Another hot weekend beckoned for WOMADelaide 2025, with Adelaide's Botanic Park in beautiful condition for the festival (7-10 March).
Long, green grass under foot and gloriously tall, shady trees created a welcoming space, despite temperatures in the mid-30s.A mid-afternoon Saturday set from Mariza set the tone for International Women's Day, with the Portuguese fado sensation's powerful voice reaching the entrance gate, beckoning us in with energy and humour as she elicited a sing-along from an adoring crowd.
An impressive PVC pipe instrument played with thongs set a percussive base for Nana Benz du Togo's 'digital voodoo' blend of synth, vocals and drums, creating a dance frenzy. Next, Brazilian group Bala Desejo's eclectic, disco-soul sounds and exceptional musicianship brought sunshine fun to the afternoon with gorgeous harmonies and huge smiles. They were a great surprise and their joy was infectious.
Mariza - image © Jack Fenby
I'd eagerly anticipated Ngaiire's return to the WOMADelaide stage, as she premiered new show 'PAIA', exploring her experience as a Papua New Guinean Australian woman in five acts: Rupture; Thirst; Savour; Burn; Return. Each had a distinct style, costuming and feel, and were beautifully realised.
With the help of a troupe of dancers, excellent backing singers, and a tight as hell band, Ngaiire delivered a journey of song, art, and an emotional roller coaster. A shady spot beckoned to watch 'The Light Inside' by Bangarra Dance Theatre, a powerfully wrought collaboration between Māori choreographer Moss Te Ururangi Patterson and Bangarra alumna Deborah Brown. The athleticism, power and grace of these dancers always leave me in breathless awe, and this was no exception.
If I could hire a band to play at a significant occasion, Gorgan Bregovic & His Wedding & Funeral Band would be top of the list. With high Baltic energy, fun quips, dancing and as much fun onstage as in the audience, they got everyone bouncing and smiling.
Gorgan Bregovic - image © Saige Prime
Capping off an amazing day of music, Roisin Murphy saw the raised bar and smashed it. The Irish synthpop artist was captivating from start to end, with trademark purring vocals, endless costume changes, and smart use of onstage video bringing the crowd closer than comfortable.
Ticking off re-worked Moloko favourites alongside her solo tracks, it was a performance beyond anticipation. One of my all-time favourite shows.
A slow start on Sunday began in the shade of the sprawling trees around the Moreton Bay stage as a cappella group, The Joy serenaded us with glorious harmonies and positive vibes. Walking around the park, it's not just music that captivates.
Roisin Murphy - image © Saige Prime
Art is everywhere: from the ever-present flags that wave in the breeze bringing colour to every space; a corner dedicated to the art of letter writing; children taking part in Evelyn Roth's Grand parade, dressed as a myriad of glowing animals; the emergence of 'Ilotopie', boldly painted humans sporadically throughout the site; and the audience creating their own moments with freedom of expression through clothing and costume, fairy lights and more.
One of the most striking roving experiences was Chamoh, a giant camel, brought to life by French puppeteers Compagnie Paris Bénarès who ride, push and move the animal to stride through the festival, stopping to nibble at trees and nuzzle passers-by.
With bombastic confidence and a staunch power, Miss Kaninna is a young performer who has leaned into taking up space and speaking up for Indigenous rights and women. Her late afternoon set delivered visceral hip hop and glorious, soul-infused sounds amongst personal anecdotes and calls to action.
Ilotopie - image © Samuel Graves
Grabbing a plate of delicious food from the multitude of vendors is one of the simple pleasures of WOMADelaide, as they represent a global village of flavours. The hardest part is deciding on just one. Throughout the weekend I enjoyed Jamaican jerk chicken, a vegan curry Hari Krishna feast, Vietnamese bao and dumplings, nachos loaded with guacamole and jalapeños, and a late-night acai fruit bowl of goodness. Yum!
Reggae vibes go well with a meal, and Protoje & The Indiggnation were firing up the Foundation stage with a soulful, jazz-infused bounce to accompany the setting sun. Sitting well back from the dusty crowd, it was still easy to see the stage and let the music wash over me.
In a far corner of the festival site a circular, wooden structure was built, with a flight of stairs around one side and a trampoline in the centre. It was the setting for 'The Unreachable Suspension Point'.
The work by Yoann Bourgeois Art Company was beautifully simple, but finely choreographed. Radiohead's 'Daydreaming' soundtracked four performers moving around the revolving structure while climbing stairs, falling and bouncing, creating a mesmerising experience.
Chamoh - image © Jack Fenby
Yemi Alade isn't just the Queen of Afrobeat, she's a goddess. Wrapping up the night on the Foundation stage, Alande wore a glittering outfit, and accompanied by two dancers and an excellent band, she enraptured the audience with a set of percussive fun.
The thunderous drums of O.Ta.I.Ko Za Myojin, led by renowned Japanese percussionist, Yoichi Watanabe, welcomed us to the final festival day, sharing energy and excitement and exceptional precision.
Commenting on how bloody hot it was, Emily Wurramara brought a breath of fresh, fun air in the beating sun. It was surprising to hear her songs, which I'd anticipated would be low key and beautiful, absolutely rocking the stage, with blistering guitar solos and passionate vocals that ranged from a whisper to a scream. So much fun!
An epic saxophone intro set the scene as Digable Planets took to the Foundation stage to teach a lesson in old-school jazz-infused hip hop. The audience was welcomed "to the world of jazz, rap, soul, peace and love," and held there for an hour of sweet beats and good vibes.
Digable Planets - image © Morgan Sette
If you'd never considered praying before, you may have reconsidered as Queen Omega taught a rapt audience how to sing their prayers, reggae style. Rocking a vocal that belted out 'Swing Low, Sweet Chariot' with a detour through dancehall and back, her passion and power was undeniable and had the crowd jumping.
From jumping to jigging, it's the change of pace that only WOMADelaide can deliver; Scottish band Talisk was next on the Zoo stage. There's something undeniable about a classical violin bent to the energy of a folk tune. Add a concertina and a guitar, and you get the biggest crowd on the smallest stage caught in its magic.
In need of a little lie-down, I found a grassy patch back from the crowd to let Shabaka's rollicking jazz improvisations roll over me as I regained energy for the last moments of a big, hot, long weekend.
Giant, white arches had sprouted on the Foundation stage, creating an impressive backdrop for psychedelic, Texan funksters Khruangbin. With their trademark global groove and hypnotic jams, the three-piece didn't let the huge crowd stop moving in a perfect finale to a fabulous weekend.
Khruangbin - image © Saige Prime
Over my many years attending, it's been interesting to see the ebbs and flows of audiences and artists at WOMADelaide. This year's event had a perfect mix of known and unknown, discovery and exploration, art and activation, but it also felt like this year there were fewer people through the gate.
Whether that is a sign of cost-of-living pressures, a reaction to increased ticket prices, or simply the heat, it's hard to tell. For those of us who went, it meant easy access to toilets, quick food service, no problem getting front and centre for the acts we wanted to see.
It's one of the best festivals in the world and worth sharing, so I hope organisers continue to get the balance right and encourage new audiences to discover the magic that happens every March long weekend here in Adelaide.
