JB’s Blog – Day 4
Day 4 of Womadelaide is here and after 4 or so years of working on our broadcast at the festival I always walk away with many lessons. The artists that perform at this festival are so diverse and wonderful and the ones that I remember the most are those that have the courage, strength and drive to pursue their passion. Whether it be their musical, cultural, social or political passion – the artists that have the most effect are those that show the most passion for what they do.
The beauty in a festival like this is the opportunity to be challenged. You can hear and see things that you might not necessarily understand or even like, but you are given the opportunity to explore new sounds, sights and to challenge your perceptions of cultures. If this is done with passion and authenticity there is always something to learn from these experiences.
Womadelaide – here is my challenge to you. Never forget to challenge your audiences because it is in being challenged that we as a culture and as a global society can truly learn to grow.
Thank you Womadelaide for another beautiful, challenging and inspiring year. Now to go listen and see something new while I still can.
-JB
Cel’s Blog – My day 3 of Womad!
What an awesome day, the weather was nice and cool… the day started of with watching awesome sounds of Archie Roach, he sang songs written by his wife and soul mate Ruby Hunter.. The grounds were also alive with the beats of the parade cruising past the tent, I saw a man riding a giant monkey and the PNG dance group dropped into to say hello, as the sun was setting the Whitireia perfoming school of arts showed off their fine dancing skills to the crowd on stage 2..
Parrot Parade
Each year at Womadelaide the Kidzone becomes a platform for making costumes and huge puppets for a parade through the heart of Botanic Park. This year children and adults a like were parrots.
For more loads more photos of parade participants great and small click here
Phil’s blog – A crumpled yellow band…
As twilight approaches I find myself awaiting the stage one performance to finish and allow the Morten Bay stage to come to life underneath the Gladflys. I quickly look around to ensure my seat is protected. Protected that is from the fall of figs that un-gently rain-domly thump the earth as if the trees themselves are trying to pound out some sacred rhythm, if you slow it down with a video tape or something you can just make out there dance. I’m sure to them its some sort of gypsy, polka, salsa, jig that they love to break out each year at this time.
Whilst trying to imagine this dance I notice a tall raggedy but beautiful grey gum tree. It looks both healthy and happy in its contentment to the goings on around it even though it’s missing a gigantic limb half up its winding trunk. Surrounding this old fellow of the gardens is a multitude of fauna that is now all living together in a silent example of diversity, a reality that seems to envelope the whole festival and question why this is only possible for a week when the trees show us that it is indeed very possible. Oh the band has arrived…
Phil’s Blog – A little yellow band of….
An enormous weight is weaved into one little yellow Womad wrist band. The strip, seemingly anonymous, dangles on your arm for the four days that is the festival. Friday Morning whilst ripping off the adhesive patch and struggling to attach myself to it, the preminitions of pushing physical, gastronomical and mental states to their limits where quite overwhelming.
Yesterday’s set up went extremely smoothly until that decisive moment when just before we pressed go on the festival. We looked at each other with a thought of how great it was that we had rehearsed the setup a couple of days before… yep you have already guessed it, pleasure was severed as if it was simulating the phone line back to the station.
I could only watch as the pressure mounted on Don (Our technical coordinator) increasing exponentially like the swelling crowd as the festival opened. Tension started to spread across the radio staff as secrectly we all knew that without this 1mm wide copper wire the broadcast would never happen, these unspoken thoughts were palpable throughout. Don however slightly bent his knees and braced himself for the pressure of the Austraian audience. His poise cut through a multitude of telephone technical personnel to achieve the impossible dial tone. Who knows how he did it but thanks to him we are now live….
-Phil
JB’s Blog – Early highlights…
We’re sitting backstage right now listening to the sounds of Asa as we prepare for our first broadcast tonight. She’s got a stunning voice, but in her interview with Michelle Smith she told us how she almost never discovered her voice. Hear the story below:
Asa – Womadelaide 2011 LIVE! – Onsite interview
Our broadcast team have also been taking some great photos and video from around the festival. Check out our photos from Day 1:
Radio Adelaide Facebook – Womadelaide 2011 LIVE!
You can also already relive some of the music with our podcasts being updated regularly. Our online team particularly enjoyed the performance of Horace Andy & Dub Asante:
Horace Andy and Dub Asante – Womadelaide 2011 LIVE! – Live music performance
We’re barely scratching the surface here – lots of great interviews and performances to listen to and don’t forget – we broadcast LIVE tonight from Botanic Park 6.30pm local 7pm AEST. 101.5 FM in Adelaide and streaming online.
-JB
JB’s Blog – Recurring themes…
Tanya Tagaq (Canada) with Roger Holdsworth
Here at the Womadelaide LIVE! backstage tent we’ve already recorded a number of interviews with artists from this as they prepare to perform at the festival. I’ve already noticed a recurring theme throughout the interviews and it’s an extremely positive one. Many of these artists have made a clear choice in their lives to pursue their passions despite whatever their barriers might be. The barriers could be geographical, physical or even psychological, but each of these artists have decided to pursue a better life.
As Canada’s Tanya Tagaq joined us in the broadcast tent she had an instant presence that struck me. As she spoke to our presenter Roger she told us about her free flowing philosophies on performance and life. Her performances are challenging, inspiring and heavily influenced by their environment and context – She follows the ebb and flow of life. She made a particular point of the fact that her performances should absolutely enjoyed in their true context – Live and in the moment.
Which is a good point – while we aim to share with you the experience of this festival through this website it’s extremely hard to truly capture the atmosphere of an amazing performance. Even the best media makers in the world can struggle to authentically capture the essence of such a thing. I can only hope that we can give you at least a taste of these inspiring people and performers.
After meeting her in our backstage tent I can’t wait to see Tanya in action. She oozes with genuine energy and authenticity. I. Cannot. Wait. 
-JB
JB’s Blog – Womadelaide 2011 begins!
Hi, I’m JB – The online producer for Womadelaide 2011 LIVE! We’ve arrived on site and even though the gates aren’t even open yet we’re in full swing with a whole host of interviews already recorded. In my other role as our broadcast panel operator (I press all the fancy buttons) I’ve already heard some amazing stories from the likes of Amadou and Mariam, 17 Hippies and my new favourite Tanya Tagaq! Our podcast will be up soon of her interview – she’s LOVELY and a real laugh! I’m off to record another interview…better run
-JB
