Hopefully all those we know who were at WOMAD this year will write a little something and show a piccie or 2…here’s mine to start…..
One of my favourite bits of WOMAD last year was the workshops so I was detemined to get to one this year. I picked out the Brassroots session as one that looked promising and after a morning of making hats with the kids, made my way over. I arrived an hour early (my body clock was all over the place) so joined in with the Caribean keet fit class run by Ripton Lindsay which was great fun. Lee and the kids joined me at Brassroots and we sat near the back enjoying the shade.
The band leader was from New Orleans and was the coolest dude! There was a short talk about the history of Brass Bands and how it’s the peoples music before they treated us to a Dixieland version of ‘I wanna be like you’ which was just wonderful. “Can any of the kids tell me which film that’s from?” Sally’s hand shot up “That cute little girl back ther…” and before he could finish, Sally was off her seat and running to the front “Well, you certainly knew who I meant!” and Sally got a sticker and a copy of their CD.
They’d asked people to bring instruments along “Cos you ain’t a real Brass band if people bring along their instuments and you don’t let them join in”. The did a version of the Skatalites ‘Occupation’ and let everyone with a horn/sax/clarinet do a solo. There was one little lad who went back a second time but without his horn and to everyones suprise, he started doing beatbox sounds “You never know what will happen when you give the mike away!”. Misirlou was another highlight – they just nailed it each time.
We had to take the kids back to the tent for food and missed the start of their main set on the Charlie Gillett stage – we got there as they were doing ‘Blue Monday’ and they finished on a rousing version of the Eurythmics ‘Sweet Dreams’ which got everyone jumping.
Slegde and I also got to see them at their 1am show at Molly’s Bar where they opened with ‘Let’s Dance’ and had the same effect as everywhere else – big smiles and happy dancing feet. Guys – consider me your official Stalker – COME TO LEEDS!!!!!!
Bob the Chiropodist