the Evening

Siyaya
From Zimbabwe this young arts company are a fantastic opportunity to raise our bruised spirits. The dance and drama celebration with drums and traditional costume complete with spears and shields all leaping and dancing slowly creates a fantastic atmosphere. They then steal the show singing traditional harmonies before bursting into Knocking on Heaven’s Door and it reminds me why I’m so happy not to be at Hyde Park with all the superstars and has not one person from Bulowayo appearing on its bill, let alone in full African tribal costume. The Hyde Park broadcast is being shown in the Link area between the two biodomes but only about ten people are watching it and it seems far too disassociated from our celebration of Africa and it’s musical heritage as we pass.

Then the moment that we aren’t expecting a live link to Nelson Mandella who sends us action against poverty greetings, and the woman next to us is amazed, she’s waited twenty years to hear this moment she tells us. His comments are applauded by the crowd and he makes more sense than anyone I’ve heard on the subject. Let’s hope the G8 leaders hear his words too.

Youssou N’Dour we are told is still in the air so the programme adjusts to give him and his guests time to get to us from London, so instead we are treated to:

Geoffrey Oryema
Forced to flee his native Uganda in the seventies Geoffrey is surprisingly nervous as his band hasn’t been able to get here. But the blond braided 57 year old needn’t be. Goffrey’s voice and guitar playing is monumental and the crowd all join in too. He enlists the help of Peter Gabriel on vocals and Johnny Kalsi on drums. Peter apologizes for being rusty and considering it’s made up on the spot it sounds terrific.

Youssou N’Dour et Le Super Etoille de Dakar
With a ten or so piece band behind him the sound is such that you can’t help but dance and with special guest Dido doing both ‘7 Seconds’ and ‘Thank You’ the crowd love it, inspite of the microphone problems where we can’t hear her! The rest of the tunes are gems from Youssou and his fantastic voice slips amongst the drum beats and it’s no surprise he was the only African on the Hyde Park stage as he’s up there with the best of them.

Yousouf Press Conference
He’d just come from the stage and briefly addresses the press before rushing off to play in Paris and we couldn’t get into the biome (it was full) to see Coco Mbassi’s set in there. Youssou commented that some of the images that we are seeing projected through the media of Africa are twenty years old. Africa is moving on, there is more to be done, but there is a new Africa emerging. For example many more children are now in school but are having to walk a very long way to get there. The media appeared to ignore this comment and went to ask him if he was enjoying the day, he said he was and that it had been very important for him to appear at Eden.

Angelique Kidjo
There’s a relaxed vibe about Eden, folks who have never met are chatting to each other in the warm afternoon and there’s space to dance and Eden’s own real ale to be drunk. Angelique is superb! The west African brings Peter Gabriel out to the stage for her song about her continent Africa and we all rejoice in singing the chorus. With fantastic rhythms and an abundance of energy, she gets everyone dancing, even the drunk bloke near us with no shirt on, who security are eyeing suspiciously. Angelique brings on half the Africa Calling line up to join her for a dance on stage and the atmosphere is tremendous. Her overall vibrant performance is another highlight of the Eden event.

Ayub Ogada
Plays for a second time in the Biome and there’s a mellow dancing vibe alongside the scents of the Mediterranean plants in the sultry evening air. He gets everyone dancing and he’s fantastic, definitely an addition to our to see again list. With his unassuming style it’s just pure musicianship in the most fantastic setting imaginable.

Tinariwen
Either the Eden Real ale is kicking in or these Touregs from Mali in the southern Sahari can seriously play. Their music is just amazing conjuring up the desert as no music I’ve ever before has. With deep rhythms and fantastic harmonies that trance dance acts would die for we are just lost in these traditionally dressed musicians, wearing desert headscarves and all. Even my daughter is overawed by it.

Then horror of horrors there’s a delay so we have to listen to Mariah on screen with an African school choir, it’s dreadful as far as I’m concerned I am no fan and if this is what Hyde Park is like I’m even more glad I’m here! I pass through the press area to find they’ve nearly all cleared off only Radio Cornwall, the BBC and the African Radio guys are left. This has certainly been an eye opener with regards to how the media go about covering events like this for the papers – clearly none of them have stayed on to enjoy the event and have headed off before the headliners and Emmanuel’s surprise second set.

Frititi
Drumming and dance combine in this gloriously vibrant performance by these drummers and dancers based in the UK. With members from the Caribbean and Africa we are treated to dances from Gambia and the Zulu land as well as many more. They are exciting to watch and some of the dancing is crazy almost approaching hip hop in its bounds and leaps and springs.

Kanda Bongo Man
The Congo born pioneers who gave the world the pop sound of Africa Soukous, with it’s thumping groove, mesmerising guitar and gorgeous harmonies, the sound is uplifting though we’re taking the opportunity to grab a Cornish pasty and a hog roast roll and only catch him shortly before the end of his set. But we heard the catchy ‘steel drum’ type beat and we get there in time to see the flamboyant dancers in their glittery costumes as the light fades behind us and we head into the night.

Emmanuel Jal
Emmanuel is announced as the surprise guest, the gun toting child soldier turned hip hop star is infectious and gets the crowd all moving as one. It’s upbeat, positive and pleasant and it’s the kind of joyous hip hop that is little promoted in the mainstream these days. It’s great stuff he tells us how much he likes the Cornish and Cornwall – I believe it’s his adoptive home this days. He gets us chanting and despite not having his band the set comes over really well despite him playing karaoke over a backing track. The crowd atmosphere is fantastic we are all dancing and he reminds us it’s about making poverty history and its good . Unfortunately watching Emmanuel meant we missed the last act in the biodome Akim El Sikameya.

Daara J
Hip hop is again the order of the day with Daara J who get the crowd bouncing with the three vocalists and a DJ adding great mixing and bringing us a mixture of reggae, Afro beats, raga and more and despite the age range of the audience everyone loves it. The Senagalese stars asked us, “Do we want African people to shine?” YEAH we yelled back. “Do we want to make poverty history?” they asked YEAH we yelled back. A fantastic band live and worthy of their headline they keep us dancing until the climax of the evening. They are joined on stage by all 18 acts for the finale and the African National anthem which was beautiful with the audience who were usually so participative to be so quiet was quite a moment. The finale of a fire display on the hillside above the stage depicting two dancing people holding hands as well as fireworks ended a perfect day and one which will last forever in our memories.

Let’s hope there is never another Live Aid in twenty years, let’s hope that the leaders at G8 put in place the end to poverty. Having been at Cornwall’s Live8 and reading today (Sunday) the media’s reports of this event, I have to say that Africa Calling has, much like Africa herself, been disappointingly miss reported in some quarters. It was a huge success and I hope WOMAD continue to celebrate the diversity of African music using the magical setting of Eden.

See the whole thing on the BBC website here.

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