The world gets bigger, as Womad line-up grows

Look out, Columbia's Sidestepper are coming to Womad. Photo / Supplied

Acts from Colombia, Hawaii, Germany, Cambodia and New Zealand have been added to the Womad festival line-up.

17 Hippies is a German collective started in 1995 as something of an experiment.

"The idea was not to start a band. It was more like a mission. I wanted to collect beautiful and easy-to-play tunes," according to founding member, Christopher Blenkinsop.

The group (17 then, 13 now) came to the first practice with three songs for the rest to learn, from backgrounds such as Krautrock, punk, jazz and classical.

With no percussion, but an assortment of sounds including brass, stings, woodwind and accordion, think bohemian coffee shop and everyone dancing with cigarette-holders - you may be halfway there.

Sidestepper are based around Colombian songwriter Ivan Benavides, and the more 'electronic producer' influence of Brit Richard Blair. Dancehally-salsaish-cumbia-drum'n'bass? Yep - the party WILL get started.

Tray So was formed especially for Womad, to bring the audience some of the endangered treasures of Cambodian music.

The Pacific Islands are represented by Will Crummer & The Rarotongans (yes Annie's dad) as well as the Whitireia Performing Arts Group. Further north comes Hawaii's Mana Maoli.

Closer to home, The Patea Maori Club join the bill, along with Tiki Taane and the Dub Soldiers, with Te Pou O Mangataawhiri, and proving just how diverse Womad is, APRA Silver Scroll and Taite Prize-winning Lawrence Arabia.

"I'm really interested in the diversity of New Zealand music," says Womad Artistic Director Drew James.

"Sola Rosa and Trinity Roots have a uniquely New Zealand sound but in a different way, and I just think Lawrence Arabia is a fantastic songwriter and someone that needs to be celebrated."

*Womad takes place at TSB Bowl of Brooklands and Brooklands Park, New Plymouth, from 18th-20th March. Tickets from Ticketek