People of Grenaa, where were you? I have just spent two days at this new, free festival of world music. The weather was good, the music varied and of high quality and yet there were barely 200 people at any of the performances I went to see. How can this be? Even the school festival in our tiny village of 700 people (compare that to the 14,000 or so in Grenaa) regularly attracts over 200 in the audience of people who have paid about £5 to see performances which only relatives could enjoy.
The festival was meant as a way to celebrate the talents of Danes of other ethnic origins, yet another laudable initiative to bring differing communities together.
The festival was meant as a way to celebrate the talents of Danes of other ethnic origins, yet another laudable initiative to bring differing communities together.
Some of the performers we went to see included Moussa Diallo, Grupo Danson (Cuban), Katamanto Highlife Orchestra, Wakilo, Vanja Santos (Brasil), Nana Osibio and Mames Babegenush (Klezmer/Balkan). Visit the websites and buy their music so they get the recognition they deserve!
It can't be because there is so much else to attract since this area is very quiet, to put it mildly, and my boss refuses to entertain the idea of having an intern as she doesn't want to be responsible for the clinical depression which she is sure would set in after a week when everything stopped at 3pm!
Keywords: Denmark, festival, Grenaa, inter-cultural, world music
