DidgHeadRadio Music Festival

Held in the beautiful setting of Calbourne Water Mill over the weekend of 7–9 August, the DidgHeadRadio Music Festival is a brand new fringe festival created especially for fans of one of the World’s most ancient instruments – the didgeridoo. It was also the first of its kind to be held on the Isle of Wight.

The festival featured performances from Britain & Europe, workshops & a teepee village for those who wished to camp. Visitors to the festival were guaranteed entertainment morning, noon and night from a diverse range of musical instruments and talented performers, including local acts Island Samba, djembe drum groups and Ryde Extreme circus skills group. Headlining the event on the main stage were singing aboriginal dancer and storyteller, Jermaine Herbohn, techno didge band, from the Czech Republic KusKusKlan, and Dubravko Lapaine, from Croatia, plus a whole host of international acts from the likes of Australia, Hungary, Ukraine, Portugal, Italy, France and Germany.    

For those inspired by the music, there were opportunities to practice or improve their skills as many of the performers offered tuition and also laid-on workshops. Some of the more unusual instruments to be heard around the festival site during the course of the weekend included the Swiss Hang, Japanese Fujara, Thai Khene, North African Birembou, Russian balalaika, North American and Ukranian flutes, jaw harps plus throat and overtone singers.

In keeping with the thoroughly chilled-out atmosphere at the festival, visitors could indulge themselves in some relaxation therapies in the massage tent or partake in native face and body painting activities.    

As the Island becomes famed for its festivals, this was certainly a tuneful gathering with a difference and brought an exciting new dimension to the Island’s music scene. The event is set to take place at Calbourne Mill once again next year.