WHAT: WOMADelaide Festival & Adelaide Festival
WHERE: Botanic Park
WHEN: 6-9 March 2020

The final day of WOMAD has come and it was a bittersweet one. Today was a bit slower than other days, you need it after a long weekend! But we still managed to see quite a few good acts, including starting the day at the Chai tent having one last WOMAD drink.

Odette

Odette is making waves across the Australian music scene — you’ve probably heard her on Triple J. She has an amazing voice, and the performance is dreamy as we lie back in the shade of the trees to enjoy it.

Mavis Staples

Mavis Staples is a legend and we were so lucky to be graced by her presence. Mavis started up singing in her family’s band, the Staples Singers, but has recently released yet another album last year at the age of 80. It was so amazing to hear her sing, songs that have defined the civil rights movement and the fight for freedom in the US. Highlights of this were Mavis seeing the Company Archibald Caramantran puppets working through the crowd and her calling out ‘Is that Snoop Dogg??’, and of course her promise to run for President.

Laura Marling

You know you’ve made it when you can take the stage alone with an acoustic guitar, and it seems Laura Marling has! I mean she has been kicking around for a long time now, so she deserves the recognition. This is another dreamy, slow set which was perfect for watching from the shade with one last Byron Bay Organic Doughnut. She played songs both old and new, throwing a few fan faves in there for the longtime Marling fans.

True Vibenation

We lifted the energy with True Vibenation. These guys were fantastic! The crowd couldn’t stop moving to the big bass (and live horns) from this group out of Sydney. The vibes were flowing, this was really a lot of fun.

SO.Crates

SO.Crates is made up of Melbourne beat-maker Skomes and Adelaide-based Californian rapper-poet Cazeaux O.S.L.O., but after a couple of songs we were treated to a full live band. This was so good, the energy was high and the audience super into it. Cazeaux O.S.L.O. plays regularly around Adelaide, so a big recommend to hit him up when you see him on a line up!

As the World Tipped

We saved As the World Tipped for the final night, part theatre and part acrobatics, we didn’t know exactly what to expect from this UK group. With awesome choreography, the performers interact with each other and with video footage behind them exploring the already occurring impacts of climate change. The crowd was big for this one, so I hope everyone left with the message sinking in.

Matt Corby

The day finished up with Matt Corby, who saved the day as a replacement for Ziggy Marley. It’s been a long time since Matt was first noticed on Australian Idol, and these days he’s unrecognisable. He played songs from his two most recent studio albums, and the crowd loved it. What a way to finish off a big and beautiful WOMAD weekend.

Thank you WOMAD, we are already counting down the days until next year.