What did you see/do?

[beef]

Just thought a simple list of what we each saw or did would be interesting - something happens to time at Womad and I really don't know how some seem able to fit in so much. . . so entirely missed the meet-ups.... but musically a wonderful Womad, camping-wise less so - we got off to a difficult start on Thursday when the wind all but finished our tent as we were pitching it - broken poles, zips, tearing fabric - with some improvised repairs and careful crawling in and out of the collapsed entrance it somehow just about survived the weekend but was too damaged even to take down properly - just had to break it up and leave it with the rubbish. . .  We also seemed to be surrounded by tents full of scolding parents and screaming kids. . . we camped on our usual spot - the hill behind the garden centre, purple I think - never had such a problem with this before - awful to listen to, especially at 6am.

Anyway - the list - I liked just about everything I saw

Thursday -

Orchestra Baobab

Friday -

Orchestra of Syrian Musicians (main stage)

Joseph Arthur (B&W) - never seen him in such a funny mood before. . .

Orchestra Mendoza - (main stage) - perfect for some comedy dancing

Anchorsong (B&W) - started off as a rain-avoiding pause but ended up really enjoying it

Xoas (Siam)

Saturday -

Amsterdam Klezmeer band (Big red)

Ofeliadorme (B&W) - great but wouldn't have guessed they were Italian

Ifriqiyya Electrica (B&W) - a wall of noise, with African chants and percussion

Savina Yannatou (Charlie Gillett)

Afro Celts (Charlie Gillet) - probably my highlight of the weekend

Officina Zoe - great tarantella band, with incredible dancer - don't know how she could stand up after all that spinning

Sunday -

Vesevo (taste the world) - very interesting and entertaining - even managed to get a taster this time!

Kate Simko & London Electric Orchestra (Big red) - discovered the over-powering bass bins at the front of the red tent stage - not a good place to stand - better to move back a bit

Loney Dear (B&W) - loved this and managed to buy a cd from the front of the stage

Leyla McCalla (Charlie Gillett) - just wonderful

Vesevo (Charlie Gilletett) - that difficult Sunday night moment - what to see, when to eat etc
.. Vesevo were an uplifting end to the weekend, although not quite up to my all time sunday night favourites of Public Service Broadcasting or Katy Carr from a few years ago.

[armsnlegseverywhere]

Nice idea, beef, always interesting to see what other people get up to ;-) Sympathy for the camping situation - I had loud neighbours too and consequently didn't sleep well..makes so much difference if you can get enough zzzzzzs...
I felt like I missed a lot because I couldn't find the right place to stand...I need to be close to the front to engage fully - but don't like feeling squashed, and it felt like this year was very crowded...but what I saw, I enjoyed immensely and came home inspired and full of rhythm, actually dancing to the beat of the washing machine right now ;-)
Here's my list:

Thursday
Lovely to see peeps at the meet up :-)
Bixiga 70 - fab rhythms but was very glad of my ear plugs, hopping with Hootdrummer ;-)
Orchestra Baobab - dancin with Del ;-)

Friday
Orchestra of Syrian Musicians - doom taka' doom tak, loved this, except who was that Irish guy and why was he there? didn't get that.
Meta Meta - erm, couldn't get into it so Kakatsitsi et al instead, luvvvly
Officina Zoe - superb, love it when we get some dancing to watch, she was grace itself ;-)
then I think I wandered aimlessly for some time. maybe I ate something. Not sure. then:
Mabon - good as ever, Yolo was hilarious, dressed up as a bee. Not much room for dancing tho
then it rained and I went reluctantly to bed, was getting a bit cold.

Saturday
Grupo Canalon de timbiqui - oooo those were smashing rhythms, don't think I really got it figured out, need to learn more :-)
Toko Telo - sublime guitar from D'Gary, so pleased that they didn't cancel.
Bokante :-)
Bombino :-)
Varttina - favourite of the weekend, I think...
ACSS, from the back...I was beyond the ice cream van, couldn't get any closer without getting trampled...got a bit grumpy and wet...so went back to the tent and missed Las Cafeteras...

Sunday - was my best day, I think it wasn't so crowded so I found a better groove :-)
Cerys Matthews- hurray hurray Las Cafeteras :-)
Noureddine Khourchid - loved every second. Shame about the talking during the quiet bits though, could hardly hear them
Ghada Shbeir - poor dear was a bit cold, but this was stunningly beautiful
then I went to see Eliza Carthy and the Wayward band, but just couldn't get into it! Maybe I was just tired and hungry...
Chico Trujillo - I started off quite close to the front but the mud made it hard to keep time, the only places with good ground had bad sound....so I went to the very back and there was a lovely dance party going on there, great vibe
Nick Mulvey - didn't do it for me so I legged it over to Leyla McCalla, and was soooooo glad I did. Beautiful!
Ariwo, oooo I didn't have the strength to stand so I just danced instead :-)
Vesevo - well.....I didn't stay for all of it, but loved what I heard.
And then I bought a loofah and went home :-)

[digitalmonkey]

My WOMAD was very similar to these previous posts 😀, remarkably similar. Will add my thoughts in due course.

[grey]

For us Lamomali were amazing and I was sooo! upset to miss out on buying their CD so it was an instant purchase when we got home.
Orchestra Baobab delivered a beautiful set that had me eyes closed drifting and rolling.
THE! surprise act went to IFE who gave a wonderful chilled set at the Ecotricity stage on Sunday afternoon, The album is just lovely and its was played three times on the journey back home, big up and heavily recommend it.
Once again the Sunday morning BBC R6 and R3 show was a winner and loved the way Lopa Kothari gave an introduction to Msafiri Zawose and then asked where is he when he was tuning up right next to her, Ever so tempted to shout "Should have gone to Spec Savers"
Didn't manage to get my womad head on till Saturday as Friday nothing seemed to light a spark for me apart from Gospel House Choir who got me jumping in the Big Red Tent.
But this year I thought there were tooooo many DJ's just as Smurf stated, Clap Clap and Beating Heart have really good albums but when they played the African music was pushed to the back and it became a beats session with both those acts sounding the same in my ears, The other disappointment came from Floating Points who basically delivers a cheesy disco mix that would have been fantastic at a wedding reception but I feel we lost out on a real live music act, I understand womad are trying to attract a younger audience but why do the DJ's rely on easy beats.
AND WOMAD if you do drop into this 4um PLEASE!! put the stages back to the old layout and give a good think to the stall holders area with all their vehicles taking the bulk of the middle ground when it could be pushed out to the funfair space. The area in front of BBC and Main stages is just a bottle neck that peed me off especially with a pound of mud on each boot.

[digitalmonkey]

Right, here goes. I'll stick to just the music on this post.

Thursday - saw them all. Great start to weekend. Weren't the Malmesbury kids great?

Friday

Syrian Orchestra - great. The guest singer was dreadful, just didn't fit with the set at all. Shame.

Rajab Suleiman and Kithara. My only visit to Siam Tent all weekend, an odd factoid for me. Enjoyed it. There seemed to be bit of a Tanzania love in this year☺.

Officina Zoe. Terrific. Loved the dancing.

Anchorsong. Yeah...he was enjoying himself and great to see some engagement with crowd and not just twiddling a few knobs.

Alsarah and the Nubatones. Stuck with it but the gig never really took off.

I made a visit to Goat but left with a few minutes, not my scene at all so Mabon was up next. A highlight. Seen them before at Womad Rivermead and Kendal Arts so no surprises but great banter.

Viguela. Interesting. I persevered and was rewarded. It was a slow burner and perhaps bit samey but I became more engaged as the set went on.

Saturday

Kourelo. Fantastic. Three female dancers got the crowd going although I was too busy with my can of ale to join the long human chain that had developed during one track.

Amsterdam Klezmer band. Bit disappointing so I moved on, can't remember where.

Ofeliadorme. Okay. Loved the last track, very haunting.

Tanzania Albinism Collective. The highlight of this Womad and perhaps of all my 16 WOMADs and not just for the music as lovely, raw and authentic that it was. More the back story behind the project.

Trembling Bells. Pink Floyd meets Led Zeppelin with a touch of Fairport thrown in. Mesmerising.

Savina Yannatou. Good. Although if you looked at how the group were dressed you would have thought they were performing in bleak midwinter winter☺.

Varttina. Wow. Fantastic. The playing was of the highest order and the audience were totally absorbed by it. A guest appearance by Eliza Carthy topped off a top gig.

Las Cafeteras. Bit loud, but after a few tracks loved them. Surely one of the more original cover versions of a Woody Guthrie song ever performed.

Raquel Tavares. Got there early so managed to get a spot under the canopy at CG stage. Good gig. She thought we were in London on two occasions.

Sunday.

Cerys Matthews. Yep. Tick.

Prexton. Bit of power pop, bit Beatlesesque. Lovely.

Spooky Men's Chorale. Wow. Think SC would enjoy the double entendres. So much fun, lot of laughs. A chance for us all to relax and have a giggle.

Eliza Carthy. Ok, didn't really get into it and people were annoying me with their umbrellas going up and down with each passing shower. Was playing 'Guess the folky" in the Wayward Band. Sam Sweeney, Saul Rose and Lucy Farrell to name but three.

Loney Dear. He seemed abit moody but a great set, shame not more people there to see it.

The Ska Vengers. Great to hear such contemporary music to come out of India. Great fun and plenty of dancing.

Leyla McCalla. Another top gig.

DJ Marky and MC GQ. Was getting fed up standing or dancing in the mud so headed to red tent for a bit of drum and bass. Pretty good to be fair although didn't stay for all of it.

Vesevo. Decent end to a top weekend of music.

Not vintage for me but more than enjoyable.

[beanstew]

Bixiga 70
Orchestra of Syrian Musicians
Bill Laurance (Jazztastic. Nice.)
Anchorsong (heard rather than saw as rammed in B&W tent)
Goat (great fun!)
Vigüela
Maarja Nutt (a highlight)
Bombino (a highlight)
Hannah Peel and Tubular Brass
Amsterdam Klezmer Band
Quite a bit of Cerys Matthews. Glad I caught Las Cafeteras here as missed their other shows.
Ska Vengers
Ariwo
Vesevo
Benjamin Zaphanaih (highlight)
Maya Youssef
Raquel Taveras (a highlight, Amy Winehouse cover!)
Savina Yannatou (a highlight)

[olirow]

Here's my list...

Thursday
Sheelanagig with the Malmesbury school kids
Bixiga 70
Orchestra Baobab
There was also a band playing ska in Molly's Bar, they all looked about 14, didn't catch the name but loads of fun.

All fantastic. I always feel that the act with the kids get a bit of a short straw, not even a piece in the programme, but Sheelanagig did it really well.

Friday
Syrian Musicians
Rajab Suleiman & Kithara workshop
Don Kipper
Kakatstisti and !Gubi Family
Officina Zoe
Maarja Nuut
Shye Ben Tzur and Rajasthan Express
Kuenta I Tambu
Goat
Emir Kusturica and No Smoking Orchestra
Xaos
Bill Laurance


Again all fantastic! Stand out was Officina Zoe. I never get to Ecotricity early enough to get a good spot and was a bit hard to see Maarja Nuut. Loved Emir Kusturica, definition of irreverant, not looked in to the politics in detail but being pro-Russian is fine with me. Bill Laurance brought real passion and energy to the final act.

Saturday
Kourelou
Grupo Canalon Di Timbiqui
Toko Telo
Tanzania Albino Collective
Zhou Family Band
Bombino
Savina Yannatou
Shobaleader One
Seu Jorge
Officina Zoe
Ghada Shbeir

Just looking at that list again, what a perfect day of music. Incredible variety and all of them superb. Not much more to be said.

Sunday
Cerys Matthews (Las Cafeteras, Msafiri Zawose, Ska vengers)
Taiko Meantime
Noureddine Khourchid and Whirling Dervishes
Bonga
!!!
Eliza Carthy and Wayward Band
Loney Dear
Chico Trujillo
Leyla McCalla
Parvathy Baul and Somjit Dasgupta

That's also a pretty good list. Didn't enjoy Taiko Meantime that much, but possibly because I thought they were Japanese and was expecting something else. Others seemed to have enjoyed Ska vengers but they seemed fake to me, nor did they play much ska, at least for Cerys. Special mention for Bonga, who was truly joyful to behold, and Parvathy Baul for being mesmeric and otherworldly in a way I have not seen before, as no-one seems to have mentioned them yet. I would love to have ticked Roy Ayers off my 'legends that I have seen list' but the body wasn't willing and I don't enjoy his style of music much.

One final thought, comparing my list to others, it feels like there were at least two full festivals of fantastic music being played, if only it weren't for the clashes!

[dorsethelen]

Thursday

Arrived Meadow Park & Camp about 10am . Quiet, level, friendly neighbours. Weather good and tent pitched before any wind and rain arrived.
Wandered round site and had first shelterbox coffee
Some of Sheelangig and Malmesbury schools
Bixiga70 - brillliant and a great start to the weekend.
Early night!

Friday
Rajab and Suleiman workshop.
Kakatsitsi workshop
Maarja Nuut workshop....but she was delayed and had equipment problems so it was very brief with little music
A few tunes from NY Theremin Society but although it was ok we didn't enjoy it enough to stay
Moved to Don Kipper who were wonderful
Caught a little of Meta Meta but again not quite my thing.
Tried to see Maarja Nuut but very crowded and again not quite my thing
Viguela at TTW - great fun!
Khmer Rouge Survivors - not planned to see them but glad I did . Very moving
Aksarah and the Nubatones - again not on my list but really enjoyed them
Trad. attack - amazing - would love to see them again
Jamie Smiths Mabon - been following them for years and they were on form tonight

Saturday - a slower day, paced myself more 

Started off with workshop by the hilarious Zhou Family Band
Savina Yannatou at TTW
Toko Telo - a must see. Recommended by a friend who saw them years ago and even with just two,they were brilliant
some of Bokante
Parvathy Baul - mesmerising, different, fascinating
Savina Yannatou -enjoyed her so much at TTW that I wanted to see her full set
ACSS - highlight of weekend

Sunday - a very slow day due to worrying about slipping and damaging my hip further

Started with Cerys Matthews as we always do and yet again saw 3 top bands
Vesevo -TTW
Speech Debelle -TTW - ok, but didn't enjoy her enough to want to see her main performance in B&W. Good to see something outside my normal taste in music though
Spooky Men -TTW - always funny and a good end of the TTW programme
Mamadou Diabate workshop - made me wish I'd seen his full set on the Open Air Stage -brilliant
Nick Mulvey -knew little about him but really enjoyed his set
Ska Vengers at Molly's - wonderful way to end a wonderful WOMAD!

Monday
Up early, off the the site by 730am and home before 10am

[Rendrags]

Here's my lot:

Thursday:
Bixiga 70 - great stuff, but thought the sound mix was a bit iffy
Orchestra Baobab

Friday:
Maarja Nuut workshop - unfortunately delayed flight and sound problems meant she only had time for about 20 minutes of talk with a bit of singing/playing/looping, but v interesting
Don Kipper
Meta Meta - 'from punk to experimental jazz and beyond' the program said. Sounds right up my street I thought. Sounded interesting for about 5 minutes then it went a bit weird (experimental?) so legged it to...
Maya Youssef
Officina Zoe
Maarja Nuut - spoilt a little by the noise from the arboretum (Yskkety Yak?) in the quiet bits. Think she'd have been better suited to the Siam
Junun & Rajasthan Express
Goat - I did consider a quick dash to see Trad Attack part way through, but loved Goat and stuck with them
Emir Kusturica and the No Smoking Orchestra
Xaos - really liked them. I think they were playing live for the first time. Very atmospheric. Shame there weren't more in the Siam to hear it

Saturday:
Hannah Peel & Tubular Brass. I was a bit dubious about one of my favourite albums being mucked around with, but really loved the Tubular Bells adaptation, very true to the original. It almost brough tears to my eyes when Hannah was doing the Viv Stanshall bit, introducing the brass instruments
Portico Quartet - good to hear them revert to something like the old Portico sound
Trembling Bells - they were a bit more rocky than I'd expected. What a fabulous voice the lead singer has. Disappointingly only played 50 minutes. I think if the sedentary arboretum audience had shown more enthusiasm they may have done an encore
Nomade Orchestre - only heard the last few minutes of their set, but they sounded fabulous
Rival Consoles - loud!
Officina Zoe workshop - sheltering from the rain, we watched the audience participate in learning dancing to the band. If I were a few years younge Id have been tempted to join in
Seu George - only in the Siam to shelter from the rain (we were a bit soggy by then). Really rammed, probably due to other people doing the same. Too far back to catch much of what he was saying so went to ....
The Big Wheel- amazing view from the top, from where we caught the very end of the Afroi Celts!
Toots & The Maytals - had a bit of a dance around before calling it a day

Sunday
Cerys/Lopa on live broadcast. Glad I saw some of the Skavengers, but sadly didn't get there in time for Las Cafeteras
Mamadou Diabate & Percussion Mania
Noureddine Khourchid & The Whirling Dervishes of Damascus (some of)
King Ayisoba (some of)
Benjamin Zephaniah & The Revolutionary Minds - brilliant! The Red Tent was heaving
Eliza Carthy & The Wayward Band. What's worse than people in front of you putting up umbrellas? When it stops raining and they don't put the bloody things down!
Msafiri Zawose
Chico Trujillo - great for dancing around to! Was it Santa's summer job?
Leyla McCalla - lovely
Ariwo - stayed for around 20 minutes. Interesting fusion of sounds
Sean Kuti - didn't enjoy him as much as previous years. Maybe I was getting too tired at this point
Vesevo - a great way to finish off

Don't think I've missed anything off!

[digitalmonkey]

Right, here's my Womad non music

Camped not far from toilets north end of Meadow Park North. Queues for the toilets first thing in morning, found a number of them didn't actually flush. Oh well. On Sunday morning a tanker to used to clean toilets got stuck in mud near where we camped. Took two tractors to pull it clear.

The Tanzania Albinism Collective chat in the World of Words rent was the most moving moment of this or any other Womad for me. On stage were the record producer, Ian Brennan, two members of the band, the chap who runs the charity to promote the Tanzanian Albinos and presented by a British Albino. Hearing the troubles the Albinos face was a hard listen and left me close to tears. I was later rewarded with the joy of seeing the band perform. I will make a donation to this incredibly worthy cause (standingvoice.org). Well done WOMAD on providing the platform to hear this.

The vegetable tagine was lovely, a welcome addition to the site. Also loved the Asian Street Food and then stuck to some usual favourites.

Had a bloke who was 8 foot tall for the Eliza Carthy show. Not his fault that. His partner was wearing a leather jacket. A leather jacket!!! So giant had to hold an umbrella over her head.

Service at the bars was generally good. The Ecotricity bar my favourite albeit with only one real ale on, it was a goody. Womad Pale is not great.

Why on earth were people not up dancing for Trembling Bells? I got up and stood on my own in the middle for a bit. I think the MC dudes should encourage for people to stand before the gig begins (i.e 5 mins before) and politely request sitters to move to the edges. It certainly should happen at Ecotricity where space is limited.

I found it odd entering via Purple Gate this year. Think that was first time since about 2010/11. Not sure why the change.

Showers? A loud Yorkshire lady immediately in front of me getting annoyed at how long people were taking in the shower. It was peak time and she had a point. Another day a bloke was rather upset when the chap before him took his muddy boots into the shower. He was not happy☺. On Sunday morning the boy cleaning the shower after I left asked me for some money. I politely declined.

Thought the site worked better than last year with less bottlenecks.

I also spent the weekend still feeling bloody annoyed at the Referendum Result. I was well topped up with alcohol most of the time☺. Maybe I need to move on. But WOMAD for me represents the exact opposite - i.e building bridges, not walls as reflected by the Tanzania Albinism Collective.

[dorsethelen]

Food .. forgot that. The rib of beef at the Turkish Nomad stall was fantastic as were their chicken wraps . Steve has his favourite kedgeree. Happy Crepes did a great cheese, tomato and basil crepe. When it was cold, macaroni cheese was just the job. Grilled halloumi and chips in the rain after ACSS on Saturday night warmed us up, listening to Toots in the distance ..double halluomi to keep us going as there was a delay with the second order as they had to cook more chips. Absolutely gorgeous Persian pulled lamb and pomegranate salad in a brioche bap from a stall near the red tent. Two shepherds ice creams...they have ginger back! Nothing disappointed us, all food was excellent and we were spoilt for choice. Did miss a trip to Madras Cafe for the first time ever....too busy enjoying the music to spend time queuing though Steve did get a Chai from them. Drank cider...it was good. Shelterbox coffee...excellent. Can't fault WOMAD food!

[sc]

Loved the new layout of the Arena, (didn't go last year). The big wheel I thought looked spectacular, previously, I had got annoyed with the Steam Fair playing louder than a quiet session in the Big Red but that was solved with them not being there this year. Met up with some very old friends on Thursday evening (Simon and Catherine) but due to a very hectic life could only stay Thursday evening and Friday

Thursday

Tour of Jax 'n' Warrier's Campervan, Betsy (she's lovely) - Highlight - Jax's face and protests upon tasting some of my "Big Peat" blended Malt    moments like that make it all worth while  
Womad Meet up at The Golden Lion - Fantastic to meet everyone - Great time sharing Malts and catching up - Still to meet a famous few of you  
Bixiga 70 (Big Red)- Well we were planning to see them, but I can't remember (it's the Malt thing) ......  ah I remember we were watching them, but then got a message that our friends had arrived and so we left to meet them.
Orchestra Baobab (Open Air)- Fine, but really wanted to have a chat with Simon and Catherine.
Golden Lion through to 1am when they closed - brilliant night, the four of us catching up, drinking too much and befriending a group of (as they called themselves) "Post Coders" - they were all local SN16'ers,  great crowd, they thought I looked like Jim Davidson, I thought I looked like a young Steve McQueen, Googled it, they won  
Camp Womad Port 'n' Cheese Party Mrs SC went back to tent, friends went off to hotel, I meandered off to find Camp Womad, with the thoughts of Port, Malt, Cheese and fine company floating around my head.  Found what I thought was Camp Womad, and called very gently out for Del.  Camp Womad had closed for the night, had a quick chat with Cal, then continued my meandering course back to my tent.

Friday

The Orchestra of Syrian Musicians (Open Air) - Loved 'em
Meta Meta (Big Red)
Maarja Nuut (Ecotricity) - My biggest disappointment, Wrong stage for her, should have been in B&W.  The first half it was too crowded in the crowd, it was silly, everyone was sitting down and there wasn't enough room, so you had an hour sitting in the same position risking if you move you will kick your neighbour.  I was mainly disappointed by the fact that I was expecting this gig to be the best of the weekend, I have loved her CD Une Meeles since buying it, but this gig, for me, was "very nice", such a shame, it had the potential to be something special.  Loved the story telling though I also thought that the mass exodus of about 25% of the crowd was unjustified and rude, although it did have the result of being able to stretch my legs out  Nigenet and Del (doon the front) waved at me, I waved back, I gather Mikey you were with them, one day we shall meet  
Anchorsong (Bower & Wilkins SS) - Fantastic fun, loved it
Goat (Siam Tent) - Well, that was fun  Sweden certainly is trying to shake off it's IKEA image  But still they are not quiet brave enough to move too far from the "Abba success formula" and not to have two girls up front   Musically not great, entertainment value 120%, loved it  as you get older it's easy to forget just how much energy youth has.  This band had that energy in abundance, a true celebration of the joys of life and the thrill of being alive  
Tom Middleton (Big Red) - got it marked as seen, don't remember a thing
Ecotricity Bar (till late) The 4 of us put the world to rights, drank too much, attacked my two and Simon's one hip flasks, it got messy  

Saturday

Amsterdam Klezmer Band (Big Red) -  Stayed for a bit and then moved on, dipped in and out of other stages
Ofeliadorme (Bower & Wilkins SS) - So beautiful, even the sound check was wonderful, I later that day bought her CD Secret Fires, the only one from this years WOMAD, a real highlight gig for this year's Womad for me.  The quality of B&WSS sound is simply first class.  
Ifriqiyya Electrique (Big Red) - Awesome fun Banga meets Post-Industrial noise, excellent  Thanks PurpleDawn for highlighting it.  We left half way through, I was loving it, Mrs SC was tiring of it but we both wanted to make sure we got a good position for the next act:)  which was:
Portico Quartet - Surround Sound Gig  (Bower & Wilkins SS) - We got our position dead centre of the tent, 30 mins early, and did not budge.  As one would expect, a gig of brilliant craftsmanship   Third time we've seen them, the quality just does not drop.
Rival Consoles - (Bower & Wilkins SS) - got it on the list ..........  not sure if we got there
ACSS/Seu Jorge (Radio 3) Popped in to see ACSS with the intention of watching a bit and then going to Seu Jorge in the Siam Tent.  I don't know what we had been watching before ACSS but we arrived just before they started, no chance of getting down the front.  Greatly enjoyed watching some "Umbrella Wars" before they retreated out of the crowd for being the stupid selfish individuals they are.  The last time we saw ACSS was in Brighton, and for MRS SC and I we both thought that they were a shadow of their former selves.  However, this WOMAD gig dispelled that thought, they had re-found their MOJO As we were both enjoying a little middle aged jig around we stayed and didn't go to see Seu Jorge, with hindsight I think that was a mistake.
Toots and the Maytals (Open Air) - Stayed for half of the gig, then wandered off for a tea


Sunday

Taiko Meantime with Chieko Kojima: Dojoji - (Big Red) - Got there early and right down the front on the barrier.  An hour of spellbound SC, fantastic fantastic fantastic.    Another Highlight Gig
Noureddine Khourchid & the Whirling Dervishes of Damascus (Siam) - I don't get it, i don't get Throat singing or Whirling Dervishes  
Benjamin Zephaniah & The Revolutionary Minds - (Big Red)  -  Brilliant gig another highlight gig 
!!! - Siam Tent - Great fun, reminded me of the Punk Ethos, of, "it does not matter if you were not privately educated, it does not matter if you did not go to a Grammar, a Tech or another selective school, it does not matter that you only went to Secondary, it does not matter that you are dyslexic, anyone can start a band and get on this stage and own it"   !!! were great fun, I so wanted to get on stage and flirt
Clap Clap (Big Red) Very very good
Leyla McCalla - (Radio 3) - was expecting great things, but we only lasted for the first 3 songs, for both Mrs SC and I this was nothing special, sorry, probably not a popular statement
Nick Mulvey - (Siam) after leaving Leyla we beetled it over to Nick, ex Portico Quartet what's not to like? .....................   Perhaps an upper class, over educated young man with an acoustic guitar playing sad boy friend music .......  we leave
Speech Debelle (Bower & Wilkins SS) - after abandoning Leyla and Nick a dash for Speech Debelle, now that was the RIGHT decision, we probably got the last half an hour of her gig, absolutely fantastic, another Highlight Gig 
Ariwo - Ecotricity - sat listening to them whilst enjoying an end of evening cuppa tea 
Floating Points - we both love the CD Eleania, but we were both too knackered for an 11 to 1am gig, so time for the two old farts to snuggle down in bed with little grins on their faces  

It was a classic wonderful WOMAD  



 

[sc]

Aug 2, 2017 18:51:48 GMT digitalmonkey said:

I also spent the weekend still feeling bloody annoyed at the Referendum Result. I was well topped up with alcohol most of the time☺. Maybe I need to move on. But WOMAD for me represents the exact opposite - i.e building bridges, not walls as reflected by the Tanzania Albinism Collective.

You should have joined us on Friday night in the Ecotricity bar with my two friends, Mrs SC and me putting the world to rights with vastly too much drink  

I do totally agree with you, your thoughts, your concerns.  The public don't care (if the way they voted says anything), the leaders of the two Establishment Parties (Labour and Tory) both want the Country to self harm, so why should we bother?  Perhaps we should just hunker down, close our eyes, not worry about the 100 years of struggle and improvements to society that will be lost, not worry that the class system that was demolished but will be reinstated, not worry that the NHS will now be run by American Health Care.  It is hard and I do not know the answer, I too wonder if I should be giving up the fight, the vast majority of the Country voted for one of the two main Establishment Brexit Parties.  If the majority want that self harm, then perhaps my Country no longer exists, if my Country no longer exists, what am I fighting for?   I dunno ........ 

[beef]

Apathy and misinformation are the Brexshitters' weapons - stay angry and keep up the struggle SC!

Liked your reviews SC - seems we had quite a few overlaps - maybe we'll actually bump into one another one of these days...

[sc]

Aug 4, 2017 10:21:02 GMT sc said:

Aug 2, 2017 18:51:48 GMT digitalmonkey said:

I also spent the weekend still feeling bloody annoyed at the Referendum Result. I was well topped up with alcohol most of the time☺. Maybe I need to move on. But WOMAD for me represents the exact opposite - i.e building bridges, not walls as reflected by the Tanzania Albinism Collective.

You should have joined us on Friday night in the Ecotricity bar with my two friends, Mrs SC and me putting the world to rights with vastly too much drink  

I do totally agree with you, your thoughts, your concerns.  The public don't care (if the way they voted says anything), the leaders of the two Establishment Parties (Labour and Tory) both want the Country to self harm, so why should we bother?  Perhaps we should just hunker down, close our eyes, not worry about the 100 years of struggle and improvements to society that will be lost, not worry that the class system that was demolished but will be reinstated, not worry that the NHS will now be run by American Health Care.  It is hard and I do not know the answer, I too wonder if I should be giving up the fight, the vast majority of the Country voted for one of the two main Establishment Brexit Parties.  If the majority want that self harm, then perhaps my Country no longer exists, if my Country no longer exists, what am I fighting for?   I dunno ........ 

There is however, hope, I probably felt the most hopeful at the Benjamin Zephaniah and the Revolutionary Minds gig, it reminded me of my passions but with the simplicity and purity of youth, it was as though my younger self was speaking to me.  What a talent that man has, because I am sure he was speaking for pretty nearly everyone in the Big Red Tent, he was not speaking of wanting trade barriers, tariffs, building walls or Brexit. He was not talking Authoritarian but Liberalism, Freedom for all, Equality, One Tribe, Wealth Redistribution, smashing injustice,  policing for everyone, society, one world, no borders, freedom of movement, equality for women, anti slavery, anti ownership of women, pro all forms of animal.  His "Preaching" (is that the right word?) was beyond Tory/Labour/LibDem/DUP/SNP/Green, it was everyone, it was inclusive, it was good.    There is hope, there is always hope