WOMAD 2004
Friday 23rd to Sunday 25th July 2004Richfield Avenue, Rivermead, Reading, Berkshire, England MAP
w/e £90 incl. camping (sold out). Day tickets: Friday £30, Saturday £51, Sunday £46
Daily capacity: 22,000
Last updated: Tue 20th Jul 2004
WOMAD stands for World of Music, Arts and Dance, bringing together many forms of music, arts and dance from countries and cultures around the world.
The festivals (they are held all over the world) allow audiences to gain an insight into cultures other than their own through the enjoyment of music. WOMAD aims to excite, to inform, and to create awareness of the worth and potential of a multicultural society. It has a friendly atmosphere, as well as chilled music from all around the world.
In total, WOMAD will present as many as 70 artists from more than 30 countries featured across seven indoor and outdoor stages. There's also a full programme of adult and childrens workshops (limited spaces available - turn up early!), the cabaret tent, DJ sessions and live performance in the late night 'CLUB WOMAD', as well the normal festi fodder, and a huge market of world crafts.
FRIDAY 23 JULY
Andrea Echeverry de Aterciopelados (Colombia); Ceilidh featuring Tiger Moth (UK); David Byrne featuring The Tosca Strings (USA); Dhol Foundation (UK); Fawzy Al-Aiedy (Iraq/France); Golden Pride Children's Choir (Tanzania); Izzi Dunn (UK); Laye Sow (Senegal); Patrick Duff and Alex Webb (UK); Radio Mundial (USA/Puerto Rico); Richard Bona (Cameroon); Sharon Shannon (Ireland); Souad Massi (Algeria); The Drummers of Burundi (Burundi); Yelemba d'Abidjan (Cote d'Ivoire) and Zaman Zaki (Pakistan).
KITTY CANDLE'S CABARET - Les Têtes de Vainqueurs (France); Les Goulus (France); Mimbre (Italy/Sweden); Mr Dennis Teeth (UK); Stickleback Plasticus (UK).
CLUB WOMAD - DJ Andy Kershaw (UK) and JJC & 419 Squad (Nigeria/UK).
SATURDAY 24 JULY
Culture Musical Club - Grand Orchestre Taarab de Zanzibar (Tanzania); Daara J (Senegal); Damien Dempsey (Ireland); Drum Drum (Australia/Papua New Guinea); Golden Pride Children's Choir (Tanzania); Hot Tuna (USA); Imbongi & Albert Nyathi (Zimbabwe); Kila (Ireland); Malouma (Mauritania); Marsada (Sumatra); Michael Messer (UK); Moon Dogs (UK); N'faly Kouyate & Dunyakan (Guinea); Nigel Kennedy and Kroke (UK/Poland); Rokia Traore (Mali); Sidestepper (Colombia/UK); The Drummers of Burundi (Burundi); Tinariwen (Mali); Yair Dalal (Israel); Yelemba d'Abidjan (Côte d'Ivoire) and Zaman Zaki (Pakistan).
KITTY CANDLE'S CABARET - Les Têtes de Vainqueurs (France); Les Goulus (France); Mimbre (Italy/Sweden); Mr Dennis Teeth (UK); Stickleback Plasticus (UK).
CLUB WOMAD - The Bays (UK), Future World Funk (UK) and Resin Dogs (Australia).
SUNDAY 25 JULY
Aayjemaal (Turkmenistan); Amparanoia (Spain); Antonio Forcione & Ronu Majumdar (Italy/India); Ba Cissoko (Guinea); Daby Toure (Mauritania); DJ Dolores & Aparelhagem (Brazil); Enzo Avitabile & Bottari (Italy); Jim Moray (England); Liu Fang (China); Ljiljana Buttler & Mostar Sevdah Reunion (Bosnia); Luciano (Jamaica); Señor Coconut (Germany/Denmark/Venezuela); The Suspects Soul 'n' Rhythm Revue (UK); Wire Daisies (UK) and a Gala performance with Yair Dalal featuring Jim Moray, Liu Fang, N'faly Kouyate with Dunyakan, Chris Difford, Jorma Kaukonen, Jack Casady & Barry Mitterhof.
KITTY CANDLE'S CABARET - Les Têtes de Vainqueurs (France); Les Goulus (France); Mr Dennis Teeth (UK); Stickleback Plasticus (UK); Tuyo (Cuba/UK).
CLUB WOMAD - artists soon to be announced.
KID'S PROCESSION - including work by WOMAD's 2004 resident visual artists The Mora Brothers from Cuba.
It's very campervan and family/children friendly! For an idea of taking kids to WOMAD, see the special review here.
Latest Updates
WOMAD Festival announce fallow year for 2025 and new site for 2026
festival will move to a new home in 2026 after a year off
festival will move to a new home in 2026 after a year off
last updated: Tue 12th Nov 2024
WOMAD - POSTPONED 2025
festival details
festival details
last updated: Tue 12th Nov 2024
WOMAD 2024 Review
Let the sunshine in!
Let the sunshine in!
last updated: Tue 6th Aug 2024
WOMAD 2024
photo galleries
photo galleries
last updated: Fri 2nd Aug 2024
WOMAD 2024
festival details
festival details
last updated: Fri 26th Jul 2024