The 2021 version of WOMADelaide, reimagined as a special series of four sunset concerts given current COVID guidelines, will be headlined by iconic rockers Midnight Oil and 2020 Double J Artist Of The Year and 2020 ARIA Hall Of Fame inductee Archie Roach.
After regular consultations with SA Health, the festival's producers have pivoted from WOMADelaide's traditional format of four days of entertainment across seven stages to present four unique concerts (5-8 March).Midnight Oil, who broke an 18-year drought between studio records when they released 'The Makarrata Project' in October, will headline two of the four concerts, performing a 'classic set' of their back catalogue on the Saturday evening.
The Oils will then present the official world premiere of Makarrata Live on the Monday night, featuring prominent First Nations artists in a unique concert presentation of songs from 'The Makarrata Project' as well as classic Oils songs that revolve around themes of Indigenous reconciliation.
"We're pleased and excited to be renewing our connection with WOMADelaide with these two very different shows," frontman Peter Garrett says, the Oils last playing WOMADelaide in 1997.
"It's an event with which our band has had a long and strong connection.
"Lots of the songs which have struck the deepest chords with our audiences over the years, like 'Beds Are Burning', 'Jimmy Sharman's Boxers', 'The Dead Heart' and 'Truganini', revolve around Indigenous issues, so we're particularly inspired to be playing a special set for Makarrata Live that combines older songs like those with newer songs that share similar lyrical themes."
In what will be his seventh appearance at WOMADelaide, 2020 Victorian Of The Year Archie Roach earlier this year released 'The Songs Of Charcoal Lane', a re-imagining of the heart-wrenching songs from his 1990 debut album 'Charcoal Lane', and these songs will be the nucleus of his WOMADelaide performance.
"We are delighted to once again welcome back Midnight Oil and, for a record seventh appearance, Archie Roach to WOMADelaide next year," WOMADelaide Director, Ian Scobie says.
"2020 has been a year of extraordinary challenges, but in being able to present artists of the stature of Midnight Oil and Archie Roach, along with all the artists announced today for our reconfigured event, we are certain that WOMADelaide will truly be unmissable over the festival long weekend next March."
With Archie Roach set to headline the Friday concert, he'll be joined by singer-songwriter Lior and Australian composer Nigel Westlake, accompanied by a 54-piece Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, performing 'Compassion' – which draws from Judaism and Islam to present a collection of profound and poetic messages surrounding the idea of compassion between human beings.
Rounding out the first night will be Sarah Blasko, who celebrates the tenth anniversary and re-issue of her 2011 album, 'As Day Follows Night'. The album saw Blasko take out Triple J Album Of The Year and the ARIA for Female Artist Of The Year.
Joining Midnight Oil on the Saturday will be country, gospel, reggae, R&B, soul and blues sister duo Vika & Linda Bull; while soulful blues outfit The Teskey Brothers (who won the 2020 ARIA for Best Blues & Roots Album) join the Oils for the Monday concert.
The Sunday concert will feature Tash Sultana, who'll be fresh off releasing her new album 'TERRA FIRMA' that's due in February, performing with her full live band.
Tash will share the stage with recent queen of the ARIAs, Sampa The Great who scored three awards: Best Female Artist, Best Independent Release and Best Hip Hop Release. Sampa also features on Baker Boy's current single 'Better Days'.
"WOMADelaide is an iconic event for South Australia and a great driver of visitation at the heart of our State's renowned festival season, and we are thrilled to see it proceeding with such a stellar line-up in this reinvented COVID-safe format of the Sunset Concert series," Rodney Harrex, CEO South Australian Tourism Commission, says.
General public tickets will be available from 9am ACDT on 11 December.
WOMADelaide 2021 Sunset Concert Series Line-up
Fri 5 Mar - Archie Roach, Sarah Blasko, Lior & Nigel Westlake and The Adelaide Symphony OrchestraSat 6 Mar - Midnight Oil, Vika & Linda Ball
Sun 7 Mar - Tash Sultana, Sampa The Great
Mon 8 Mar - Midnight Oil & First Nations Collaborators: Makarrata Live, The Teskey Brothers
