WOMAD New Zealand 2019 Announcement
Reported on by Tim Gruar
WOMAD New Zealand announced yet another colourful and diverse line-up, along with some exciting site changes at the festival’s launch in Parliament’s Grand Hall tonight. Surrounded by international delegates, MPs, WOMAD advocates and in the presence of Prime Minister and Minister of Arts and Culture Rt Hon Jacinda Adern, and (‘local boy’) Minister of Justice Hon Andrew Little, Artistic Director Emere Wano did the big reveal. It was good to see a return to a programme that embraced world music. The festival is now so popular that it doesn’t need to recruit top headliners like last year’s Thievery Corporation, or previous acts like Arrested Development, Sinéad O’Connor and Jimmy Cliff just to get ‘bums on seats.”
Coming to the festival next year is Angelique Kidjo (Benin) – who plans to bring an Afro-interpreted version of Talking Head’s 1980’s classic Remain In Light. Founded by violinist Yo Yo Ma Silkroad Ensemble is another in the stunning line up for next year, alongside classical Indian trio Amjad Ali Khan; Congolese soul-meister and visual artist Baloji; South Africa’s high energy ‘Afropsychodelic’ ensemble Bantu Continua Uhuru Consciousness and ‘Brazil’s Grand Dame of The Amazonian Song’ Dona Onete (Brazil).
If you haven’t seen them yet then you need to check out Welsh 5-piece folkies Jamie Smith’s Mabon, they are a hoot in concert. Cuba is represented by Cumbian-Hip Hop artist La Dame Blanche, daughter of Buena Vista Social Club trombonist Jesus ‘Aguaje’ Ramos. From Mexico Las Cafeteras brings the party, 3 string Maalem Hamid El Kasri (Morocco) gives us music inspired by the days of the black slave trade in North Africa. Pushing the creative boat out Estonia violinist and singer Maarja Nuut has an ethereal presence in her vocals and is not to be missed.
Returning to New Zealand is Dutch Rock-Reggae trio My Baby, who were a huge hit at Kapiti’s Coastella festival earlier this year and are regulars to our shores. Traditional quartet Rebetien (Greece) will play music from the ‘gramaphone era’, with a Greco-Balkan twist. And then there’s Ireland’s Sharon Shannon Band, who are big legends on the UK World music scene. Shannon is widely credited for bringing Irish music out of the pubs and onto the big stage during the 1980’s and 1990’s.
The most intriguing act this year will no doubt be Taiwu Childrens Ancient Ballads Troupe (Taiwan). The troupe was started by a teacher at the Taiwu Elementary school with five pupils and has grown to an 18 strong choir with a band, specialising in ancient Taiwanese and Chinese songs from Paiwan tribal villages. They have been described as making “heavenly music that allows one to see the mountains and hear the breeze.”
Kiwi artists will also be in the mix again including the already announced Teeks; Charlotte Johansen; Finn Andrews (The Veils); Dub legends KORA (Aotearoa), folk hero Nadia Reid, Balkan revivalists Niko Ne Zna; Ria Hall (who recently toured her Te Reo album Rules Of Engagement); and returning to the WOMAD stage Wellington’s best reggae/funk act The Black Seeds.
One of the growing features at WOMAD is the The World of Words feature, which will be re-located into the Kunming Garden area, alongside an upmarket bar serving craft beers, fine wines and gin cocktails. The programme will also be extended include late night slots, in turn recognising the older and more diver nature of the crowds coming to WOMAD. The writer’s line up are all locals next year, including poet Dominic Tourettes Hoey; short story specialist Elizabeth Smither; Marama Mullen (who wrote about contracting AIDs from Peter Mwai in the early 1990’s); caver explorers Marcus Thomas and Neil Silverwood; brewer and writer Michael Donaldson, comedian and presenter Michele A’Court, RNZ muso Nick Bollinger; Celebrant/Poet Penny Ashton, recent Book of the Year Award winner Pip Adam and spoken word artist Sonya Renee Taylor.
TSB Bank and Todd Energy present
WOMAD New Zealand
The Worlds Festival
15-17 March 2019 | Pukekura Park / Brooklands | New Plymouth
Tickets are on sale now from WOMAD New Zealand.
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