Capacity crowd expected at WOMADelaide

Mar 06, 2015

A perfect weather forecast is expected to draw more than 80,000 world music fans to WOMADelaide this weekend, with headliners including Sinead O’Connor, Rufus Wainwright and the Buena Vista Social Club.

Festival director Ian Scobie says ticket sales for the four-day festival in Botanic Park are on a par with the same time last year.

“I would expect we’ll have a really great crowd over the weekend.

“It’s going to be the most perfect weather [fine, mid-20 degrees] that I can remember in a while, so I wouldn’t be surprised if we get to a capacity crowd.”

Tickets are still available for every day of the festival, with Scobie anticipating total crowds of more than 80,000. Around 85,000 people attend the 2014 WOMADelaide.

Tonight will open with Indigenous ensemble The Painted Ladies performing on the main stage at 6pm. Other opening-night acts include the Buena Vista Sessions, Canadian singer-songwriter Rufus Wainwright, desert-blues guitarist Bombino and Japanese death-jazz group Soil and “Pimp” Sessions.

Scobie says Wainwright is one of several strong headliners expected to drive single-day ticket purchases this year, with others including Irish singer Sinead O’Connor (right), who will perform one show only on Monday, and the Buena Vista Social Club, performing on Saturday.

“[Senegalese musician] Youssou N’Dour is also an absolute superstar and his performance will be unmissable … he’s bringing a really big band with a fantastic sound of contemporary African music.”

Scobie’s other must-see recommendations include Italian acoustic ensemble Canzoniere Grecanico Salentino, Brooklyn-based band Balkan Beat Box, and Mali kora player Toumani Diabate (below) performing with his son Sidiki.

He says another highlight will be the artist-in-conversation session and performance featuring Gotye (Wally De Backer), Arnhem Land musicians Bärra and Yolngu Elder Djalu Gurruwiwi.

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“And I’m looking forward to seeing Julia Henning from Adelaide – it’s great to have a lesser-known artist and one from our own town.”

Other acts performing over the weekend include Swedish-born singer-songwriter Neneh Cherry, South African jazz pianist Abdullah Ibrahim, Irish band The Gloaming, reggae-roots group Mista Savona, Brazilian samba-reggae singer Flavia Coelho, South Korean post-rock/world music group Jambinai, Australia’s Tjintu Desert Band, Kiwi show Live Live Cinema, and toy piano player Margaret Leng Tan.