WOMADelaide 2024
Review: Jess Bendle
Review
During Adelaide’s festival season, attendees are accustomed to enduring the scorching sun. However, this year, the 2024 WOMADelaide festival surprised everyone with temperatures soaring to a sweltering 40 degrees for the entire weekend. Nevertheless, despite the heat, the spirit of WOMADelaide persevered as music enthusiasts from far and wide converged in Adelaide’s Botanic Park to revel in Australia’s largest celebration of world music, art, food, and culture.
One of the primary concerns of the event was the welfare of the park’s bat population. Organisers ingeniously installed sprinklers high among the treetops to cool the creatures. Despite these efforts, Stage 7 was unexpectedly shut down for a significant portion of the event due to being nestled among the trees where the bats typically congregated. The festival organisers did their best to ensure that the show would go on, albeit with some schedule adjustments. Attendees remained undeterred by the relentless heat, although there was perhaps a bit more lounging on the grass under trees than dancing in the sunshine as the crowd took in the wonderfully diverse and entertaining program of performers, workshops, and panels from across the globe.
Saturday at WOMADelaide showcased a myriad of musical acts across the festival’s eight stages. Among them was Naarm-based artist Mo'Ju, whose performance on Stage 3 served as a soulful prelude to an afternoon celebrating musical and cultural diversity. Amidst the trees, a significant portion of the crowd chose to sit back and watch the show while a devoted cohort flocked to the stage to enjoy Mo’Ju’s set, which commenced with Money off their latest album. Throughout their performance, Mo’Ju acknowledged the weightiness of their lyrics, stating, “I know it’s early in the day, but anxiety is sort of my vibe,” before delving into their song The Future which we learn was written for their child, and addresses the complex topic of our world's future. Yet, as the temperature soared to forty degrees, it was hard not to resonate with this very poignant theme. Mo’Ju concluded the set with a mix of older and newer tracks, such as the phenomenal Native Tongue and Money.
On the Foundation stage, amidst the hottest hour of the day, Moonlight Benjamin captivated the audience with her unbridled, glorious, and unique sound and energy. Having also conducted a workshop for WOMADelaide focused on her spiritual and healing traditions as a Haitian vodou priestess, Benjamin exuded raw vitality and power beyond her impressive vocalisations in Creole, emoting with her entire being as she traversed the stage. Dressed all in black with a black veil, Benjamin cast an enigmatic figure on the stage, delivering a stunning performance for a festival setting that was sure to ensnare many new fans.
Later in the afternoon, British singer Hollie Cook brought her breezy, upbeat reggae-pop onto Stage 3 for a welcome injection of summery, beachy fun. Her eager fans were greeted with smiles as she burst out and launched into Postman. She followed up with That Very Night before pausing to introduce herself. Throughout her set, Cook interspersed charming banter with some of her most well-known numbers, such as Milk & Honey, and newer songs like Kush Kween.
One of the most anticipated performers of the day was José González, who graced the Foundation Stage to commemorate the twentieth anniversary of his first album, Veneer. It was a delightful treat to witness the Swedish singer revisit such an iconic album. Songs like Storm and Heartbeats resonated with the crowd who watched quietly, enthralled by the ethereal way González’s guitar and voice reverberated throughout the park. Deadweight on Velveteen transitioned seamlessly yet strikingly from soft to loud, showcasing González’s prowess as a guitarist. We were also treated to some hauntingly beautiful cover songs which González has a particular knack for, such as Joy Division’s Love Will Tear Us Apart and a mesmerising rendition of Massive Attack’s Teardrop, a testament to the singer’s ability to make these songs his own.
Later on Stage 3, Mexico’s punk-folk five-piece Son Rompe Pera brought a completely different energy that almost defies description, except to say that they are a wonderful live act. Featuring heavily the marimba and a range of percussion, they offer the unique marriage of lively folk music performed with the gusto of a hardcore punk band. They closed out Stage 3 for the night and left the crowd reeling from their lively party atmosphere.
Monday brought another steamy hot day full of excellent music, including San Diego’s Three Sacred Souls. Singer Josh Lane bounded out onto the stage and launched into the soulful, doo-wop number Overflowing. Lane casually flashed warm and wide smiles to those who were dancing at the front barrier. He dedicated his song Love is the Way to anyone in the audience who believes in real love “…like peace and freedom for all.” Love is a common theme throughout this set, and the band definitely won many hearts by the end of their set.
Angélique Kidjo’s late addition to the festival lineup was an exciting and welcome surprise. A legendary figure in world music, the West African singer delivered a set that showcased her exceptional cross-genre musical talent, from her cover of Talking Heads’ Crosseyed and Painless to the powerful Africa, One of a Kind and the infectious rhythms of Agolo. With sixteen albums to her name, Kidjo’s WOMADelaide set only scratched the surface of the amazing variety her live performance can deliver.
British band Morcheeba made their debut appearance in Adelaide later in the evening on the Foundation Stage, having missed out on visiting the city when they toured Australia twenty years back. Yet, radiant singer Skye Edwards promised to take the audience back to 1996 with their slow groove Never An Easy Way. The whole band exuded infectious energy, engaging with the crowd with lighthearted banter, but Edwards really captivated with her wild energy, resplendent in a sunset-orange dress. Morcheeba treated the audience to excellent renditions of their most beloved tracks, including a serene sing-along with The Sea, which saw a serendipitous moment where a huge flock of birds flew overhead during the song prompting Edwards to point and laugh in delight. The crowd danced and clapped along to a delightful rendition of David Bowie’s Let’s Dance, and the band’s Millennial hit Rome Wasn’t Built in a Day.
As attendees bid farewell to the blazing Adelaide sun, there was a sense of sadness as the end of another incredible festival, but also anticipation for next year’s WOMADelaide festival and the musical and artistic treasures it promises to bring.
