Live Review: WOMAdelaide

Embarking on the fourth day of the WOMADelaide festival was no easy feat, taking into consideration dancing from dawn to dusk had been taken on as a mandatory task from Day One. The final day of the arts, culture and music festival unfolded in the best of ways: a brisk morning wander through the inflated sculptures of Exxopolis and then a yoga class in the early afternoon. This was truly a delight for all five senses.

It took a little while to get the music going but things were kicking into gear. Dance workshops and Planet Talks kept the early crowds occupied for the first few hours before they were eased into sets led by a variety of string musicians. Fourplay, or more correctly The FourPlay String Quartet, was unconventionally a super-seductive group. The talented foursome effortlessly married gypsy folk with hip hop (and myriad other genres) and then head-banged their way through a 40-minute set without breaking sweat. Over at the big Stage 3, Palestinian native and violin virtuoso, Ramzi Aburedwan, with the Ensemble Dal’Ouna, took the audience on an emotional journey as he performed his strikingly original compositions.

Acclaimed Australian, Andy Griffiths, brought with him the innocuous bursts of children’s laughter to lighten up the afternoon mood. His reading session was greatly appreciated by parents and children alike and for some of the youthful 20-somethings in the audience, the nostalgic flashback was acknowledged by a supple rumble of applause. Commanding an equal quotient of affection, although to a different audience demographic, Brazilian musician Flavia Coelho showed off a different facet of her skill set cooking dishes with Adelaide’s favourite nonna, Rosa Matto. The non-music events such as the Taste The World cooking demonstrations and Planet Talk seminars were insightful sessions into culture, sustainability and lifestyle, festival highlights that added to the overall experience.

Things got a little muddy after a light spritz of rain halfway through the day, but Botanic Park still managed to uphold its aesthetic features: spritely green leafage upon tree branches draped with dream catchers and fairy lights. The dusty floors softened after the rain for barefoot patrons who dug their soles into the earth as they danced to the brooding sounds of Nick Waterhouse and his majestic band, who delighted his dedicated listeners with his old soul R&B and powerful guitar chords. Judging by the response, the Californian musician also managed to recruit a legion of new fans, some as young as five getting into the spirit of his festival boogie rhythm.

The Colour of Time Parade was an event that everyone was looking forward to. A group of choreographed dancers dressed in white waltzed through the park throwing coloured dust into the air; quite the spectacle and one that captured the entire festival crowd for a good 30 minutes. 

Exhausting all energy during the daylight festivities meant it was time to recharge and refuel for there was still much dancing to be done. The public holiday Monday was an excellent opportunity for big groups to wine and dine together, alfresco-style feasting on gourmet goods that would have gastronomes of the highest calibre requesting for seconds. Bold and daring flavours of the globe were the innate flavours of WOMADelaide.

There was a varied selection to cater for both omnivores and herbivores. Opting for the plant-based meals and a bargain of day, the vegetarian thalis for $15 (sharing trays) were filled to the brim with steaming curries, vegetable pakora, bhaji and other golden fried goodies. Not fine dining but something fun to share in a group setting or incredibly filling for a very peckish festival attendee.

There was no going past Jock Zonfrillo’s Street In The Park for a slightly posh feed. The standout item on the Monday menu was a Palestinian dish consisting of spicy cauliflower florets doused in a tahini-yoghurt sauce all mopped up with a face-sized side of grilled flatbread. Most of the food items were moderately priced for what they were – high quality and made with ethically-sourced produce – so it was a treat and one that was well worth it. There was abundant signage to remind diners to dispose of their cutlery in the correct bins, further emphasising the festival’s commitment to environmental sustainability. The trendy drink of choice appeared to be the young coconuts exclusively sourced from a Thai plantation. Local beers were found on taps at bars dotted around the festival site.

It was time for Adelaide native Timberwolf to make his WOMAD debut. Chris Panousakis, who performs under the moniker, sang (or should we say: howled) to the teething cries of a younger fan base who were absolutely dancing their little hearts out. Members of the Timberwolf clan provided adequate musical and banter support for the up-and-coming artist who performed unreleased tracks and his latest single, Fallen Sun. Indigenous musicians Barra & Djalu Gurruwiwi were joined on stage by Gotye and performed songs in Indigenous languages. Over at the main stage, Neneh Cherry was accompanied by RocketNumberNine and powered through a decade of hits in an hour that ended with her audience singing Happy Birthday to a true popstar. To end the evening on a high note, Sinead O’Connor’s piercing head voice had the audience in the palm of her hand and crushed us all when she closed her set with a stripped-back rendition of Nothing Compares 2 U. Over at the Electrolounge, local producer How Green played a selection of groovy beats before the Invisible City DJs turned things up a notch to close the festival.

A melting cultural pot for the alternatives of Adelaide, WOMADelaide is a truly excellent event that embraces cultural diversity and thoroughly celebrates the world’s finest music, arts and dance. It’s hard to fault a festival that’s in a league of its own but it’s not hard to see why loyalists flock to the Botanic Parklands time and time again to enjoy this legendary now-annual event. To say that WOMADelaide is an essential “must attend” during the month of Mad March is rightfully and deservedly true.