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Who
needs Glastonbury when the largest free festival of world music
is right on your doorstep?!
People
of all ages turned out to the Rhythms of the World Festival in Hitchin
this weekend to enjoy a heady mixture of fine weather, good food
and music from all corners of the globe.
Now in
its 13th year, an estimated 30,000 people attended the totally free
festival, an event which completely took over the centre of the Hertfordshire
town providing a feast of sound and colour.
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| Nadeem
performing at the ROTW Festival |
With
around 140 acts, involving over 700 performers, on no less than
eight stages, world food and craft stalls, a children's area, beer
tents, poetry readings, a street art project and a family picnic
chillout area, organisers had made sure that there was something
for everyone.
ROTW
has always tried to be more than just a musical festival, and this
year was no exception.
This
year's Festival saw an artwork of epic proportions in the form of
a Dreamcatcher. This mighty piece of art was the result of collaboration
by hundreds of local school children from nine different primary
schools. Each school had produced woven images into a plastic mesh
with carrier bags - an estimated 15,000 of them!
The
craft market sold everything from cushions and clothes to didgeridoos,
while to keep up the energy levels of the visitors, a selection
of cooks provided all kinds of delicacies from curry and paella
to Thai food and fresh juice.
But the
Festival was not just about music. At the heart of it all, it's is
a celebration of local and world community - a bridge between different
ages, races, cultures, abilites and economic groups.
This
year BBC Three Counties Radio broadcast live from the Festival and
showcased acts from across the county and around the world. Listen
to some of the highlights from their specially adapted studio here:
| Listen
to some of the highlights from the BBC Three Counties Festival
Studio: |
Nadeem
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Dynamic,
rhythmic and sensitive - music that just makes you want to party.
Includes new line-up and fresh material. |
Always You
All Along the Watch Tower
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Psychoyogi
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A
breadth of time changes, tonal explorations and contemporary
lyrics, with influence from Zappa, Beefheart and King Crimson.
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The Garden of the Sun
Agitation
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Dele
Sosimi
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Nigerian
music with a difference - replacing hip hop with indestrictible
Afrobeat values of funk ... and more funk. |
Alia Fader
Turbulent Times
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Frog
Stupid
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Hugely
popular satirical ska-punkers from Herts, playing catchy, melodic,
horn-fuelled punk rock from Welcome To Frogsville album. |
I Don't Want to Be Like America |
Jambience
|
This
band combines folk traditions such as flamenco, jazz and blues,
with modern, dance-based genres. |
Les Aimes Danser |
Dalvinder
Singh
|
Achieving
the "Best Newcomer" award at the Asian Pop Awards,
Dalvinder has a five-album deal and a new band of great musicians. |
Skunk
Parkabower
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| Katie
Brayben |
With
influences ranging from Joni Mitchell and Bob Dylan to Ani DiFranco.
This original songwriter has thoughtful and sincere lyrics. |
Brown and Blue
Passing Dreams
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| Kate
Hopwood, Letchworth |
Tuesday,
28-Sep-2004 14:58:47 BST |
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| ROTW
festival - what can I say - fantastic atmosphere, great music
and for me the highlight is the recognition our local talent
received. Well done to all that played, but I have to say that
for me, the highlight of the day was local band 'FLOODLINE'
- FANTASTI!!These 4 lads really got us all going with their
variety of tunes and approaches - for me, they were the highlight
of my weekend. I look forward to checking them out at future
gigs. |
| Jenn
Bamford, Letchworth |
Thursday,
15-Jul-2004 19:12:53 BST |
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| i
thought that the Rythms from around the world was great the
food was lovely let alone the people and the music was great
hearing the different sorts of cultors was amazing, it was a
great experience |
| Bob,
Hitchin |
Sunday,
11-Jul-2004 19:25:03 BST |
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| Thank
you BBC Three Counties Radio for putting the program on the
website. I was unable to be in the UK for ROTW this year and
listened to all of your coverage over the internet. Totally
brilliant. It sounded like the day was better than ever. |
| Rob,
Hitchin |
Saturday,
10-Jul-2004 20:17:46 BST |
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| I
loved the music at the indoor venues(Club 85,The Phoenix,The
George)-some amazing,exciting performances -especially The Otters
and The New Town Centres.People need to check out these venues
if they find the outdoor stuff too laid back. |
| DIANE
MARTIN, HITCHIN |
Saturday,
10-Jul-2004 18:18:17 BST |
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| I
went to ROTW in Hichin town on sat the atmosphere,,great but
best of all i saw a band called NADEEM,fantastic,Hertfordshire
has this type of talent and no one does anything about it,please
can you get a story on them,get them on BBC LOOKEAST,we have
fantastic talent in our county of Hertfordshire we should get
behind them by our local TV station's putting their story in
the news come on lets get this band in lights they deserve it,
they put good music in our comunity, us the people should give
somthing back,thankyou NADEEM the people went wild about them,
talent like this should not be missed or lost! |
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