|
|
Post by sc on Jul 28, 2022 17:29:38 GMT
Apologies we were slightly late to the Golden Lion, 4 of us are there now by the barrel in the garden, others are coming down as I type š¤£š
|
|
|
|
Post by sc on Aug 1, 2022 13:40:13 GMT
Well that was a good weekend
|
|
|
|
Post by olirow on Aug 1, 2022 23:39:49 GMT
It was fun... but exhausting!
Is it just me or is the WOMAD weather sweetspot getting smaller and smaller? These days I find I can only tolerate full cloud cover, no rain and a temperature of around 18Ā°, anything else is a challenge. The sun on Sunday was so fierce I felt it was pinning me down whenever it came out, and it really wasn't even that hot.
Anyway, this is the time when everyone usually says who they really liked, and I discover that I saw hardly any of them. So who did you like? For me, Project Smok were great fun at a stupid time, Kae Tempest was mesmerising, performing in the Siam tent really worked well, the qawwali was probably the best I have ever heard, Son Rompe Pera's marimba playing was outrageous, the Japanese ballet dancers were fantastic, I hope we get more modern ballet, and the acts from my youth (Selecter, ACR) both scrubbed up really well. There were plenty of other strong acts too. Slightly less positively, what was going on with the Flaming Lips and that bubble? Lianne La Havas not really my cup of tea (though I guess she did fine).
|
|
|
|
Post by mikey on Aug 2, 2022 5:56:29 GMT
It was fun... but exhausting! , what was going on with the Flaming Lips and that bubble? Lianne La Havas not really my cup of tea (though I guess she did fine).Previously, he would have crowd surfed while in the bubble and I donāt know whether he has stopped doing that or maybe a Womad restriction (health and safety or too much of a gap between stage and audience). If he had entered the crowd, it would have been spectacular and put the whole singing in a bubble into perspective. |
|
|
|
Post by sc on Aug 2, 2022 9:55:51 GMT
It was fun... but exhausting! Is it just me or is the WOMAD weather sweetspot getting smaller and smaller? These days I find I can only tolerate full cloud cover, no rain and a temperature of around 18Ā°, anything else is a challenge. The sun on Sunday was so fierce I felt it was pinning me down whenever it came out, and it really wasn't even that hot. Anyway, this is the time when everyone usually says who they really liked, and I discover that I saw hardly any of them. So who did you like? For me, Project Smok were great fun at a stupid time, Kae Tempest was mesmerising, performing in the Siam tent really worked well, the qawwali was probably the best I have ever heard, Son Rompe Pera's marimba playing was outrageous, the Japanese ballet dancers were fantastic, I hope we get more modern ballet, and the acts from my youth (Selecter, ACR) both scrubbed up really well. There were plenty of other strong acts too. Slightly less positively, what was going on with the Flaming Lips and that bubble? Lianne La Havas not really my cup of tea (though I guess she did fine). I found the heat manageable, but just wore a loose fitting short sleeved shirt, shorts and sandals or when my feet got tired trainers, also sun cream, and NO BACK PACKS, jackets, waterproofs, fleeces and chairs etc etc to haul around, plus no need to change into warm evening clothing, the evenings and nights were warm. The biggest problem was my Bush hat got so so sweaty  . In reality I wore similar cloths to normal, living in the South East. Highlights for me, meeting up with friends, Kae Tempest, Beardyman, BCUC, ADG7, The Selector, Hatis Noit, Cheng Yu and Silk Breeze, Fulu Miziki Kolectiv, Hollie Cook, England v Germany Final and Gilberto Gil and Family. One weird thing was the number of food outlets that didn't sell drinks, weird. I did find I was knackered by around 10pm but put that down to my age and that we have had an emotionally exhausting few years. |
|
|
|
Post by beef on Aug 2, 2022 11:03:08 GMT
Seems that Womad was hotter and dryer than most years at CP - better than the usual having to carry clothes for every kind of weather...
|
|
|
|
Post by mikey on Aug 2, 2022 11:12:49 GMT
Before the weekend, I was going to say that, as it was going to be warm, would be taking my budgie smugglers and nothing else (top up my tan if hot and sunny, easy to dry off if rain)
I did see a handful of men doing just that. Apologies to any of the male forum members, if this was you (although I know from seeing them on site, it was not Del or Yendor, and from the above message I am now relieved that it was not SC!). Just have one thing to say and that is (IMHO), that was NOT a good look, and relieved that I did not do the same!
|
|
|
|
Post by sc on Aug 2, 2022 11:19:26 GMT
Seems that Womad was hotter and dryer than most years at CP - better than the usual having to carry clothes for every kind of weather... I donāt think it was hotter than normal but it was a lot more humid. I was gobsmacked by the amount of pointless clobber and cloths some people hauled around with them. The youngsters had it right, shorts, loose shirts or tiny sparkly summer dresses - perfect for an English summer š |
|
|
|
Post by sc on Aug 2, 2022 11:21:34 GMT
Before the weekend, I was going to say that, as it was going to be warm, would be taking my budgie smugglers and nothing else (top up my tan if hot and sunny, easy to dry off if rain) I did see a handful of men doing just that. Apologies to any of the male forum members, if this was you (although I know from seeing them on site, it was not Del or Yendor, and from the above message I am now relieved that it was not SC!). Just have one thing to say and that is (IMHO), that was NOT a good look, and relieved that I did not do the same! š |
|
|
|
Post by beef on Aug 2, 2022 11:58:24 GMT
Budgie smugglers....?
|
|
|
|
Post by olirow on Aug 2, 2022 14:44:15 GMT
I think you are right SC, it was likely the humidity I found so tough. I certainly wasn't overdressed, t-shirt, shorts, sandals (apart from the Sunday I wore boots because the BBC told me it was going to rain). For the first time I also used a tiny backpack, because I needed somewhere to put a water bottle, normally I would just stuff phone etc in my pocket.
As for a budgie smuggler, nope I have no idea either. I think we need a photo:)
|
|
|
|
Post by sc on Aug 2, 2022 17:17:49 GMT
My understanding of the term ābudgie smugglersā is that itās a slang term for very skimpy Speedo swimming trunks. It looks like your smuggling a budgie down the front of them šš¤£š. I thought it was a commonly used term!
|
|
|
|
Post by beef on Aug 2, 2022 19:11:38 GMT
My understanding of the term ābudgie smugglersā is that itās a slang term for very skimpy Speedo swimming trunks. It looks like your smuggling a budgie down the front of them šš¤£š. I thought it was a commonly used term! f**k my hat, I didn't know that... I'm right naive me... but happy! What if you want to smuggle larger birds? |
|
|
|
Post by digitalmonkey on Aug 2, 2022 19:16:26 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 |
|
|
|
Post by digitalmonkey on Aug 2, 2022 20:06:42 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.
|
|
. In reality I wore similar cloths to normal, living in the South East.
.
