Lotus Festival this weekend

For all you Bloomington residents, don't miss the opportunity to come out and see the Lotus Festival this weekend.

I got to one of the events at the Archives of Traditional Music today-- the African Showboyz. (I work at the Archives part-time also). The room was packed, and everyone was really enjoying themselves. A good omen for the festival.

Great acts I definitely want to check out tonight and tomorrow include: Mari Boine (Sami contemporary [Sami=Scandinavian equivalents of Inuits]), Susan McKeown (Irish folk-rock), Väsen (Swedish contemporary folk), Kila (hot Celtic band), Le Vent du Nord (Traditional Québécois), Kepa Junkera (Basque trikitixa), Andre Thierry (zydeco), Jan Yragagy (Traditional Kyrgyz), Maura O'Connell (Country/folk song), and Fruit (Australian folk-pop).

There are a bunch of free events too, including a family concert with Le Vent du Nord at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater at noon on Saturday, Indian storytelling by storyteller Patty Callison and Shobana Ram, a dancer in the South Indian Classical tradition of Bharatha Natyam for school-age children and older at the Monroe County Public Library Auditorium (303 E. Kirkwood) from 11-11:45 am and 1-1:45 pm. Admission free, reservations required at 349-3100.

A free World Spirit concert on Sunday from 2:30-5:30 pm at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater (114 E. Kirkwood) featuring the Srinivas Krishnan Ensemble w/ dancer Sunaina Rao, Rachael Davis, Abdelli, and Mongolian singer D. Jargalsaikhan.

A free film on Sunday: "Los Zafiros: Music from the Edge of Time" (An award-winning documentary on a 1960s Cuban band) on Sunday night 7:30 pm at the Buskirk-Chumley.

Hope you can all make it to some of the events. Lotus is definitely one of the perks of living in Bloomington.

If you want to sample the artists, check out:

* WFHB-FM 91.3 and 98.1 which is playing a lot of live music, and featuring Lotus Festival artists this week.

* On WFIU-FM 103.7, "Just You and Me"'s Joe Bourne is sampling a few of the festival artists today between 3:30-5:00 this afternoon.

I'll try to post my thoughts on the acts tonight or tomorrow. Radio is good, but live music is usually better.