WOMADelaide 2015

WOMADelaide 2015

Holy Cow cafe

March 6-9. Botanic Park. Adelaide.

Review & Pics by Allison O’Donoghue

Friday. Day 1.

Here we go again - another year of fun, frivolity and WOMADelaide madness. I love it, and so apparently do thousands of punters of all ages, genders and wackiness. Anything goes, but it appears 1970’s fashion has made a come back this year, lots of Batik long skirts and mid-drift tops. So glad I never threw out my flares. This year we are blessed with perfect weather, 25-degree days and cool 16-degree nights. I’m in the phone room this year, fielding calls from panicked interstate punters who left their passes on the kitchen table, as you do. It was fun and very interesting. I had great shifts, and worked with wonderful people. I got to see most of the bands I’d marked in my Pocket Guide, so here we go…

First up on my agenda was blues legend Charlie Musselwhite (USA). This guy has been around long enough to play with the greats: Howlin’ Wolf, Sonny Boy Williamson, Muddy Waters, and Little Walter, to name a few, honing his skills in well known Chicago blues clubs. He’s also featured on popular musical albums such as, Bonnie Rait, Tom Waits, Eddie Vedder, Ben Harper, Cyndi Lauper and even INXS on their smash hit Suicide Blondes. Suffice to say, he’s been around, done the hard yards and paid his dues. Yep, every cliché’ I can throw in there still wont cover just how great he was. Hailing from Mississippi, he grew up in Memphis and landed in Chicago developing a reputation as the go-to guy for haunting harmonica and raspy vocals. But he did it the hard way, which seems to be mandatory for all blues artists. Musselwhite has seen it all, heard it all and been down so low he never thought he’d get back up. Its great fodder for blues tunes, all reflected in his heartbreaking autobiographical lyrics and mournful harmonica.

In 2010 Musselwhite was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame and has won 24 Blues Music Awards. He hypnotises the audience with a stunning set of woe-be-gone numbers that defy description. He repeatedly says that it’s not about technique and all about communication, and boy did he communicate. However, the technical prowess of his band was sublime, so in this instance, technique did matter. They were brilliant. The band obviously know each other well and match Musselwhite at every turn. That’s it - I’m in love with Charlie Musselwhite and will buy every album he’s ever put out. Simply beautiful. Fabulous start to Womadelaide.

Buena Vista Social Club

Up next the Buena Vista Sessions (Cuba): featuring Jesus “Aguaje” Ramos, Barbarito Torres plus guest Bolero singer Omara Portuondo. I’ve seen the doco and got the Buena Vista Social Club CD but I’ve never witnessed them live before. Can’t wait. They hit the stage with full sun in their faces that thankfully it goes down soonish, only to be blinded by the stage lights, which is odd lighting for a couple of old fellas, but they take it in good grace. Grace - being the operative word for tonight’s performance. After 16 years of touring the world, they’d be forgiven for wanting to hang up their instruments for a while. Unfortunately throughout the years various original members have dropped off the perch, and are replaced by younger players, you’d think they would become complacent and ho-hum. Not so. They are still humble and grateful for all the success they’ve enjoyed, which makes them all the more endearing to watch and listen to. Tonight we are blessed with Barbaro Alberto Torres Delgado, master of the ‘laud’ (Laudista) a small 12-string lute-like instrument that he’s been playing since he was 14 yrs old, who has played with Cuban greats like Celina Gonzalez and Leo Brouwuto to Papa Lucca, and Oscar K’Leon. Trombonist Jesus “Aguaje” Ramos and Omara Potuondo, possibly the best bolero singer in the world, and is the only female represented in Buena Vista Social Club, who has worked with Nat King Cole and Edith Piaf.  Plus the legendary Manuel ‘Guajiroz” Mirabel Vazquez on trumpet. This is going to be special.

Buena Vista Social Cub

Little did producer, singer, songwriter and composer Ry Cooder and his son Joachim Cooder, who stumbled across the Buena Vista Social Club back in1997, know that they would become a world wide sensation, winning Grammy’s, an Oscar and a Golden Globe, plus tour for 16 years post discovery. Tonight the Buena Vista Social Club are nearing the end of their last world tour, and we’re lucky to have them here at WOMADelaide. So its no exaggeration to say that tonight could be that last time we get to see them in the flesh, live on stage.

I became mesmerised with Omara singing Maybe, Maybe and the band striking the hauntingly beautiful, Chan Chan, which has become a Cuban classic thanks to these guys. It could be my imagine but I’m sure they did Tula (whose house is burning because she forgot to blow out the candle) without the legendary Ruben, who sadly has passed away, but I’m so glad he had his day in the sun before his end.  The Buena Vista Social Club were wonderful, and full of grace. It is not very often you get to see and hear the Masters in action so tonight was a glorious treat for the WOMADelaide crowd. 

Satisfied and happy, I popped over to see the Romanian 24 piece brass band Fanfare Ciocarlia, which turned out to be a mistake. I just couldn’t get into their frenetic, schizophrenic, high-pitched horns and disjointed rhythms. Had they been on before the Buena Vista Social Club it might have been different, but as it was, they were killing the sensational vibe the Cubans had left me with. And it was no different the second time I heard them, from afar, but not far enough. Their pace was so fast it was agitating. The beauty of the Botanic gardens is you can escape to another stage or laze under a huge tree, but I took myself off to the food area. Spoilt for choice with an array of cuisines from different cultures, I settled on Indian. It was OK, a tad luke warm and not very generous, but I vowed to try a different dish every day. I tend to watch my weight, but I figured with all the walking I’d be doing, at least 10–15 k’s a day, (next year I’m wearing a counter) I wont deny myself anything especially the desserts. To end the night I had a Macadamia & honey ice cream tub. Delicious! 

Saturday. Day 2.

Singer/songwriter Jairo Zavala of Depedro (Spain) has gone solo after years of playing in popular Spanish bands like Calexico, 3000 Hombres and Vacazul. Tonight he was joined on stage with one of our own lead singers, Bernard Fanning of Powderfinger fame, Afrobeat drummer Tony Allen, Joey Burns, John Convertino and Nick Urata. They gave us a set infused with Afrobeats, flamenco and Latin folk with dashes of rock ‘n’ roll. It was an interesting mix of sounds that didn’t quite work for the first half of the set until they found their rhythm. Once they found their stride it was no stoping them. Jairo’s voice was strong and fluid, which worked well with the excellent poppy tunes. Towards the end I could hear Fanning’s influence in some of the songs, which sounded distinctly Powderfingerish. So has he penned some numbers for this event? Nothing wrong with that. It was great to see Bernard up there where he belongs. I saw Depedro twice and they were good, however they were better the second time, they seemed more connected, and played a more collegial set.

Robert Forster.

Jherek Bischoff

There was no way I was going to miss Robert Forster with Jherek Bischoff and the Zephyr Quartet (Aust). I’ve been a long time fan of The Go-Betweens and I was in good company given the size of the crowd gathered at the Moreton Bay Stage, it went right back into the sun and took Forster by surprise. It was a seated affair, we all bopped on our bums but he had us up by the last 2 songs and ended with a standing ovation. But I’m getting ahead of myself. It can’t be said that Forster has a great voice, he doesn’t, but what he does have is his own style and brilliant lyrical content. He paints a picture and takes you on a journey into the life of his characters. You can imagine the Clock Sisters as they traverse their fractured lives. It almost sounds pedestrian when he sings of “she says you just had a Troubled Night”, as he is awoken from a nightmare and she soothes his troubled mind. We’ve all been there. And that’s’ the beauty of his work, its totally relatable.   

Robert Forster & Jherek Bischoff

Multi-instrumentalist Los Angeles native Jherek Bischoff managed to keep the rhythm section pumping on bass and one foot pedal drumming. He was fantastic.  Coupled with Adelaide’s own Zephyr Quartet who kept the haunting symphony in the background going with a string ensemble to complete the picture. People Say, was greeted with a huge applause. “People Say she’s not good for me. People Say she’s only after one thing,” are evocative lyrics that talk of everyday life. It’s not too deep nor is it too superficial. He speaks and sings plainly and we can all relate. I loved Robert Forster so much I saw him twice and he was just as good the second time around but with less banter. Maybe it was the sun in his face or maybe he just didn’t have anything to say, besides, his lyrics said it all. He was grateful, and so were we. We loved him so much we gave him another standing ovation.  Sensational.

Mediterranean Charcoal BBQ

After that I was starving hungry. It’s always best to beat the crowds, which tend to grow bigger around 6-7pm, but at 4pm there are hardly any queues. This time I had the Mediterranean BBQ of skewered prawns, Greek salad, homemade Tzudziki and garlic pita bread. Yummy and filling. 

Then it was off to see the famed folk singer Luzmila Carpio (Bolivia) who was just gorgeous. She played an unusual instrument called a Charango and sang in her native Quechua tongue. Accompanied by two women, also dressed in traditional costume, they gave us a set of really interesting songs. Luzmila has a huge vocal range, hitting high notes that could smash glass – lucky there’s a no glass policy at WOMADelaide. She has been singing since she was a child, honing her skills for years and keeping the flame burning for the Indigenous people of the Andes. Discovered in the 1980’s during a UNICEF performance that garnered her worldwide attention in Paris, she hasn’t stopped performing since. We were lucky enough to hear her today. Just a lovely, unique and original performer.

I avoided going anywhere near The Colour of Time. No way was I going to get covered in coloured dust. It was amazing to watch people emerge from the crowd after witnessing the dancers to be unwittingly smothered in colour.  I’m assured that it washed off easily, and besides people generally don’t wear their Sunday best to WOMADelaide. They appeared happy with the music and dance routines, and from what I could see from a distance, it was great fun. Huge crowds gathered every time they performed, so getting stained wasn’t a deterrent. In fact, it became a signifier and initiation of active involvement in WOMADelaide shenanigans.

The Colour of Time victims

Dusted

For today’s dessert I grabbed a plate of Dutch pancakes with lemon butter and ice cream. Yummy. I strolled over to Speakers Corner to watch Mista Savona with Prince Alla and Randy Valentine (Aust). I could hear them before I saw them, belting out funky reggae beats, with legendary Jamaican singer Prince Alla who has been going for over 40 years, and is not about to stop anytime soon. Randy Valentine is the newcomer, proving that reggae beats mixed with Jamaican Hip-Hop vocals can and do work well together, which is not a stretch considering Hip-Hop is a derivative of reggae & Ska. Melbourne based Jake Savona AKA Mista has forged a career mixing reggae, dub and electronic beats and you’d think marrying it all together with Hip-Hop wouldn’t quite work but it does. I find with reggae every song begins with a different beat but always, always ends up the same regardless of the song. However, mixing the different genres seemed to have the desired effect of creating a different sound and therefore beat. It was a great funking sound and it funked me right out of there - on my wary way home. I was tempted to grab an Eco Cabbie (a battery operated bike with cab in the back to seat x2) to take me up Frome Rd but when an older couple looked like they needed it more than me, I decided to walk off the pancakes.   

Dutch pancakes

Sunday. Day 3.

My body is aching and my mind a mush from sensory overload, but one must solider on. I’ve learnt to pace myself over the years, so after my shift I head to the Internode Lounge with free WIFI and did a bit of social networking while listening to Che Sudaka (Spain).  At first I thought they were going to sound like most Spanish bands, but when they started to pump out tunes from The Clash I was up. These guys started out as illegal immigrants in Barcelona, a massive problem that Spain still battles today, but when Che Sudaka hit the streets of Barcelona to busk their sounds they took the city by storm with their Mestizo Music. Within a few years they were travelling to world, doing festivals and spreading their eclectic sound. These guys rock with fantastic energy and infectious South American beats while spreading the message of compassion and understanding for the casualties of war: refugees. They made reference to Abbott’s boat people policies and urged Australian to stand up for immigrants and reminded us that immigrants founded our country and the only original Australian is our indigenous people. They weren’t wagging their finger at us, but encouraging us to get louder and apply pressure on the government to do the right thing.  We hear ya.

Tucker time. Tonight for my dining pleasure I had the Govinda special, now a WOMADelaide institution. If you’re anything like me, I always make a b-line for the inexpensive three course meal ($12): entree Kafka balls smothered in tomato sauce; main of Divine rice and veggie curry, and dessert; semolina with custard. Yum, yum, yum. I saw a lot of people brining in picnic hampers which makes it much more affordable than buying meals every day. Let’s face it; we all need to save wherever we can in the current unstable economic climate.

Govindas

Now it’s Neneh Cherry with RocketNumberNine (UK/Sweden) perfect timing for International Women’s Day. You might remember Neneh from the 90’s in groups like The Slits and Rip Rag + Panic but she really came to prominence with a solo hit Man Child, 7 Seconds (featuring Youssou N’Dour) and Buffalo Stance that sent her on a solo career, and she gives these tunes a run at the over crowded Speakers Corner. Man, its 20 deep no way was I going to muscle my way to the front, not possible. So I laid back and drank in her funky rhythms.

Neneh Cherry

Neneh Cheery has collaborated with a zillion people throughout her eclectic career and this time she has brought electronic brothers Ben and Tim Page from RocketNumberNine to WOMADelaide. And she doesn’t disappoint. The memories come flooding back about where I was when her songs hit the charts and it fills my heart with gladness. Neneh’s lovely positive vibe and attitude rubs off, I look around and even though people are squeezing past each other it’s done in a pleasant manner and with good cheer. Neneh Cheery is an uplifting artist who made me feel glad all over. So much so, I saw her twice. She played numbers from her first solo album, Blank Project in 17 years, which went down well. Her sound is a cross between funk, punk and jazz. Its obvious her stepfather, jazz trumpet legend Don Cherry has influenced her but she has adapted these influences to form her own unique sound. Great stuff.

Youssou N’Dour hits the ICS stage with gusto and is greeted with a rapturous applause from the crowd. A cool breeze wafts gently while we are slowly seduced into Youssou N’Dour’s vortex. He is mesmerising. He lulls us with his deep tenor and takes us on a journey across West Africa only to pull us out of our stupor with infectious Afro-Cuban beats with a dash of James Brown thrown in for good measure. Seriously good. And with that I head home for a cup of tea. I know, ridiculous, but by the end of the day that’s all I want.

Yoga in the gardens

Monday. Day 4.

Sadly, its that last day of the festival. It goes fast doesn’t it? We bounce in full of energy and stagger out, happy, satisfied but utterly exhausted. I head off to see Robert Forster again, and I’m not disappointed. Then chow down on a Cajun burger, delicious, and a perfect size fro $11. Then its off to the to see Lake Street Dive (USA) who found success online with over 2 million hits on their cover versions of The Jackson’s I Want You Back and Hall & Oates’ Rich Girl, which they played today. They met at New England Conservatory in Boston and formed as a joke, but when their cover versions went viral they decided to take it more seriously. Hailed by Rolling Stone magazine as the next big thing, I was very keen to hear them. They were Ok. I bopped along to some tunes, but kept thinking they’d make a good wedding band. I think it’s dangerous to hype a band and tell us how big they are going to be. Who knows why something goes viral online. The quartet consist of trumpet player Mike “McDuck” Olson, up-right bassist Bridget Kearney, drummer Mike Calabrese and vocalist Rachael Price, all players were competent and enthusiastic but somehow I was left feeling underwhelmed.  Maybe my mind is just too saturated with sounds that by this stage if I’m not blown away by anything, it seems like hard work. It’s more a reflection on me, than them.

Lake Street Dive

I head off to the Internode Lounge again to rest up as I listened to Criolo (Brazil) who did blow me away. I stayed seated and faced the stage, bopped along in my seat to his truly infectious Afro-beats. He was raised in a shantytown of Grajau in Sao Paulo and became a national star after the release of his 2011 album Knot In The Ear. His success puts him in a unique position, having experienced both sides of the fence; he went from abject poverty to the top of Brazilian elite. He uses his platform to rally against injustice in his country through his lyrics to bridge the gap of inequity between rich and poor. He is humble and grateful to be here. He keeps telling us how beautiful and peaceful we are. I guess he’s right. WOMADelaide is a non-violent, low crime event and it does have a beautiful vibe.    

Balkan Beat Box

After resting, I check out Brooklyn based 9-piece band Balkan Beat Box (Brooklyn/Tel Aviv) who really are infectious and get our blood pumping with their explosive, hardcore Middle Eastern beats. They start the set with a ‘don’t believe the hype’ statement and a rundown of all the broken promises that world governments’ have made and will continue to make. Ok, so we’re in for a political barrage. If you can’t do that WOMADelaide, where can you? This is the place to sell/send your message, but they do it I such a way that you just can’t help jumping. I defy anyone not to dance to these guys. They were fantastic and just the tonic we need to prepare ourselves for the BIG ACT and the end of the festival.

Sinead O'Connor

Ladies and gentlemen the long awaited headline act Sinead O’Connor (Ireland) hits the stage to close WOMADelaide and it looks like no one is going to miss her performance. Yes, she of Emperors New Clothes and Nothing Compares 2 U fame - the song that introduced Sinead to the world with the heartbreakingly beautiful song penned by Prince and her stunning vocal range. Yes, she who ripped a picture of the Pope in half at the Grammy’s. Yes, she who has a reputation of being “difficult” and “prickly”. Well she’s got a lot of things to say and I for one, want to hear it. If she was a he, he’d be hailed a strong, determined, intelligent and decisive etc but if it’s a women then she’s difficult, emotional, highly strung, blah, blah, blah. Don’t get me started.

Sinead enters the stage wearing a priest collar and large cross (once a Catholic) and slim dark sunglasses, shielding her beautiful Irish eyes. “Sorry, I’m going to keep my glasses on coz it’s a bit scary looking out into the crowd”, which admittedly is huge. “I’ll take them off when I’m feeling safer”, but she keeps them on for most of the night, mainly because of the blinding floodlights that she requests to be redirected or shut off. Yes, the same floodlights that blinded the Buena Vista Social Club. Come on lighting dudes - get it together! She is joined on stage with a 5-piece band.

What strikes me first is how diminutive in stature she is. I’m really glad I’m up close and personal as there aren’t any screens at WOMADelaide - yet. I’m about 6 feet from stage, so close I can see her neck and hand tattoos. She doesn’t say much as first. Dedicates a song to our indigenous people and one to Kristina Brown. Complains that her earpiece has come out and does a few solos numbers. The songs are good, but the lyrical content is better. Sinead is definitively a gifted songwriter, but it’s when she launches into her hits that set the audience on fire. Fabulous. 

It takes her a while to relax and settle into the gig. She looks down a lot, or looks at the band members who she still hasn’t introduced yet, but the girls on bass and rhythm guitar accompany her on back up vocals on every song and they do a hauntingly beautiful threesome that oozed traditional Irish roots music. Great harmonies. 

Sinead O'Connor

I’m Not Bossy, I’m The Boss is the title of her 10^th studio album that got a run tonight, but I need to hear them again, which doesn’t take away from her amazing voice. The 47 year old belted out tunes with a mixture of conviction and vulnerability. Her signature voice and shaved head sends a very powerful message of feminie strength coupled with sensitivity. And I think the real reason she kept her sunglasses on is because she’s incredibly shy and probably doesn’t like being looked at. Fair enough. It’s well known that shy people end up in the spot light and find it very difficult. It’s not always a given that they’ll relish it and soak it up like some celebrities we know.

I just love her energy. I love her intensity and her unending search for the truth in all things. I was not disappointed at all. I walked away while an encore was called for, as I did she came back on stage and finally performed Nothing Compares 2 U - and it was absolutely beautiful and she thanked us profusely for the warm reception. You are more than welcome Sinead O’Connor. Don’t leave it so damn long to visit next time. It’s obvious you’re loved, liked and welcome back anytime.

With that, I trotted off home. Satisfied, happy, saturated with sensory overload and exhausted. I spotted the eco cabbie again, determined to catch one before the end of this amazing experience, but his battery had gone flat and he already had customers. I’m destined to walk, walk and walk some more.

Another great WOMAdelaide – except the toilets were terrible this year.  Just had to say that. It was run like a well-oiled machine; with the Green Team keeping the beautiful surrounds clean and of course the wonderful music! 

Thank you WOMADelaide for another GREAT year.

Robert Forster