OCTOBER 27, 2009
WOMEX 2009 Descends On Copenhagen
Nat Geo Music Goes To Denmark For The Annual World Music Expo
by Tom PryorThe annual WOMEX (World Music Expo) Conference is slated to kick off on Wednesday, October 28th in Copenhagen, Denmark. The event, which attracts musicians, music professionals and fans from every corner of the globe for four days of showcases, awards ceremonies, panels, films, broadcasts and, of course, a relentless whirl of old school, non-facebook, face to face networking.
This year's scheduled highlights include showcase performances from over 40 artists from over 35 countries, including Nat Geo Music's own must-sees: Colombia's Chocquibtown, China's Hanggai, Austin, TX's Grupo Fantasma, Congo's Staff Benda Bilili, Kenya's Kenge Kenge, Canada's SoCalled, and more.
This year's WOMEX will also offer a series of regional showcases for first time, called the Nordic Club - a stage that will feature artists from Iceland, Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland. Scheduled to perform are Bazar Blå (Sweden), Johan Sara Jr. Group (Norway), Lepistö&Lehti (Finland) , Mógil (Iceland/Belgium), Nordic (Sweden), Unni Løvlid (Norway), Valravn (Denmark/Faroe Islands), Wimme (Finland), and Zar (Denmark). Sadly, neither ABBA nor any Norse death metal seems to have been booked.
In addition, this year's annual WOMEX award will be presented to Congo's Staff Benda Bilili at the event's closing ceremony on the evening of Sunday, November, 1st.
Held annually in different European cities since 1994, WOMEX is coming to Copenhagen for the first time, as part of a three year run in the Danish capital. Last year's event, held in Sevilla, Spain attracted over 2800 delegates and 1425 companies from more than 90 countries, including over 1000 concert and festival bookers, 750 labels, publishers and distributors. 850 managers, 450 producers and 310 international journalists. And this year's event promises to be even bigger...
And if you're in Copenhagen and happen to see the Nat Geo Music crew there, don't hesitate to stop and say skol-.the aquavit and butter cookies are on us...
Mmmmm... butter cookies...
