More of wot I have heard…

This was probably the best Womad yet as we were bless with superb weather, a greatly improved site, good food music and company. All together there were twenty of us in five huge tents with a couple of gazebos for cover outside. We would eat breakfast together and study the line-up for the day. The kids would often spend time in the Children’s Area making crafts, listening to stories or learning new skills such as juggling or kite flying. The rest of the group would split up according to what artists they wanted to see and we would meet up during the day at various events often getting together later on when the wine and nibbles came out.

WOMAD REVIEW - BY JANE CORNWELL

There were a many and varied list of artists at this years Womad and we managed to see a lot more this year as the weather was kinder than last year’s ‘Womud’.

Sue and the girls particularly enjoyed their Chic disco fix, and I found it hard to choose between the gentle folk meanderings of Fribo and the pumping Ska rhythms of Babylon Circus. We also really enjoyed the sweet voices of Devon Sproule and of Simone White in our favourite new Little Sicily tent.

Of the rest we enjoyed Squeeze and knew almost all of the songs, Sharon Shannon Big Band feat Shane MacGowan, Damien Dempsey & Mundy who played a foot-stomping ceilidh (kay-lee), Asere and their sultry Cuban rhythms and Cara Dillon and her sweet Irish folk.

We had an unexpected treat watching a couple of friends in a dance competition where they need to dance with a potato pressed between their foreheads as Sarah Savoy & the Francadians played in the Taste the World tent.

We also saw Ernest Ranglin, Dengue Fever, Eddy Grant & the Frontline Orchestra, Orchestra Baobab, Martha Wainwright, Finley Quaye, Hossam Ramzy & his Epyptian Orchestra and Justin Adams & Julideh Camara.

I have already bought several CDs and I have a few more in my wish list for later.

We have all set our minds on returning for next year’s event.