WOMAD 08

Event Info

March 14 2008
TSB Showplace, New Plymouth

Reviewed By

UTR
29th March 2010

Review

This was my first WOMAD experience, in all the years it’s been running I feel a little ashamed. The reports have always been good, but circumstances always got in the way, This year I couldn’t resist with a lineup that appealed more to the music I like (bits of indie, pop, electro, African women..)

The venue is astounding. Brooklands Park and TSB Bowl, New Plymouth has to be the best venue location in NZ. It’s located within a park, minutes to the centre of New Plymouth, but with a circumference of native bush, it makes you feel enclosed in a place worlds away.

Kora was my first act, and by the time I got there, they had the crowd in the palm of their hands, swaying, chanting and dancing them all over the place.

The Emerald City had a corner spot and brought the sitting crowd to its feet before the end of their 3rd song. They were really good, but would’ve liked to see their music louder, with more bass (that’s the Auckland in me)

SJD followed and a similar reaction took place. The crowed sniffing them out then, and once approved were on their feet. They sounded great and are always good to see live. (loved James Duncans helmet, and so nice to see Sandy)

Tim Guy, assisted with Anika Moa were playing left of the mainstage, in a nice spot. They had a large crowd and their pop music seemed quite at home here.

Sharon Jones and the Dat Kings brought the funk to womad, and true funk heads flocked here to see here play. Hard to imagine just 10 years ago she was working as a prison guard.

Beirut was the act I really wanted to see after a summer of crooning. They played the main stage, across the water (if you don’t know what I mean, it’s like a moat around where the band plays). Lead singer Zach held his bad together like a fistful of coin, and joked will the crowd all night. They were quite a treat to end the evening.

If you ain’t been to WOMAD, get along and see how a real festival gets run. It’s a good trip out of town and the music is world class (see what I did there?).

Beirut