WOMAD

• 

  Hello! Great festival! Music amazing! Not enough performance art/installations etc. Not much dance either in the World Music and Dance festival. Kids field not too great compared to others'. Too polarized towards crafts and aimed at younger kids only. Would like to see a larger area with alot more varied stuff. La Di Da loos a waste of money - too many mens toilets and not enough womens (men take shorter time to 'go' and didn't need so many of them), really should have showers in there also at that price, also so far from main arena so no use throughout the day. Molly's bar was curiously situated on the camping side of the festival and also near the family camping. This is bizarre as it's noisy late into the wee small hours, better placed on the other side of the main arena away from the camping areas. Thanks for keeping the loo's stocked with loo roll and keeping the site relatively litter free. Friendly staff. Extortionate food as always at festivals ;) but good range.

  Posted on 31-Jul-2012 2:30pm by WildElly

• 

  I left tired, happy and emotional. We had a great Womad, as always. The only thing that I found disappointing was the sound in the Big Red Tent. Way too much bass. Did the sound tech have a hearing malfunction? Tried to watch Damien Dempsey but gave up when the bass bins started to distort. After that I avoided the place altogether. My daughter and her boyfriend tried to catch The Portico Quartet there but had the same problem. Exceedingly poor, especially when the other stages had such excellent sound.
  See you all next year.

  Posted on 31-Jul-2012 2:47pm by Cedartower

• 

  Another fantastic Womad and a year for new discoveries. The loo and litter attendants did a great job as did the security staff. Would love to see Johnny Kalsi back as MC next year, the guy has amazing stage presence (who else could have gate crashed Khaled's set?)

  Posted on 31-Jul-2012 3:00pm by Kora Kora

• 

  POSITIVES-

  The Manganiyar Seduction by Roysten Abel - possibly the most amazing show that I have ever seen!

  Robert Plant
  Robert Kwese Johnson & Dennis Bovel Dub Band (seems like ages ago!)
  Peatbogs
  Ska Cubano

  Toilets!!!!! brilliant

  The weather!!! (who wants mud on holiday??)

  NEGATIVES

  Beer price increase of 60p per pint although I do understand why this happened. I always take plenty of beer with me so I just drank my own however as a real ale drinker I prefer a proper pint. Now, when WOMAD prevents everybody from taking their own ale into the arena then I'm afraid that I will have to look for a cheaper holiday.

  The security and policing tactics do not show much understanding of the festival. I didn't suffer personally but for the first time it was noticable to me. I don't like targeting certain sections of the audience or stereotyping people.

  Apart from that, what a great weekend!

  Posted on 31-Jul-2012 3:24pm by Shellovski

• 

  Oh, what a fabulous weekend. Superb music, facilities, food, etc. A heartfelt thanks to the folk who kept the loos clean and stocked - magicians all of you. One suggestion for next year - could Womad put more sheltered spaces in the main arena? It would be good to be able to eat and watch the world go by under cover - either from the rain or the sun. I've been to another (not so good) festival that does this and it's a good spot to meet up with friends, as well as an area for the performance art to do their stuff.

  Posted on 31-Jul-2012 3:46pm by Rosied

• 

  While I don't agree with all the comments Redleg and Drifter have posted- Friday was far too hot and the fence around the Stepford village would have been to keep us riffraff out. Mr Buzz and myself found that the smell at Frankley served well as to mask the smell emenating from our parties bodies- (particularly the guys) none of us having washed properly for several days ofcourse. We both felt that, infact, Frankley had performed a small kind of public service and should be commended.

  Posted on 31-Jul-2012 3:59pm by Buzzard

• 

  Another wonderful WOMAD, although I was only completely blown away by a couple of acts this year (Manganiyar Seduction and Ska Cubano). I am totally indifferent to famous rock stars playing WOMAD, but find it a good opportunity to get a bite to eat and visit the fun fair.
  Positives:-
  - all the music on Sunday ( apart from Robert Plant)
  -Almost litter free site ( apart from Robert Plant set )
  -Amazing loos - only had to Q once all w/e ( again, thanks to Robert Plant)
  -Wonderful happy smiling people
  -the weather
  - the new Seats under the tulips
  - lights in the arboretum at night - beautiful
  The children's parade (but why the shortened route - it was hard to get near it this year)
  Negatives :-
  - Big thumbs down to the new radio 3 stage - normally my favourtie stage, I gave up on this after Friday. Stage too low, artists too far back and invisible if they were seated, barrier totally unnecessary, and sited even further away from other stages meaning getting too and from took even longer than usual.
  - The horrendous BASS in Big REd tent - audible even from open air stage, and made conversation as far away as the Madras cafe a challenge
  - anyone over 6 foot tall ( I think they should all be corralled into an area to the left of the audience so us shorties can have a chance!! )(only joking )
  And why no visit from the red arrows this year??? They could have popped in after visiting the Olympics on Friday!

  Posted on 31-Jul-2012 4:12pm by Izzywizzy

• 

  Promise this will be the final Frankley reference from us, but Mr Buzz insists I post his observations dedicated to his Womad buddies Redleg and Drifter- "The all pervading odour at Frankley services was reminscent of festival toilets in their hey day, a heady cacophony of sounds, sights and smells, pretty much entirely absent from Womad 2012; although I did visit one cubicle where someone had made dainty hand prints in faeces smeared on the rear wall; presumably for decorative purposes".

  Posted on 31-Jul-2012 4:39pm by Buzzard

• 

  Supposed to be working but keep being distracted by thoughts of a fantastic weekend. Great music, great people, great weather, great food. Highlights for me the incredible Manganiyar Seduction, the bonkers Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra, Femi Kuti and Ska Cubano, despite Natty Bo struggling with poor sound.
  Toilets always clean, no queues and arena spotlessly tidy, campsite less so - come on folks, there's plenty of bin bags and the most comprehensive recycling I've seen anywhere.
  Radio 3 stage spoiled by high impenetrable barrier that meant people at the front had to stand up to see anything, so everyone else had to stand too, even during very chilled afternoon sessions. What was it there for - mosh pit?
  Wish I could have stayed up later - despite camping unintentionally close to Molly's bar, I slept through all the late night fun and frolics - I'm such a lightweight these days...

  Posted on 31-Jul-2012 4:46pm by Outercircle21

• 

  I don't know if anybody remembers the River Stage at Rivermeade but I have fond memories of sitting there in the sun experiencing some great, if little known, acts.. The stage was a few inches high and NO barrier. So either get rid of the totally unnecessary barrier at the new R3 and raise the stage, or move back to the old spot, but lower the stage a little. Howzat

  Posted on 31-Jul-2012 4:47pm by Retrac

You need to be logged in and have a forum nickname to add a reply