Womadness
In a fit of randomness, Jo and I booked tickets to two out of three nights at Womad Singapore 2007. Held in the park near our house, a selection of acts performed; from Asian Dub Foundation to Scottish Dance Folk via three sexagenarian South African ladies with more energy than I’ll ever have.
The atmosphere was less ‘hippy’ than the equivalent event in the UK, I am assured by Jo, but the atmosphere was still great and the music was universally fascinating, even if the nomadic band from Africa consisted of a little to much wailing.
The turnout was pretty decent for both nights we were there and the crowd was an interesting mix of locals, expats and the clearly insane. My favourite festival goers have to be the Sikh chaps I saw céilí-ing, one of whom was wearing a T-shirt proclaiming that It’s not the Jedi way. Suitably random.
Friday consisted of the aforementioned South African grannys, who’ve been performing for 41 years. Their band died, but they have a new younger one, so they didn’t seem that bothered. I suspect the dance routine might have been a bit tighter in the sixties, but given they are now clearly entering there dotage I was still impressed.
Friday also hosted Shooglenifty, a group of extremely beardy middle aged men playing dance music infused with banjos and fiddles, in a manner entirely unbefitting of a balmy Singaporean evening. A tiny Celtic pub was somehow conjured into the middle of the field and we all leapt about in it as if we were at some insane highland wedding.
Jo and I learnt to Salsa on Sunday, in a ‘workshop’. I’m not exactly ready for Strictly Come Dancing but by the end I was nearly in time, and when twirled Jo’s mouth dropped open as if she’d just discovered her mild-mannered web designer husband had turned into Patrick Swayze circa 1988.
The Sunday night highlight was the Senegalese rap trio, Daara J. As despite rapping entirely in French, got the entire crowd down to the front of the stage. I suppose if three extraordinarily energetic six foot four Africans tell a field of Singaporeans to show them love / jump around / make noise, they just do. I know I did.
As did the enormous sweaty man in a yellow T-shirt, who flicked sweat over us as he violently shook to the ‘tracks’ that were being ‘laid down’. You’ll note my excellent ‘gangsta’ terminology. Born on the mean streets…
Andy 30 August 2007
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I wished I could have gone to the workshop by Clube Do Balanco, the brazillian band. I was there on friday and I think that they were awesome :)
marina # Aug 31
got here by blogsearching womad on google. i was at womad too and i totally remember the sikh in the jedi shirt! and i have a funny feeling that the sweaty man in the yellow tee was… my fiance! eep.
currystrumpet # Sep 3
hahah! Hi — since you saw the sikhs and since I was visually near them, I can surmise that I’m probably the enormous sweaty man. Apologies for the sweat! (but then again WOMAD is far from a neat and clean event) ciao!
enormous sweaty man in yellow t-shirt # Sep 4