Festivals are back and so is WOMAD and good timing with a fortieth anniversary.
Set in the wall of fame as a yearly festival for our diaries.
Hot July this year has made a backdrop of warm and beautiful scenery for Charlton park.
It appeared that everyone was there with love and expectation of good music, positive and uplifting vibrations from the eclectic mix from all around the World.
Highlighting this year’s stages were of global fame and history – Nitin Sawhney, Gilberto Gil, from Brazil and his generational family got all the memories going and Flaming Lips wowed with explosions of golden confetti.
Hempolics were warm and energy setting of homegrown Reggae sounds. Holly Cook, sunshine vocals and base rumbling Reggae from The UK filled the dnb tent. Selector opening on the main stage on Thursday.
The African and Asian bands – gave vitality and exotic colour to the menu of World music.Sona Jobarteh from Gambia, Fatou Mata Diawara from Mali, Rizwan- Muazzam Qawwals from Pakistan, Jasdeep Singh Degun from the UK.
For the 40,000 visitors the assured organisation of Womad is highly respected, and the balance of ages with young families, fancy dressed young and the older fans gave the festival its friendly ambiance. The range of music warms the spirit for another year. Events and workshops are welcome and fun. The tasty food suppliers are professional. Basket, carpets and hand made pottery and so much more are great treats. The Womad music shop has a excellent range of CDs and records.
We are looking forward to the annual date of Womad as part of the musical culture again.
