Womad Charlton Park

Womad Charlton Park is the name given to the World of Music Arts and Dance (WOMAD) festival held in Charlton Park in Malmesbury, Wiltshire, England, since 2007. It replaced Womad Reading, which was held in the Rivermead Centre and Little John's Farm in Caversham, near Reading each year from 1986 to 2006.

It is held on the last weekend of July, and currently lasts three and a half days, stretching from the Thursday evening to early Monday morning. The line up is predominantly World Music, but Blues, Jazz, Hip hop and Rock artists also appear.

WOMAD origins

WOMAD was pioneered by various artists - notably Peter Gabriel in Shepton Mallet, in 1982.

WOMAD Reading 1986 - 2006

Reading became the regular site for WOMAD in the UK four years after its inception, and the festival became established there over 20 years.

WOMAD Charlton Park 2007

In light of the mud caused by poor weather prior to the first festival in its new location, and on the Saturday night, many festival goers nicknamed the festival WOMUD.

Artists who performed can be seen [http://www.efestivals.co.uk/festivals/lineups.php?FestID=1564 here] .

WOMAD Charlton Park 2008

WOMAD 2008 was luckier - a weekend of blistering sunshine in an otherwise poor summer. The 2008 festival was well received and reviewed for its broad lineup and inclusive atmosphere. Mercury Prize-winner Roni Size Reprazent said: "What makes this festival different from every other festival that I've been to is when you walk into the tent. It's filled up with kids and buggies and their mothers and their fathers. Now that is an unbelievable sight." [ [http://itn.co.uk/news/5a9ea08d169a5b2e8dae59f37feca36f.html ITN - Sun shines on WOMAD 28 July 2008] ]

Arena:

The format has evolved and expanded since 1986. Stages in 2008 included
* Open Air Stage
**Sometimes referred to as the Main Stage, it is one of the two stages sharing headine acts, along with the Siam Tent. This stage hardly ever double books with the Siam Tent, as all the biggest artists usually appear on either stage.
* Siam Tent
**Introduced in 1998 as an alternative to the Open Air Stage
* Big Red Tent
**The third main stage
*Little Sicily
**A quieter haven for acoustic acts and conversation, with tables and chairs.
*Dance Tent & Drum Tent
**Two alternating venues of workshops featuring mainly African and Latin acts.
*BBC Radio 3 Stage
**Set outside the main arena, featuring many artists who also played the main stages, and broadcasting live on Radio 3.

2008 line up:

Ernest Ranglin (Jamaica), Dengue Fever (Cambodia/United States), Seun Kuti & Egypt 80 (Nigeria), Sa Dingding (China), Squeeze (United Kingdom), Eddy Grant & The Frontline Orchestra (Guyana/South Africa), Shantel & Bucovina Club Orkestar (Germany), Toumani Diabaté (Mali), Orchestra Baobab (Senegal), Rachid Taha (Algeria/France), Sharon Shannon Big Band feat Shane MacGowan, Damien Dempsey & Mundy (Ireland), Martha Wainwright (Canada), Abass Nii Dodoo (Ghana), Adrian Sherwood (United Kingdom), AltaiKAI (Altai Republic), Andrew Cronshaw And... (Serbia/United Kingdom), Asere (Cuba), Atongo Zimba (Ghana/United Kingdom), Babylon Circus (France), Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni Ba (Mali), Bedouin Jerry Can Band (Egypt), Bella Hardy (United Kingdom), Bill Cobham (United States), Cara Dillon (Ireland), Celso Alvin (Brazil), Charlie Gillett (United Kingdom), Chic (United States), Children Of The Khmer - Cambodian Dance (Cambodia), David D'Or (Israel), Dengue Fever (Cambodia/United States), Devon Sproule (United States), Dixey Ruscelli (Spain/United Kingdom), DJ Dubious (United Kingdom), DJ Marky & Stamina MC (Brazil/United Kingdom), Filhos de Angola (Angola), Finley Quaye (United Kingdom), Fribo (Norway/United Kingdom), GOCOO + GoRo (Japan), Greg Sheehan (Australia), Guy Watson (United Kingdom), Hamid Baroudi (Algeria), Hossam Ramzy & His Egyptian Orchestra (Egypt), Hotel Palindrone (Austria), Iya Sako & Nansady Keita (Guinea), Jah Wobble - Chinese Dub (China/ United Kingdom), Joe Taylor (United Kingdom), Johnny Kalsi (India/United Kingdom), Jose Ferrera (Cuba), Justin Adams (United Kingdom), Justin Adams & Juldeh Camara (Gambia/United Kingdom), Karl Wallinger, Kenge Kenge Orutu Systems (Kenya), Kitchen Academy (United Kingdom), Kora (New Zealand), Landing Mané (Senegal), Lee 'Scratch' Perry (Jamaica), Lisa Kenny (United Kingdom), Little Axe (United States), Little Feat (United States), Lo Còr De La Plana (France), Madosini (South Africa), Malam Mamane Barka (Niger Republic), Mamani Keita and Nicolas Repac (France/Mali), Marino Pool (Dominican Republic), Mark Alcock (Japan/United Kingdom), Mavis Staples (United States), Mbira Queens featuring Zuzana Novak (Czech Republic/United Kingdom), Mista Savona (Australia/Jamaica), Modou Diouf (Senegal), Mog (Ireland), Monajat Yulchieva (Uzbekistan), Mônica Vasconcelos & Hih (Brazil/United Kingdom), Monobloco (Brazil), Mor Karbasi (Israel/United Kingdom), Nathan 'Flutebox' Lee (India/United Kingdom), Nortec Collective (Mexico), Orchestra Baobab (Senegal), Paprika Balkanicus (Romania/Serbia/Slovenia), Peter Gabriel (United Kingdom), Roni Size Reprazent (United Kingdom), Rumberos de Cuba (Cuba), Sarah Savoy & The Francadians (France/United States), Sarmistha Guha (India), Sharon Shannon (Ireland), Sheikh Taha (Egypt), Show of Hands with Miranda Sykes (United Kingdom), Simone White (United States), Siyaya (Zimbabwe), Son de la Frontera (Spain), Speed Caravan (Algeria/France), Sudd MM (Sicily), Sufi Women of the Islands (France/Mayotte), Svetlana Spajić with Andrew Cronshaw (Serbia/United Kingdom), Tai Chi (United Kingdom), Tashi Lhunpo Monks (India/Tibet), TC (United Kingdom), Terakaft (Mali), Toumani Diabaté (Mali), Transglobal Underground (United Kingdom), Venuri Perera (Sri Lanka), Wasis Diop (Senegal), Welcome Nhleko (South Africa), Yescica Livesey (Cuba), Yogatree (United Kingdom)

Notes

External links

* [http://womad.org/?festival_id=46 Official Site]
* [http://www.efestivals.co.uk/festivals/womad/2007 E-Festivals Entry]