Midnight Oil, Archie Roach lead WOMADelaide 2021 lineup

Next year's reimagined concert series will also feature Tash Sultana, Sampa the Great, Sarah Blasko and more

WOMADelaide organisers have announced the all-Australian lineup for the festival’s reimagined 2021 edition, headed up by Midnight Oil and legendary singer-songwriter Archie Roach.

Set to run from 5-8 March next year at Ityamai-Itpina/King Rodney Park in Adelaide, the Oils will perform at two of the festival’s four concerts. On March 7, they’ll perform a headline show drawing widely on their immense back catalogue, supported by Vika & Linda.

The following night, they’ll play a concert the following night as part of their ‘Makarrata Live’ tour, focused around the band’s recently-released mini-album ‘The Makarrata Project’ and featuring First Nations artists who collaborated on the album. The Teskey Brothers will open the latter show.

Advertisement

The festival will open with a performance from Roach, who’ll play tracks taken from ‘The Songs of Charcoal Lane’, a recent reimagining of his 1990 debut. Sarah Blasko will also perform that evening, along with Lior, who’ll be joined by Australian composer Nigel Westlake and the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra.

Elsewhere on the lineup is the powerful double-bill of Tash Sultana and Sampa the Great, which is set to take place on March 6.

Next year’s WOMADelaide marks the first time the festival has moved from its usual home of Botanic Park in its 29-year history.

In a statement, director Ian Scobie said that after regular consultation with SA Health amid the coronavirus pandemic, it became clear that it would not be possible to present the full festival at its usual capacity of seven stages in Botanic Park.

“While the sunset concerts will be a departure from the format that our audiences have come to know and love, we are working hard towards creating a joyful celebration of WOMADelaide’s 29-year history and place in Adelaide’s renowned summer festival season,” Scobie commented.

Advertisement

“Our priority is the safety of our audiences and artists, and the concert series set-up – with one spectacular stage, limited capacity and reserved seating – will enable us to proceed in a Covid-safe manner approved by SA Health.”

Pre-sale tickets for WOMDelaide 2021 will be available from 9am ACDT tomorrow, December 9. General tickets will go on sale from 9am ACDT Friday December 11.

WOMADelaide is part of next year’s Adelaide Festival program, which kicks off in February. The festival will feature headline performances from the likes of Wafia, San Cisco, Jessica Mauboy, Ben Lee, Mo’Ju and more.

You May Also Like

Advertisement

TRENDING

Advertisement

More Stories