Sunday, 9th March
Red Baraat
Brooklyn's chilled version of Dhol Foundation made the most of the attendees braving the sun to gather front of stage. Despite the heat, Red Baraat had their audience jumping to smooth and funky beats.
Mixing Punjabi dhol drums and bhangra rythmns with American jazz, funk and even hiphop, Red Baraat have a truley unique style that is energetic yet mellow and cruisey. The meeting of India and New York is a successful one, and the audience loved their sound.
Red Baraat - by Aaron Vinall
Living Room
Living Room is comprised of two musicians from Austria, Christoph Pepe Auer on saxaphone & bass clarinet, and Manu Delago on the hang. If you aren't familar with the hang, you can be forgiven; it was only created in 2001. A Swiss invention, the drum looks like two dented woks stuck together into a UFO-style shape. Despite its deceptively simple appearance it can produce a full and diverse set of tones, sounding like a mix between a piano and a harp. Delago deftly caresses beautiful music from it.
Mid-set, Auer produces a very original creation of his own - a wind instrument that produces the 'the Pepephon', which provided much entertainment as well as it's musical contribution.
These two aren't in need of a vast array of instruments to create their sound though, as their dexterity and skill with the two they favour provides the full gammet. Delago provides the sound of keys and percussion via the hung - playing up to three at once - whilst Auer coaxes an awe-inspiring array from his bass clarinet, including grungy growls, hoots, pops and even a convincing didgeridoo. Their original work is mellow and soulful, but the highlight was a very cool cover of Nirvana's 'Smells like Teen Spirit', which impressed all in attendance.
Living Room - by Aaron Vinall
Pokey Lafarge
Taking his inspiration from the American Roots music of the 1930s, Pokey Lafarge swung into Womadelaides far-flung Speakers Corner stage to get the hoedown started.
Kicking off the set with a punchy rock and roll number, Lafarge immediately won over the seated crowd with his energy and his down-to-earth banter. By the third number, everyone were on their feet and swinging along.
Nostaglia for all things the WW2 is rife, and the impressively-sized crowd gathered to see Lafarge proved that there's an appetite for its musical reinvention. Though reminescent of another time, the songs are definitely brand new and very cool. Lafarge is no prentender; his love of southern folk is genuine and unapologetic, but he infuses his music with modern energy and life.
If there was a Womadelaide award for "Most Fun in the Sun", Pokey Lafarge would be odds-on favourite.
Pokey La Farge - by Aaron Vinall
The Brown Hornet
If you are scratching your head, thinking that The Brown Hornet sound familar, you'd be right. After going their separate ways in 2004, the original nand members have reunited on and off since 2011 to play special events. Luckily for us, Womadelaide 2014 fit this bill!
Slightly less angsty than one remembers, Brown Hornet still know how to bang out a phunky tune and draw a crowd. Ever the showman, Dylan Lewis still has his characteristic, crowd-pleasing charm in spades, and the gathered audience kept growing as they put on a banging set of their eclectic funk rock tunes.
La Chiva Gantiva
Colombian power-house La Chiva Gantiva hit the Internode Centre Stage as the last vestiges of sun sunk behind the vaulted backdrop.
Though the band was founded in Brussels, it's founding members are Colombian expats and its musical soul is deep-rooted in the sounds of Latin America and Africa. Blending Latin rythm, afrobeat and funk, they exploded on stage with masses of energy and sexy street salsa moves a-plenty.
Lead singer Rafael Espinel cut an commanding figure on stage and had everyone moving, shaking, throwing their hands in the air and shouting back on cue. Mixing up big numbers with slower, sultry jazz, the set included just enough breaks to ensure you were ready to go as the beat grew and the pace and volume increased again. La Chiva Gantiva's universally groovy music demanded you dance along and no one was arguing.
A fantastic sunday night set and my pick of the day.
You've got once more chance to catch a session at Womadelaide 2014 - Monday's got lots in store!
Tomorrow's Picks
2:00pm Sam Lee and Friends on Stage 2
3:00pm Emel Mathlouthi (workshop) on Zoo Stage
4:00pm Thelma Plum on Morton Bay Stage
5:00pm Asif Ali Khan on Internode Centre Stage (ICS)
6:00pm Makana on Morton Bay Stage
7:00pm Arrested Development (in conversation) on Speakers Corner 6
8:00pm Ngaiire on Speakers Corner 7
9:30pm Femi Kuti & The Positive Force on Internode Centre Stage (ICS)
Tin Pan Orange - by Aaron Vinall
Carminho - by Aaron Vinall
Lior - by Aaron Vinall
