Thirty years of pure magic: WOMADelaide greatest moments

Nathan Davies has attended every WOMADelaide festival since moving to Adelaide in 2007. These are his greatest moments (and a few he wished he’d experienced).

Nathan Davies has attended every Womad festival since moving to Adelaide in 2007. When he can get his children out of the Kid Zone he manages to catch some music. These are his greatest moments (and a few he wished he’d seen) .... in no particular order.

ANGELIQUE KIDJO, 2016

Speaking of world music legends, they don’t come much bigger than this musical queen from Benin who spreads pure joy through music. Her 2016 performance was no exception.

Angelique Kidjo (Benin) from 'Angelique Kidjo & the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra' at WOMADelaide 2016. Picture: Rob Sferco

RAVI AND ANOUSHKA SHANKAR, 2010

What can you say about Ravi Shankar? He was a true virtuoso, and helped open western eyes to the wonders of Indian classical music. With daughter Anoushka by his side, the 90-year-old wowed everyone present.

Ravi Shankar playing at WOMADelaide 2010. Picture: Rob Sferco

SINEAD O’CONNOR, 2015

Angry, engaged, and 100 per cent captivating, the Irish firebrand closed WOMADelaide in 2015 like few others could have. An artist that defined a generation.

Irish singer/songwriter Sinead O'Connor on the Stage One at WOMADelaide 2015. Picture: Rob Sferco

MIDNIGHT OIL/ARCHIE ROACH, 2021

Cheating a little by combining two artists from the same year, but both acts, the Oils and Archie Roach, tell important Australian stories and at a seated Covid-affected WOMADelaide they stood head and shoulders above everything else.

Peter Garrett from Midnight Oil performing at WOMADelaide 2021. Picture: Rob Sferco

DENGUE FEVER, 2009

What happens when you combine American indie with Cambodian pop? Dengue Fever happens, and it’s more fun than you can imagine. The band perfectly encapsulated the spirit of collaboration at the heart of WOMADelaide.

Dengue Fever at WOMADelaide 2009. Picture Luke Hemer..

GURRUMUL, 2012

You could have heard a pin drop as the now sadly departed blind singer-songwriter from Elcho Island off the coast of Arnhem Land sang for the Womad crowd this year. He was something special.

Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu at WOMADelaide in 2012. Picture: Rob Sferco

CALEXICO, 2010

Combining American country and folk with Mexican mariachi and conjunto music, Calexico make a sound that’s been called desert noir, and on a baking Adelaide afternoon desert noir works very well indeed.

Calexico on the main stage at WOMADelaide in 2010. Picture: Naomi Jellicoe

TINARIWEN, 2018

Tuareg musicians from the Sahara Desert region of northern Mali, Tinariwen blew minds with their mix of traditional African music and western blues. Truly unique.

Malian desert blues band, 'Tinariwen' playing on Stage 2 at WOMADelaide 2018. Picture: Rob Sferco

MAVIS STAPLES, 2020

Soul queen, civil rights activist, former girlfriend of Bob Dylan and born entertainer, Staples rocked the crowd with a set of stone cold classics. Uplifting.

Mavis Staples at WOMADelaide in 2020. Pictures: Mike Downs

TEX, DON AND CHARLIE, 2018

Put Tex Perkins out front of Don Walker and Charlie Owen and you’re always going to get something magical, but under the pine trees on a hot Adelaide afternoon the magical became sublime.

Tex, Don and Charlie play stage 2 at WOMADelaide in 2018. Picture: AAP/Emma Brasier

NUSTRAT FATEH ALI KHAN, HUGH MASKELA

If there were two acts I would have loved to see but didn’t it was Sufi devotional singer and composer Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan in 1995 and South African trumpeter Hugh Masekela on the main stage in 2013 ... but you can’t be everywhere at once, I suppose.

Sufi devotional singer and composer Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan performing at WOMADelaide in1995. Picture: Rob Sferco

South African trumpeter Hugh Masekela on Stage 1 at WOMADelaide 2013. Picture: Rob Sferco

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