoo, and dare I say it, Chic! 
review by Scott Williams photos by Karen Williams / Phil Bull / Andy Pitt
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