News broke of sell-out single and multi-day passes for 2023 WOMADelaide in the weeks ahead of the March long weekend.
Add perfect weather, a stellar line-up, and crowds hungry for a return to full-blown festival perfection and WOMADelaide in 2023 was set to be bigger than ever.Wandering through the gate on Friday (10 March) the dual banjos of Bela Fleck and Abigail Washburn, accompanied by the chatter of Adelaide's colony of grey-headed flying foxes, welcomed us to the site.
The chilled vibe and small crowd under towering trees were a tempting start to the weekend, but Norwegian alt-pop songstress Aurora had one show only and it had already begun.
A massive audience had gathered in the late afternoon sun to enjoy a shot of positivity and quirk – and Aurora delivered. Her gorgeous voice soared as she moved and danced and took the crowd along with her, setting an uplifted and happy tone, with excellent renditions of 'Runaway' and 'The Seed' receiving enraptured cheers.
Aurora - image © Mike Lockheart
On to Gratte Ciel's 'Place des Anges', with eyes to the skies a troupe of cheeky angels strutted and bounced, zipped and played above our heads, spilling soft, white, duck feathers into the air to float on the breeze.
The number of feathers grew from handfuls, to bucketloads, to canons, turning the sky into a snowdome-like fantasy. The immersive experience creating pure joy, writ large on everyone's faces as they smiled, danced, and grabbed armfuls of feathers to throw into the air.
From that exuberance it was time to sit down and let a different magic take hold as Bangarra Dance Theatre performed 'Terrain', a meditation on the changing landscape and seasons of Kati Thanda (Lake Eyre), exploring connection to country, environmental protection, and land rights.
Time dissolved as dancers moved like liquid across the stage in front of a subtly changing backdrop that reflected the scars and colours of the seasons. Each time I see this company it leaves me lifted and inspired, and this was no exception.
Gratte Ciel - image © Mike Lockheart
Bon Iver's return to Adelaide after a 12-year break was hotly anticipated, with a career-spanning set that leaned into the synth laden, technical aspects of their craft.
Syncopated drumbeats from two kits onstage were overlaid with synthesisers and Justin Vernon's vocals, which dropped to a growl and rose like an angel. Lighting was perfectly orchestrated for emphasis and mood throughout.
Highlights 'Hey Ma' and 'Blood Bank' filled my cup, and 'Skinny Love' had the entire crowd singing along. A special way to round out day one.
Arriving on Saturday afternoon (11 March) with a bag packed full of food so nothing could get in the way of my listening pleasure, I was immediately greeted by the rolling melodies of Pandit Roni Majumdar's bansuri flute and Dr Jayanthi Kumaresh's saraswarthi veena, accompanied by Arjun Kumar on mridangam.
Their Indian songs floated across the seated crowd with increasingly complex rhythms through their set, creating a mediative and energised space.
On the Moreton Bay stage, Gunditjmara elder Richard J Frankland and his band brought songs of First Nations experience to the stage. His storytelling between songs was woven with seriousness and humour, engaging with the crowd, and bringing us into his art-warrior message.
Richard J Frankland - image © Mike Lockheart
The shamanic funk and pop colours of Korea's ADG7 (Ak Dan Gwang Chil) were next up on the Foundation stage, performing folk songs on traditional instruments that at times broke out into energetic dance rhythms. It was a fun time in the sun to jump around with an appreciative crowd.
The crowd gathered for The Proclaimers had over-filled the area front of stage, so we dropped back to sit under Luke Jerram's floating 7-metre earth, Gaia, as the brothers braved the searing late afternoon sun to play a jam-packed hour of music.
There was little banter, but excellent harmonies as they played a tight set, holding their popular hits, 'I'm On My Way' and 'I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)', until the end to elicit a huge dance and sing-along that I'm sure could be heard in all corners of the park.
At the start of the day, Balaklava Blues wasn't on my schedule, but when their driving drums and deep bass rumbled through the site, I couldn't resist the call.
Two balaclava-clad men astride bass drums bookmarked singer Marichka Marczyk, performing songs of resistance, loss, and war. The Ukranian-Canadian group gave it all they had, bringing powerful energy and a rallying cry for support and solidarity.
The Proclaimers - image © Mike Lockheart
While in previous years, traversing the site to see back-to-back performances in the programme was a bit of a squeeze, but still doable, this time around it was near impossible.
Snaking toilet and food queues, and a press of bodies moving towards the Foundation stage made finding the way back to my group's base in anticipation of Florence + The Machine a lesson in patience and staying positive. The compromise of moving early to find a good spot is new for WOMADelaide, and a pay-off for hugely popular headline acts.
Once settled and able to see, it was time to simply let the music flow over us and let every note from Florence Welch evoke goosebumps, hitting a tone and resonance that spoke right to your soul as she danced across the stage, serenading the crowd.
'King' and 'Ship To Wreck' were early highlights, 'Dog Days Are Over' sung loud by the crowd, and the double-whammy of 'Shake It Out' and 'Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up)' a perfect encore to an ethereal performance. Was it worth a bit of discomfort and compromise? I say yes.
Sunday (12 March) felt like a calmer space after the intensity of the crowd from previous days. There was more space and a slower pace, despite it being another sold-out day.
Kronos Quartet were my starting point and an ideal choice, as the group are celebrating their 50th anniversary and treating audiences to their greatest hits on the way. I sat back from the stage for the first half of their performance, but couldn't resist a move forward as they were joined by Iranian singer Mahsa Vahdat.
Kronos Quartet - image © Mike Lockheart
Her mellow voice blended with the quartet's strings to perform songs from their joint album, 'Placeless', that were straight from the heart and so powerful they brought me to tears.
Needing to rise from the mellow emotions, I moved on seeking energy and it's exactly what I found in the form of Fantastic Negrito. Bombastic and fun, he's a living force for soul and funk with non-stop, cool swagger.
Wearing bright yellow pants and a huge white hat suited to the direct glare of the sun, he didn't let up with excellent music that had everyone dancing throughout and referenced everything from Hendrix-style guitar blues to slapping funk.
Another lap of the site brought me to the mesmerising sounds of San Salvador, a group of six singers, accompanied by two drums, a tambourine and hand claps. Hypnotic rounds of a cappella created an engaging cacophony, rising to build frenetic energy then slowing right down to give spaces of peace and quiet.
After that I was happy to wait for Sampa The Great, who took to the stage dressed in white, with long hair cascading down her back, grooving to Zambian rhythms with her excellent band.
From growling raps to soaring vocals, it was a flawless, confident, energetic, and captivating performance to a packed crowd. Highlights in a brilliant set were 'Let Me Be Great' and 'Freedom'.
Meute - image © Mike Lockheart
Techno marching band, Meute were highly recommended by everyone who caught their mid-afternoon Saturday spot, and I was not disappointed.
On a stage of raised platforms the 11-strong band were a picture in red uniforms with spectacular instruments including baritone and tenor saxophones, marimba, snare and bass drums, trumpets, and a massive sousaphone.
The result was a non-stop dance party with excellent covers of Royksopp's 'What Else Is There' and AWOLnation's 'Sail' getting everyone bouncing. It was such a WOMADelaide-unique experience clubbing on the grass with young and old.
Thinking I had left everything on the dance floor it was a surprise to get a second (heck, after three days let's call it seventh) wind as we walked towards the exit and landed in front of Nightmares On Wax playing a set of grooving techno. A great way to finish the night and literally dance 'til we dropped.
Monday (13 March) is usually my favourite day of the WOMADelaide weekend, with smaller crowds and everyone there having found the slow-down groove that makes a more peaceful atmosphere.
I relaxed into it, finding a spot to lie on the grass and let the gorgeous voice of Ria Hall wash over me. Her beautiful sound, dub-laden music, and reflections on the importance of land, custodianship, and connection in te reo Maori and English were a tonic.
Angel Olsen - image © Mike Lockheart
A highlight of my afternoon was Angel Olsen, who stepped up on stage wearing a blue boiler suit and sunglasses, opening with 'Dream Thing' and introducing her captivating voice to the crowd.
I was so happy to finally hear the resonant beauty of her sound live on stage. Cello and violin, plus beautiful back-up harmonies, highlighted the mood of her songs of heartbreak, love and more.
Olsen relaxed and joked throughout, saying she'd written 'Shut Up Kiss Me' just 15 minutes before coming on stage, and asking if anyone had a handy pool for a dip. Ending on a cover of Badfinger's 'Without You' was a nice touch with the crowd singing along, but it was her original work that left me wishing I could hear more.
Taiaha Ngawiki drew me to the Zoo stage for the first time over the weekend, as he performed powerful, soulful hip hop that at times veered from reggae dub to energetic swing and back, always with strong lyrics and high energy.
It was lovely to be among a crowd watching an artist who could as easily blow up the main stage as command a dedicated mid-afternoon crew. There's no doubt Taiaha's on his way.
Floating on to the quiet beauty of the Moreton Bay stage where Nakhane was performing a beautiful set. Their soaring and soulful vocals accompanied by subtle synths and drums soundtracked another chance to lie back on the grass, watch the sky, and simply be within the space.
Soul II Soul - image © Mike Lockheart
It was great to relax before powerhouse dance legends, Soul II Soul stepped on the Foundation stage.
Led by the cool, calm Jazzie B, and the vocal brilliance of Caron Wheeler and Charlotte Kelly, they played a swathe of classics, including highlights 'Keep On Moving', 'Back To Life (However Do You Want Me)' and a great cover of 'Nothing Compares 2U'.
It was a masterclass in sustained grooves, soaring vocals, smooth moves, and creating a vibe.
I had best intentions to get in early for Genesis Owusu and the Black Dog Band, for their massive party vibe, artful delivery and energy that is through the roof. But a packed crowd had got the message and filled the space.
From side of stage, it was great to see Genesis owning it with his trademark swagger and crowd-commanding power. The band flowed through a fun set that got everyone grooving to disco soul-infused 'WUTD' and 'Waiting On Ya', head-banging to 'Black Dogs / Don't See Colour', shouting along to 'GTFO', finishing on a perfect note with 'Good Times'. It was a great way to end the weekend.
Genesis Owusu - image © Mike Lockheart
WOMADelaide certainly went large in 2023, with crowding placing pressure on facilities at times, creating long waits for toilets and food. The situation improved through the event, but the jolt back to full capacity could be overwhelming and took an adjustment in attitude and acceptance.
That said, it remains a wonderful festival, bringing world-class performers, excellence in staging and lighting, engaging activations, art, food and market stalls into an inclusive and welcoming space.
Overall, the essence remained and WOMADelaide was once again a highlight of the year.
