WOMEX, the World Music Expo hits Manchester – Manchester Music City – across five days.

Since 1994, the Worldwide Music Expo has been a vital platform for showcasing the most exciting and innovative talent from around the world, establishing itself as the premier international gathering for global music professionals.

The 2024 event, the 30th celebration, came to Manchester with a mind boggling selection of performers from the UK, Europe, South America, Asia and Africa playing sets and showcases in venues around the city plus a series of industry events from the huge trade fair to panels and discussion groups.

And while the five days had a truly international and global feel, the Wednesday evening opening welcome event at the prestigious Bridgewater Hall was all about Manchester and what a vibrant city with such a robust musical heritage has to offer.

together in music

With DJ Paulette uttering the first of a handful of significant buzzwords and phrases, she welcomed the world to Manchester – “where the past meets the future and we all move forward together.”

Yes the sounds of the mills may have given way to music but it’s a music scene that’s vibrant and packed with creativity and innovation. With keynote addresses from local council officials, they proudly acknowledge the city’s inheritance whilst noting the exploitation that often went hand in hand with progress. The emphasis is on how Manchester is a place of firsts, a radical place yet one that embraces diversity.

As WOMEX Director, Alexander Walter offers a low key addess, local politician, music enthusiast and something of a celebrity Andy Burnham does a turn. No cue cards necessary, his passion flows easily and he even gets in a nod to the two brothers from Burnage whose musical contributions to the world are about to be reignited.

Meanwhile, the musical offering from four Manchester artists proved varied and thought provoking. Dirty Freud’s insect themed visual and combination of beats, bass and sax might have proved testing. However, it made the “big mish mash of styles, genres and characters” and “music from the 1500s to today” folky offering of Vulva Voce an affable alternative. With a backdrop of organ pipes lit in bronze, the quartet combined a grace and elegance.

Footage of Heather Ferrier wandering the aisles of what could have been Pear Mill Vintage Emporium, doing a bit of tourism promo that preceded what DJ Paulette called “a masterful performance.” from the clog dancing accordionist from Stockport. No place to hide for sure, but much acclaim for a solo artist who’s emerged with confidence from the English Folk Expo mentoring programme. By contrast the massed ranks of Agbeko with a four piece brass section, started with West Africa and ventured boldly forth where the muse took them, confirming the tip of the iceberg of music that Manchester has to offer.

variety is the spice of life

The following days saw much embracing of diversity and inclusion, with a bewildering variety of activities for delegates and professionals promoting their music and cultures. On the conference platforms, subjects ranged from – Why are South Asia and its Diaspora the next big thing? to Securing the future of Folk, Queer networking and Kuwaiti pearl diving music.

Music was on offer from a select group of performers, and the choice proved a tip of the iceberg selection. While English Folk Expo goes deep into its own cast of musical treasures, the WOMEX offerings cast a wider net yet the quantity, whilst mind bogglingly varied, is much more thin.

The Horizons hub at the atmospheric Albert Hall, where the likes of Gnoss and Ríoghnach Connolly and Honeyfeet showcased the best of the UK and Ireland’s signed and unsigned treasures. Aviva Studios played host to the likes of El Laberinto del Coco from Puerto Rico, Rei from New Zealand, Kabaka Pyramid from Jamaica proudly flying their flags and Claire Sands from Ireland returning after wowing the Manchester folk Festival and English Folk Expo a couple of years ago. Daycase stages for an afternoon fix or break from the networking saw a musical menu selected from, for instance, Canada, Ukraine, South Korea, Malawi and Finland

For any delegates with the stamina, DJs into the early hours and beyond at the O2 Ritz, with partygoers from around the globe getting a taste of the famous sprung dance floor, adding to their wonderment at the vast number of venues that Manchester has to offer.

The numbers in a nutshell

WOMEX welcomed close to 3000 professionals and 300 performing artists representing 118 countries. 61 showcase acts, 1000 event promoters 560 labels, publishers and distributors. 680 booking agents, 590 managers and 280 producers. 237 national and international journalists A Trade Fair with 246 stands including 738 exhibiting companies an from 56 countries.

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