Rainforest festival

The Star Online [1]

By SHARON LING

KUCHING: The 10th Rainforest World Music Festival got off to a rousing start at the Sarawak Cultural Village with stirring performances from eight local and international groups.

Thousands of music lovers clapped and danced along as the performers took to the stage on Friday night to play their distinctive styles of music.

First to perform was the Kelapang Kelabit Bamboo Band from Bario, Sarawak, who serenaded the crowd with hymns played on bamboo instruments. It was the biggest group to perform with 30 members.

Canadian multi-instrumentalist Randy Raine-Reusch displayed the range of his skills by playing various ethnic instruments from around the world. He was accompanied by Sarawak’s father-and-son percussion duo, Tabuh Pak Ainal.

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Truly American: The Foghorn Stringband from the United States playing country music at the Sarawak Cultural Village on Friday Night.

The popular Black Umfolosi from Zimbabwe received one of the loudest cheers of the evening when they came on stage to sing a cappella.

They also performed their trademark dance called the ingquzu in gumboots and hard hats, while their rendition of The Lion Sleeps Tonight had the crowd on their feet and screaming for more.

The Shooglenifty band from Scotland, which played infectious Celtic dance music on the fiddle, banjo, mandolin, guitar, bass and drums also had the crowd clamouring for more.

The Doghouse Skiffle Group from Britain entertained the crowd with English folk songs while the Foghorn Stringband from the United States played country music from the Appalachians and the Mid-West.

Latin and Afro-Cuban music came from Mas Y Mas, another British band, and Middle Eastern-inspired melodies from Lebanese group Fady.

Twelve more groups will perform at the festival over the weekend.