It took a lot of persuasion by Cindy for me to come round to the idea but I'm really glad we went to WOMAD which was on in Wiltshire this past weekend. It was pretty much the perfect music festival having both artists of a high quality and a friendly atmosphere. Perhaps I'm showing my age but I really liked the fact that by Sunday drug-addled teenagers weren't falling over me every thirty seconds as they staggered round like zombies attracted by the brightest / loudest stimulation in the vicinity. The weather was beautiful and I had the privilege of seeing the following highlights:

Altaikai: being a fan of Huun-Huur-Tu made me really keen to see more throat-singing, even more so as these people were from Altai, a country I'd never heard of (another one to add to the list), which is also reportedly where Shambala is believed to exist.

Sa Dingding: I'm not sure I'd sit and listen to one of her albums but the live show was pretty incredible. Best described as frock-tastic with dancers.

GOCOO + GoRo: I love Taiko drumming having seen Yamato earlier this year. GOCOO were a different style and performed with GoRo, a chap playing the didgeridoo, which is usually somthing I wouldn't be able to stand but fitted perfectly in this contest. It was like techno with instruments; a thoroughly physical experience that the crowd responded to with an enthusiasm I've rarely ever seen.

Tashi Lhunpo Monks

From the WOMAD website: Altaikai, Sa Dingding, GOCOO + GoRo