Photos by John Kol.
I’ve been attending WOMADelaide since 2015. As an avid listener of world music, it’s a non-negotiable event on my annual festival checklist.
Some years, I’ve picked out one or two days to see a specific acts. However, this year, I had the pleasure of going all four days and nights and braving the heat I made sure to make the most of my WOMADelaide experience.
Day 1
On Friday, 7 March I arrived and beelined to Stage 2 for the joyous R&B grooves of Durand Jones and the Indications. Under the sun, the five-piece soul powerhouse brought infectious rhythms and silky-smooth songwriting to a crowd of sweaty but excited first night festival-goers.
I also had the pleasure of supporting Dojo Rise. Hailing from Aldinga, they lit up WOMADelaide’s west end with an eclectic fusion of alternative reggae, rock, pop and indie soul. Then, I checked out local soul act Tell Mama on the NSS Academy Stage.
The Academy Stage is one of my favourite features of recent WOMADelaide’s showcasing talented local artists at Adelaide’s (if not Australia’s) best music festival. Amazing to see Adelaide’s blossoming young music scene take the stage over the weekend, including post-rock outfit Cagefly, psychedelic-funk band The Matehs, and Koleh.
Following the groovy tunes Tell Mama, it was time for dinner. After pacing back and forth between the countless food vendors – always a difficult decision when presented with so many delicious options – I wolfed down a California Love burger from GANG GANG.
I also salute WOMADelaide organisers for programming Friday night’s headline act, the legendary PJ Harvey. The English multi-instrumentalist and vocalist performed an ever-intensifying collection of songs from all corners of her discography. PJ’s 2025 Australia-Japan tour marks her first trip down under in eight years, making it a truly special experience to witness her live and tick another legend of music off my bucket list.
Day 2
Bracing ourselves for another sweltering day the WOMADelaide crowd quickly found shade to set up “camp” then it was time to get our groove on and show the world-class acts from across the globe that we are indeed “The Festival State” – rain, hail or heatwave!
Palestinian act 47SOUL brought their fusion of traditional Dabke music with electronica and hip-hop, a style dubbed “Shamstep” to Botanic Park, later The Joy took the audience on a journey with their gospel-infused indie-soul sound.
Supporting local again, I saw Ms Chipeta, an Adelaide-based singer-songwriter with Malawian roots, whose soulful voice and heartfelt lyrics brought an intimate and moving atmosphere to the Frome Park Pavilion.
Ngaiire’s set was fabulous festival program highlight. The powerhouse singer’s futuristic take on R&B filled the air with raw emotion. Later, Lindigo brought the sounds of Réunion Island to life with their dynamic Maloya music, complete with pounding rhythms and call-and-response chants that filled the air with the combined sounds of musician and audience.
Night two ended with London duo O. and their awe-striking combination of blast-beat drumming and high-octane saxophone.
Day 3
Sunday was just as hot and magical. Brilliantly organised, the festival crew helped us keep as cool as possible, with sprinklers, misters, water bottle refill stations, and large shades all around the festival to help everyone battle the heat.
I thoroughly enjoyed seeing Adelaide icon Dusty Lee Stephenson (Dustyn) perform a medley of new originals, Wanderers classics, and a gorgeous cover of Something by The Beatles. I spent the next few hours moving between stages and catching varied portions of multiple sets, including the legendary American jazz group Sun Ra Arkestra, Adelaide locals effie isobel and Swapmeet, and the reggae sounds of Jamaican group Proteje and the Indiggnation.
The variety of acts, number of stages, and vast grounds at WOMADelaide makes it the perfect festival for roaming around, discovering new artists and sounds.
Day 4
My final day at WOMADelaide started with a captivating set from Bonny Light Horseman. Their modern take on traditional folk ballads, inspired by legendary acts like Joni Mitchell and the Grateful Dead, wove rich harmonies with delicate instrumentation, creating the serene experience I needed to ease into the last day of the festival.
From there, the traditional folk sounds of Scottish trio Talisk, a second hypnotic performance of Etran De L’aïr’s, and a spiritual-jazz act Shabaka who filled the air with dreamy soundscapes as the sun began to go down.
To close out WOMADelaide 2025, Texas three-piece Khruangbin took the stage for a spellbinding final set on the Foundation Stage and their enthralling blend of funk, soul, and psychedelic rock provided the perfect soundtrack to cap off my weekend at WOMADelaide 2025.
Having begun in 1992, WOMADelaide, once again brought an incredible selection of international musicians and artists to our city, proving itself once again as one of the highlights of Australia’s arts calendar.
This festival continues to grow and exceed expectations every year, delivering an unparalleled experience of music, culture, and creativity. If you haven’t been… you are missing out on what I believe is one of the best things to experience in Adelaide.
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