WOMADelaide 1997

2024
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
2002
2001
1999
1998
1997
1996
1995
1993
1992

1997 saw attendances swell to 60,000 for the fourth iteration of WOMADelaide, with the event now being managed by Arts Projects Australia.

Festival highlights included a LOUD opening night set from Midnight Oil, who debuted a new song - "White Skin, Black Heart". Crowd favourites, Afro Celt Sound System, made their first festival apperance and had to borrow percussion instruments from local musician Jerome Lyons after their drums got lost-in-transit. Shooglenifty, the Terem Quartet, and Dya Singh were similarly well received across a mild, sometimes overcast three days of entertainment.

The biennial WOMAD New Zealand was born as a ‘sister festival’ to WOMADelaide in 1997, being presented in Auckland the weekend after Adelaide in 1997 and 1999. WOMAD NZ took a year off in 2001 and emerged in New Plymouth in 2003 and 2005, where it has been annual since 2007.

"Adelaide can't be like this all of the time because WOMADelaide is a celebration of something very rare, something very special" - Fran, Entropy Magazine

"WOMADelaide's theme is a celebration of acceptance of difference, with music as the core" - Sarah Thomas, The Advertiser

1997-poster-web-SQ

WOMADelaide 1997 Lineup

Music & Dance
  • Adelaide Symphony Orchestra (Australia)
  • Afro Celt Sound System (UK / Ireland / Africa)
  • Andrea Rieniets (Australia)
  • The Backsliders (Australia)
  • Before You Were Blonde (Australia)
  • The Borderers (Australia)
  • Bu Baca Diop (Senegal / Australia)
  • Christine Anu (Australia)
  • Colin Offord (Australia)
  • Dya Singh (India / Malaysia / Australia)
  • FRUIT (Australia)
  • Fun-Da-Mental (UK / Pakistan)
  • Guo Yi and Guo Yue (China)
  • Gesuino Deiana (Italy)
  • Heavenly Light Quartet (Australia)
  • Joji Hirota (Japan)
  • Justin Vali Trio (Madagascar) 
  • Kanyinda Makala (Zaire)
  • Kev Carmody (Australia)
  • Lewis & Young (Australia)
  • Loudon Wainright III (USA)
  • Lunar Drive (USA)
  • Mara! (Australia)
  • Midnight Oil (Australia)
  • Misia (Portugal)
  • Moana & the Moahunters (New Zealand)
  • Mornington Island Dancers 
  • Neil Murray & the Rainmakers (Australia)
  • Paul Kelly (Australia)
  • Radio Tarifa (Spain)
  • Richard Thompson (UK)
  • Roman Hrynkiv (Ukraine)
  • Salif Keita (Mali)
  • Sheila Langeberg (Zimbabwe / Australia)
  • Shikisha (South Africa)
  • Shooglenifty (Scotland)
  • Telek (PNG)
  • Tenores de Bitti (Italy)
  • Terem Quartet (Russia)
  • Wasi Ka Nanara Pan Pipers (Solomon Islands)
  • Well Oiled Sisters (Scotland)
  • Yolngu Bungul (Australia)

Gallery

View all images View less images
Salif Keita
Afro Celt Sound System
Bu-Baca Diop
Bu-Baca Diop
Guo Yue & Guo Li
Crowd
Group Shot
Justin Vali Trio
Kev Carmondy
Radio Tarifa
Loudon Wainwright III
Roving Performer
Roving Performer
Peter Garrett
Richard Thompson
Slack Taxi
The Android Sisters
The Android Sisters
Salif Keita
Shikisha
Shikisha
Shooglenifty
Telek
Telek
Tenores di Bitti
Tenores di Bitti
Terem Quartet
Terem Quartet
Well Oiled Sisters
Yolngu Bungul

Other Items

1997 Souvenir Guide
1997 Souvenir Guide (.pdf)

More

View all images View less images
1997 Poster
1997 Advertiser Picture - left to right - Shooglenifty, Lunar Drive, Shikisha, Afro Celt Sound System
1997 Rip It Up Cover
1997 The Advertiser 3rd March - Ghostly knight adds the right tone
1997 Liquid Space Magazine 1
1997 Liquid Space Magazine 2