Mr R Pyke
I am very upset having heard Reading will no longer be holding WOMAD. It is the only event in Reading that was for everyone from anywhere. But as normal it come down to money grabbing councils who want to charge to much for an event that was for the locals!
Valerie Waters
I have attended WOMAD for the last 3 years and found your Radio3 WOMAD site here last year. Although it is very good, this year I had problems getting to the site as access to this particular WOMAD interactive page is not easily found and only found it by a very circuitous route. Secondly, this method of looking at the photos taken is very time-consuming most espeically as I only have a landline connection- did you not last year have thumbnails of pics.?
Other than that it is real pleasure to re-visit WOMAD most especially as I work for Madras Cafe (a charity which supports communities in Sout India which serves and sells vast quantities of authentic Indian food at the festival)and hardly see any of the acts, though hear some of them - needless to say!!
Thank you
Valerie
Joy Durrant
WOMAD - mad. Thanks so much to the festival organisers for making it the best experience ever. One of our party was in a wheelchair and all WOMAD stewards were kind and helpful insuring he had just a good a time as anyone, even ensuring brollies weren't blocking the view to the stage during Femi Kuti's wet set. Music-wise, couldn't ask for better selection of world class musicians - we were spoiled for choice and i felt so priveleged being there with them. For me top of the list was Stella Chiweshe on the Radio 3 stage Sunday night, she eptomised the spirit of WOMAD and celebrated her 60th birthday tour too - wow what energy; I'll never forget Tourmani Diabate's workshop or Djelimady Tounkara's set, such evocative and beautiful playing - close your eyes and drift away. Role on July 2007.
Mick Coleman
Fabulous weekend. Best ever Womad in my opinion in terms of the quality of the music. Highlights for me were Konono No 1 whose 75 minute set was a jawdropping phenomenon and the two African hip hop guys Emmaneul Jal and K'nann. Too many other superb acts to mention. My only moan was the prevelance of the Chardonnay set, who would take over venues like the the Siam Tent with blankets insisting on a minimum of 2 meters square per person or with lines of chairs, carrying around bawling kids with names like Justin or Chlamydia, many of whom had little interest in the music and would talk incessantly through performances. Something needs to be done about this - the Siam tent is a limited space and to be honest at nighttime it was a real health and safety issue. Another positive was the toilets -a vast improvement on previous years. Well done Womad. Great weekend. Cant wait for the 25th one next year.
Anjan Saha
K Naan was the buzz of town. The handover from Charlie Gillett.
Charlie Gillett, due to ill health says he is unsure of his position, whether he will be able to return to broadcasting after summer. His BBC colleague does a poor job, when Gillett introduces him to the audience and dear listeners who speaks more for himself, “Well, I don’t know either, it’s the powers that be,” and then as almost a reminder he rescues the situation by thanking him for the job that he had done, which drew applause from a crowd on his side. It fell to the crown prince of Womad, K Naan to do Charlie’s legacy justice.
It was an emotional and powerful moment, this handing over the baton. As the fates would have it, perhaps to show a man walking his destiny, Charlie pointed out
“K naan was the last person who played on what could have been my last radio broadcast. And now he is the last person to play on my last Womad broadcast. Which is fitting as I hand over the baton to the future.”
“Thank you Charlie, for all the music you’ve brought us” K Naan said in that arresting voice of his. Almost an ambassador, for what has yet to be discovered. He stands head and shoulders above his contemporaries. The Dusty Foot Philosopher. No wonder Damian Marley had him open his shows in the UK leg of his tour.
Blue skies, coloured flags of the Womad tribes fluttering in the breeze. Indigo women, star people and Womad Children inhabit this plain. The music fills you. This is a good place to be.
R.K.Das
I thought Salif Keita was fine, except you couldn't hear his backup singers, who are very important in his music. Now it's the Indians who are on the cheesey synth trail; even A.Shankar was at it! Quite shocking! As always the humblest artist was the highlight for me; in this case Dona Rosa and her lovely group. Very moving, and no drumkit or "live electronics/sampling". How refreshing. Great weekend!
Natalie
Brilliant ! The best festival in the universe. Vusi Mahlasela was without doubt the highlight for me, such an amazing voice. Also loved the Mahotella Queens as especially when they started shaking their thangs- Beyonce should take some notes!
Murat
I wish someday we will have WOMAD in Turkey so we would be able to see and listen those great musicians.I belive it was a great festival.You guys who were at the festival are lucky people.
Paul Bland
Womad's final gig - 11 'til 12 midnight on Sunday at the Radio 3 stage. Fiona T cued up Andy K who introduced one of his (many) favourite and now one of ours - Moussu T e Lei Jovents. Three Provencal garcons from La Ciotat - a "paradise" (who knows ...) near Marseille croon, drum, banjo, ad lib, and Gibson Les Paul it (along with temperamental electronic friend Lula) through an uplifting and humorous set. A furry festival big bird (avian, not human) accompanies the trio through some of the more lighthearted numbers (its two multicoloured colleagues pronounced dead, hence no harmonies - fortunately). All completely crowd pleasing. The atmospheric final song (pre-encore) echoes the group's north African roots and at the end Moussu beckons "Allez" - the band has gone. The best set of a great Womad for me. But the star of the show? Eric Cantona's lost twin prowling and frowning across the stage in a very lovely brown trackie like Eric Morecambe as a would be roadie.
Alan Hagger
I deidn't know whether to see Nanci or Orange Blossom. WEnt for the latter and they were the treat of the weekend. CD is also fab
omar jarju
My favourite artis was femmy cuty,i really like him he is extremely good,But i like to have freaky joe a gambian artist next time too,
Nathalie
I think the queues to get out at the end were TO long, i think there should be like two ways out or something.
Steve Mabey
Please,Please,Please,Please,Please,Please,Please,PLEASE can we have Etran Finatawa back again next year? Their 2 gigs were shatteringly suberb, the Friday morning workshop gave us a chance to ask questions about their music and Nige, and their cooking demo at Taste of the World was really wonderful experience
Jason's Mum
I was very disappointed that they boys didn't camp with us this year...the family camping is very exclusive and you have to be accompanied with a responsible child.
I think it should be known that these young things abandoned us before we even got to womad and we had to blag hard and fast to get our spot in family camping..
He's a very naughty boy
lizzie (14)
Dhol foundation, mahotella queens were brilliant! well, i liked loads. next years should be good becuause its the 25th womad.
ian humphries
The Mahotella Queens were utterly superb,!!
Jon Rotten
"Which drum fits you best?" Preferably not the ones I heard from home...
