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Post by beef on Aug 2, 2022 20:20:09 GMT
Two particular (non music) highlights for me over the weekend. 1). Although I had three must see's on Friday night I was left feeling very slightly under whelmed and not quite sure why at that point of time. Next morning I turned up the "40 years of WOMAD" talk. A discussion with a few of the main players who helped organise the festival over the last 40 years and I suddenly I realised why I was here and why I want to support this festival. Yes, it is partly political but also I want to support the good guys certainly in the current toxic climate that we live in. Aside from that it was really nice to here a few anecdotes of WOMAD's gone past, not least upsetting Putin when holding it in Russia. He had to get his Prime Minister involved to try and cancel the festival but they realised it would be bad for the Putin brand in Winter Olympic year so went ahead anyway. As a resident from Reading I was also pleased to hear of the positivity they had of Reading, the council and name dropped one of our then MPS. WOMAD really put Reading on the map in terms of being welcoming and promoting diversity. Equally Reading provided a home for the festival after years of moving around. A true mutual relationship that just worked for both parties at that point of time. Made a point of driving past the old site on my way home. The WOMAD vibe was reinforced by the talk with Sam Lee and, especially, Ian Brennan who commentated that everyone deserves a chance to hear their voice. Amen to that. 2) My second highlight was seeing Mariachi Las Adeitas participate in the Sunday parade. I saw them perform a little earlier - they were fab; but how lovely to see them really embracing the spirit of WOMAD with lovely beaming smiles grinning from cheek to cheek as the parade snaked past. ... sounds great digitalmonkey... who was on the 40 years of Womad talk? I can recommend Thomas Brooman's book "My Festival Romance" about his crucial involvement in Womad. Whenever I go through Reading on the train, I always look out for the old site at Rivermead... such amazing Womad times there... everything felt more multi-cultural and politically energised. |
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Post by deserttraveller on Aug 2, 2022 20:37:30 GMT
I was at the 40 years of Womad talk, a highlight for me, not least because I got to ask Peter Gabriel two things. I also saw Gabblerachet who is a PG super-fan.
As for Thomas Brooman, he got a mention by PG even though things fell apart between Womad and Thomas.
I received 2 complimentary copies of the book, why? Because one of my oldest friends in Bristol has a sister who is married to Thomas, It makes a very interesting read.
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Post by beef on Aug 2, 2022 21:47:29 GMT
I was at the 40 years of Womad talk, a highlight for me, not least because I got to ask Peter Gabriel two things. I also saw Gabblerachet who is a PG super-fan. As for Thomas Brooman, he got a mention by PG even though things fell apart between Womad and Thomas. I received 2 complimentary copies of the book, why? Because one of my oldest friends in Bristol has a sister who is married to Thomas, It makes a very interesting read. ...do you mind sharing what your questions were DT? And PG's answers? I more or less bumped into him a few Womads ago, coming out of the Bowers and Wilkins tent... I will always remember the moment of eye contact, but I didn't attempt to speak... it was just a passing moment. |
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Post by deserttraveller on Aug 2, 2022 22:13:43 GMT
I informed him that I had spoken to his sister whist in the Tiny Tea Tent and we had spoken about the Womad foundation, could he perhaps say a few words about that? Which of Course he did.
I said we had also discussed the rapidly increasing costs of putting on a festival and with peoples' incomes failing sharply what was the future for the festival?
He answered positively and said the relationship with Malmesbury and Charlton Park was very very good indeed. He also handed it to Chris Smith Festival director to answer who said there would be many more Womads.
It would be great if the whole hour could come out as a podcast as it was very informative.
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Post by bloohair on Aug 3, 2022 6:47:26 GMT
My weather report - The weather was pretty much perfect for me. Appreciated the cooler and cloudier weather on Saturday after the slightly warm Friday. It was an improvement on my last visit 5 years ago which I remember as being rather chilly. Nice that it wasn't too cool overnight for my regular visits to the loo  . Nice surprise to get the overnight rain Saturday into Sunday especially as I had just settled into my tent Crumbs! Did it rain Saturday night? I was so exhausted I slept for 6 hours solid, only waking at 7am when I heard the rain. The weather was gorgeous, on Friday it was great just to carry my backrest seat with a few items stuffed in its pocket, great just to wear a thin dress too. |
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Post by deserttraveller on Aug 3, 2022 8:08:15 GMT
There was sufficient light rain overnight to discover 4 further leaks in my soon to be disposed of tent. Shame about the state of the toilets sat. evening into Sunday morning, not expected T surfing at Womad. Other wise fine.
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Post by sc on Aug 3, 2022 9:58:07 GMT
My weather report - The weather was pretty much perfect for me. Appreciated the cooler and cloudier weather on Saturday after the slightly warm Friday. It was an improvement on my last visit 5 years ago which I remember as being rather chilly. Nice that it wasn't too cool overnight for my regular visits to the loo . Nice surprise to get the overnight rain Saturday into Sunday especially as I had just settled into my tent Crumbs! Did it rain Saturday night? I was so exhausted I slept for 6 hours solid, only waking at 7am when I heard the rain. The weather was gorgeous, on Friday it was great just to carry my backrest seat with a few items stuffed in its pocket, great just to wear a thin dress too. Yes I must admit I was very impressed with your chair, when you showed me it! A chair that converts into a bag! You were carrying at the time as you would a shopping bag, presumably it comes with a shoulder strape also? |
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Post by mikey on Aug 3, 2022 11:57:03 GMT
There was sufficient light rain overnight to discover 4 further leaks in my soon to be disposed of tent. Shame about the state of the toilets sat. evening into Sunday morning, not expected T surfing at Womad. Other wise fine. T-surfing, now that conjures up an unpleasant image. Felt that there were some measures, normally in place through the previous years experience, which got missed/forgotten after a three year gap. Such as how frequently toilets need to be emptied, including the compost toilets which I do not think got emptied/replaced all weekend. Lack of drinking water points in the lower main arena and no urinals next to Siam. We also had a bit of a misunderstanding over using the ‘park and camp entrance’ on Monday. Frustrating when told that it was available for pedestrians to use on the Sunday, only to have a security guard being adamant that it was cars only (so had a long trek round to my car), only to find that the rule then changed again and I could use the short route on my subsequent trips (phew). minor points that I hope they relearn from for next year. |
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Post by digitalmonkey on Aug 3, 2022 12:32:06 GMT
Two particular (non music) highlights for me over the weekend. 1). Although I had three must see's on Friday night I was left feeling very slightly under whelmed and not quite sure why at that point of time. Next morning I turned up the "40 years of WOMAD" talk. A discussion with a few of the main players who helped organise the festival over the last 40 years and I suddenly I realised why I was here and why I want to support this festival. Yes, it is partly political but also I want to support the good guys certainly in the current toxic climate that we live in. Aside from that it was really nice to here a few anecdotes of WOMAD's gone past, not least upsetting Putin when holding it in Russia. He had to get his Prime Minister involved to try and cancel the festival but they realised it would be bad for the Putin brand in Winter Olympic year so went ahead anyway. As a resident from Reading I was also pleased to hear of the positivity they had of Reading, the council and name dropped one of our then MPS. WOMAD really put Reading on the map in terms of being welcoming and promoting diversity. Equally Reading provided a home for the festival after years of moving around. A true mutual relationship that just worked for both parties at that point of time. Made a point of driving past the old site on my way home. The WOMAD vibe was reinforced by the talk with Sam Lee and, especially, Ian Brennan who commentated that everyone deserves a chance to hear their voice. Amen to that. 2) My second highlight was seeing Mariachi Las Adeitas participate in the Sunday parade. I saw them perform a little earlier - they were fab; but how lovely to see them really embracing the spirit of WOMAD with lovely beaming smiles grinning from cheek to cheek as the parade snaked past. ... sounds great digitalmonkey... who was on the 40 years of Womad talk? I can recommend Thomas Brooman's book "My Festival Romance" about his crucial involvement in Womad. Whenever I go through Reading on the train, I always look out for the old site at Rivermead... such amazing Womad times there... everything felt more multi-cultural and politically energised. Good question Beef. I'm pretty useless with names. Chris Smith, Steve Pritchard (i think) and erm, someone else. May check out your recommendation..cheers PG mentioned how he had to get Genesis back together again to help avoid bankruptcy after first WOMAD. |
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Post by digitalmonkey on Aug 3, 2022 12:35:16 GMT
I informed him that I had spoken to his sister whist in the Tiny Tea Tent and we had spoken about the Womad foundation, could he perhaps say a few words about that? Which of Course he did. I said we had also discussed the rapidly increasing costs of putting on a festival and with peoples' incomes failing sharply what was the future for the festival? He answered positively and said the relationship with Malmesbury and Charlton Park was very very good indeed. He also handed it to Chris Smith Festival director to answer who said there would be many more Womads. It would be great if the whole hour could come out as a podcast as it was very informative. That would be great idea. Absolutely. I was tempted to ask a question regarding how they managed WOMUD but I think they covered it by mentioning that they pretty much "Made it up on the hoof" |
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Post by currygoat on Aug 3, 2022 13:59:10 GMT
Although I had three must see's on Friday night I was left feeling very slightly under whelmed and not quite sure why at that point of time. Nearly all Womaders are music lovers and have an ear for good quality sound. In the run up, we listen to studio recordings of the artists and live recordings good enough to be put out. Some of the sound engineering at the Womad stages is very good and some not so good. To be fair, sound engineering a live band at a festival with short turn around times is probably the most challenging thing for sound engineers. It is easier to get a good sound for DJs than it is for live acts and easier still to get a great sound in a smaller tent venue with its own sound system and DJs used to playing on it. Whether they realise or not, Womaders follow their ears and this is the best way to enjoy the festival. Highlights were the people I met, dancing, Fatoumata Diawara, Electric Jalaba, Malphino, chai, Tibetan momos, sausage and chips, Lizard tent, Too many Ts, Chris Tofu, crossword puzzle, poetry readings and washing in a bucket. Disappointed with Womad Water queues caused by too few stations and feeble pressure that made the water dribble out at a rate slower than urination. Also disappointed that PG doesn't use all the money left over after sorting out his kids' inheritances to subsidise Womad so we don't have to rely on overselling day tickets and extinction accelerating levels of shopping to keep the festival going. Now is a good time for the whole of the senior executive management team to retire and let others have a go. |
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Post by deserttraveller on Aug 3, 2022 16:57:34 GMT
... sounds great digitalmonkey... who was on the 40 years of Womad talk? I can recommend Thomas Brooman's book "My Festival Romance" about his crucial involvement in Womad. Whenever I go through Reading on the train, I always look out for the old site at Rivermead... such amazing Womad times there... everything felt more multi-cultural and politically energised. Good question Beef. I'm pretty useless with names. Chris Smith, Steve Pritchard (i think) and erm, someone else. May check out your recommendation..cheers PG mentioned how he had to get Genesis back together again to help avoid bankruptcy after first WOMAD. Yes I was at the Genesis reunion gig at Milton Keynes, almost as wet as Womud. The band offered to help Peter out and he came on in a coffin I think, not the best technically but wonderful nevertheless. |
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Post by bloohair on Aug 3, 2022 20:39:39 GMT
Crumbs! Did it rain Saturday night? I was so exhausted I slept for 6 hours solid, only waking at 7am when I heard the rain. The weather was gorgeous, on Friday it was great just to carry my backrest seat with a few items stuffed in its pocket, great just to wear a thin dress too. Yes I must admit I was very impressed with your chair, when you showed me it! A chair that converts into a bag! You were carrying at the time as you would a shopping bag, presumably it comes with a shoulder strape also? It doesn’t have a shoulder strap, but my older, heavier one does - I might be able to ‘Frankenstein’ them together to make the new one better (and the old one useless - no pocket) |
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Post by calndel on Aug 4, 2022 7:48:12 GMT
We arrived just before 08.00 on Thursday morning, got the the ticket exchange at 08.05 and walked into festival camping a few minutes later! The last 3 years seemed to evaporate. Cal is still struggling post covid but was able to manage a few hours each day walking around the site and catching the bands she wanted to see, the rest of the time she was happy to listen to the music from our tent. Del was worried about burn out but the more the weekend went on the more energy he seemed to have, he even managed a late night boogie in Molly's bar on Sunday night. As for highlights there were so many it's hard to list them all however the stand out was BCUC, Del managed to get doon the front and loon danced for the whole hour!!! Del was also picked out by the singer during one of his monologs to the crowd, "you with the old man white man's beard, do you still have dreams?". Topping it all off was a picture tweeted by one of the pit photographers. Attachments:
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Post by calndel on Aug 4, 2022 8:03:51 GMT
there was one low moment over the weekend, on Thursday evening Del discovered his sporran, belt and belt pouch had been left behind in our Airbnb......
So at 07.00 on Friday morning Del left the site to make the 90 minute round trip to collect his sporran etc, luckily he was able to listen to Radio WOMAD for almost all of the journey so he was able to stay in a WOMAD bubble.
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