Month: August 2012

That’s a hell of a bar

Posted by on in Festivals

That’s the backstage bar at WOMAD this year. It was one of the best interior’s for the backstage bar I’ve seen and was a great place to hang out in.

Lo’Jo at WOMAD

Posted by on in Festivals, Listening, Music

This was an interesting band that I ended up watching late night at WOMAD. Quite a cool live presence. I’ve located them on spotify now and so I plan to give them a proper listen.

The Manganiyar Seduction by Roysten Abel

Posted by on in Festivals, Music

This was certainly one of the most visually stimulating shows at WOMAD this year. Even if you didn’t enjoy the music (which I did), just the set design on it’s own was really impressive. As you can see, all of the musicians were sitting or sometimes standing in these cubes with lights around them, and as they performed the lights around their box came on. When they weren’t performing their lights went off. There were 40 musicians involved in this performance which lasted about an hour and a half.

Aside from the visual spectacle the music was amazing too and included some really incredible performances. But the thing needed to be seen and heard as a whole really. It was made to be experienced as a package, and so I think it’s difficult to explain or convey just how good it was.

The Arboretum at WOMAD

Posted by on in Festivals, Listening, Music

One thing that I perhaps don’t mention to much about WOMAD is about what a lovely location and environment it is. The Arboretum at WOMAD is a good example of this. It is probably most impressive at night when the installations and displays are lit up and really make the environment come alive.

Though even through the day it’s a lovely place to amble through in between watching great music and finding interesting food. I think I spent  more time there this year than in past years. Perhaps I had to spend more time reflecting this year.

Taste the World

Posted by on in Events, Festivals, Food

I’d never been to the Taste The World tent at WOMAD properly before, so this was a bit of a new experience for me, and it was really good. To the point where I’d like to get hold of some of the recipes actually. Not that I can find them on the WOMAD site as yet, so I hope they haven’t been taken down already.

I thought it was a great idea to get some of the artists showing their favourite recipes and how to make them, and next time I’m at WOMAD I’ll certainly give it a go again.

The Portico Quartet Live

Posted by on in Creative Process, Music

This was the most inspiring performance of WOMAD this year. The Portico Quartet were amazing, their ability to improvise and produce intricate cross rhythms was absolutely brilliant.

It was great to see them and it made me rethink what I’m doing musically.

A very overdue visit to the Eden Project

Posted by on in Places

I think it has been almost 10 years since I visited the Eden Project, and a lot has changed since I was last there. One of the biggest changes was the enormous zip wire that goes across the entire site. Of course, I had to try that out, and it was a truly amazing ride, I can thoroughly recommend it.

Of course, the biomes are really impressive too. It’s very easy though to walk through them and not stop to take in the huge variety species inside. It’s really worth spending the time to look, read and think about the work that the Eden Project is doing and just how amazing it is, especially when you think it was just a clay mining pit in the not too distant past.

I’m glad to have gone again and spent the day there, it was a great day out, and if you’ve never been I’d thoroughly recommend it.