more acts added to WOMAD plus licence granted for the new site

WOMAD, which is moving to a new site at Charlton Park, near Malmesbury in Wiltshire this year for the 25th WOMAD, and happening from Friday 27th to Sunday 29th July has announced more acts.

Newly confirmed in alphabetical order are BC & JC, Bobby Friction and Nihal, Andy Smith, Antibalas (Afrobeat Orchestra), Daby Touré, Dr Jyotsna Srikanth, Ensemble Shanbehzadeh, Frédéric Galliano and Kuduro Sound System, Jamie Catto, Jaune Toujours, Jones and Barnard, Le Trio Joubran, Los Excéntricos, Lou Rhodes, Massukos, Mr Scruff, Muntu Valdo, Physical Jerks, Reem Kelani, Steinski, Te Matarae I Orehu, The Black Eagles, The Imagined Village (with Billy Bragg), The Real Tuesday Weld, and Vieux Farka Touré.

The new Charlton Park site has now had a licence granted for the festival, with conditions including that only one of the five public bars will be open until 4am, that Charlton House would not be floodlit and that the event would not exceed reasonable noise levels. WOMAD's Chris Smith told North Wiltshire & Kennet's Gazette and Herald that people become concerned about festivals but that WOMAD was a family event and one promoting cultural awareness. He said: "In the 25 years this event has been going we have had no significant incidents on site and are not expecting this year to be any different."

WOMAD has over 70 world-class artists from 40 countries performing over the festival weekend, including The Blind Boys Of Alabama playing a special Thursday night concert, plus playing over the three days of the festival proper: Peter Gabriel, Baaba Maal, Toots and the Maytals, Isaac Hayes, Seckou Keita Quartet, Taj Mahal, Ben Taylor, Chambao, Tinariwen, Candi Staton, Clube Do Balanço, Calexico, Dhol Foundation, DJ Shantel, Steel Pulse, Seth Lakeman, and more - click here for all the details to-date.

WOMAD Charlton Park will feature seven stages and workshop areas, including a children's village, many more activities and festival features, all in the idyllic environment of Charlton's open lawns and rolling fields.

Tickets are on sale, priced at £120. Camping from Friday to Monday is included in the ticket price - if you wish to camp on the Thursday there's an extra charge of £10. Click here to buy.