Live Review: WOMADelaide, Day Three

Bare your feet and open your hearts for WOMADelaide. On the third day of the festival punters filled the Botanic Gardens to experience an abundance of world music, art and dance.

Ever since the four-day festival graced our shores in 1992, it has been a much-anticipated fixture of our Mad March calendar. Known for its family friendly atmosphere, the event has grown from its intimate beginnings and is truly a festival that accepts people of all ages, religions and cultures.

In the first few hours before the performances began there was plenty to see and do. It was the perfect opportunity to wander the stalls, which were overflowing with woven clothing, bags and jewelry. If shopping wasn’t your thing then Exxopolis might've been. An art installation by Architects of Air, the inflated sculpture had no skeleton and was kept upright by air alone. Inspired by geometry and Islamic architecture, once inside it was like entering another world. Sunlight filtered through the hand cut and glued plastic to create hubs of multi-colored delight.

"The mouth-watering smells were just overwhelming."

Spandexx Ballet limbered up those stiff muscles on the Zoo Stage with an hour of energetic aerobics. Dressed in white spandex the trio instructed the crowd through a number of dance moves. When you are attempting impossible stretches and twirls the music has to be just right and there is nothing more invigorating than The Circle of Life. Next up were Malawi Mouse Boys who drew a massive crowd to Stage Two with their gospel music. Beginning acappella with beautiful, deep harmonies, they then incorporated guitars and percussion. But these were not your standard instruments. A glass bottle was used to strum a handmade guitar and a large water container served as a drum. The dancing grew feverish and the clapping more intense as they moved in praise. Meanwhile Flavia Coelho was doing some dancing of her own. With big hair and an even bigger personality, the Brazilian singer impressed with her insanely fast singing and groovy rhythms.

Punters were spoilt for choice when it came to food. An endless row of stalls offered everything from barbequed meats to vegetarian whole foods. The mouth-watering smells were just overwhelming. Opting for the curried chickpea burger from Let Them Eat, it sat on top of a variety of tasty salads and was quite a generous serving for 14 dollars. Others were resourceful, bringing their food from home and sitting on picnic rugs under the shady trees.

By mid afternoon the park was buzzing with excitement but the humble Tara Tiba provided a restful break. The Iranian singer is now based in Perth after moving from Tehran in 2012 where women are prohibited from performing in public. It was a special moment for her to be sharing her jazz influenced Persian music with us on International Women’s Day. Tara oozed grace and elegance, singing stories of immigration and traditional tunes and showed immense control over her warm, coffee coated voice. It is incredible how the vibe can change so drastically within the one festival. This reviewer got caught up in a dance party with Mista Savona Feat. Prince Alla & Randy Valentine upon trying to get over to Stage Three. Spaced out on the grass the crowd swayed back and forth to a mix of reggae and hip-hop.

Local darling Julia Henning delivered an emotional set of rock ballads and touching love songs. Introduced by none other than Myf Warhurst, she praised Julia for her recent accomplishments. With a stunning voice that could be found in the back of a dark club she boasts powerful lyrics and a carefree nature. But it is her talented band that ties the performance together. Tjintu Desert Band from Ikuntji near Alice Springs, combine punk, reggae and psych-rock sounds. Singing in the Aboriginal language of Luritja, their blend of modern and traditional styles is refreshing. Although everyone was seated this did not stop a group of extremely passionate dancers from showing their appreciation.

If there is one event to highlight on your program it should be Artonik's Colour Of Time. An eruption of music, colour and dance, the performance is a reinvention of India’s Holi festival. Dancers and musicians slowly made their way into the crowd, building the tension with their jerky movements and piercing glares. Once they donned white garments the hostility disappeared, replaced with joy as puffs of gulal powder filled the air. Suddenly everyone was dancing and running madly in a blur of bright colour for this beautiful celebration of unity and diversity.

"WOMADelaide is a utopia."

First Aid Kit is breathtaking in every way. The Swedish sister duo captivated the crowd with their sweet, folk-pop which was backed by twanging guitar and earthy drumming. Beginning with The Lion’s Roar their blissful harmonies melted together and they floated through tracks from their three albums. Blue is their self-proclaimed ‘party anthem’ and they delivered a feisty cover of Jack White’s Love Interruption. Ending with the charming Emmylou they led the crowd into a heart-warming singalong. Once darkness fell there was hardly any light and so after wandering around aimlessly for half an hour I finally found the Moreton Bay Stage where Astronomy Class were smashing out some Aussie hip-hop. They draw on Cambodian music and the contrast between harsh rapping and Srey Channthy’s distinct vocals was something I have never heard before.

The center stage drew the largest crowd of the night for Youssou N'dour. The King of African pop music. An uplifting, inspiring and revitalising hour and a half of West African grooves, the Senegalese extraordinaire and his band Super Etoile de Dakar had the crowd dancing all night. Between intense drum solos and soaring saxophone, the band literally leaped across the stage inspiring the crowd to start their own dance off. Neneh Cherry was invited onstage for a rare recreation of 7 Seconds, which resonated with many.

WOMADelaide is a utopia, a celebration of love and harmony. Filled with the happiest, kindest people who will gladly point you in the right direction or share their food with you. With such a diverse lineup there is always something new to experience and no one leaves without a smile on their face.