Came the rain on the second day of Womad: following glorious sun on the Friday, at 4.40pm, first some drizzle, then a reminder of what a British summer is usually all about. One felt for Osibisa in particular, the groundbreaking Afro-rock band who were moments later to brave the Open Air stage. This reviewer, with apologies, forsook the promise of classics such as Sunshine Day to leg it back to shelter and a quick change into waterproofs. Reasonably undaunted, a personal highight was to follow, the fantastic Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band over on the Radio 3 stage.
Earlier, emerging sitar star Roopa Panesar, from Leicester, had captivated in the same small wooded arena, her music no doubt the perfect soundtrack for anyone in the market for a shiatsu massage courtesy of the several healers or such like in close proximity. Not quite hitting the spot were the Imperial Tiger Orchestra who followed Panesar on stage. There's nothing not to like about the concept: a group from Switzerland who take inspiration from the golden age of Ethiopian jazz and funk. But in this instance, perhaps the substance just wasn't there.
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Not so with the Reverend, whose scorching band really just comprises drummer Ben "Bird Dog" Bussell and "Washboard" Breezy Peyton, who plays said instrumet with vigorous aplomb. The trio are a country-blues trio from Indiana, steeped in tradition and sounding like raw electricity. The main man, swapping between instruments including a rudimentary cigar-box guitar, shook his beard and stuck out his tongue at the drenched crowd, but mostly just stunned those congregated with his prowess and dizzying playing.
A quick pit-stop in the Big Red tent to dry off meant also catching a burst of Fimber Bravo, the steel-pan player and his continents-crossing band, before braving the elements again for Rokia Traore. The Malian star usually trades on the intimacy of her sound, but triumphed here with her band, encouraging the brave audience to shake their brollies in appreciation. She was followed in the Siam tent by the rambunctious French outfit Babylon Circus, who conjure something of the manic energy of Les Négresses Vertes or perhaps might be considered a Gallic alternative to Bellowhead. Reports came in that the Iranian percusssionist Mohammad Reza Mortazavi was superb on the Charlie Gillett stage.
Bringing the day to a climax, back on the Open Air stage, were Arrested Development, the veteran hip hop group, who in the early stage of their set asked the audience to raise their hand up if they'd never seen them previously. It felt as if the entire place did so. But never mind: even those unfamiliar with the group's big hits from the mid-90s such as Mr Wendal quickly warmed to them. Wonderfully entertaining, frontman Speech also showed off his pipes with a version of Bob Marley's Redemption Song, while there were also blasts of others' classics such as House of Pain's Jump Around. In the rain, the entire Womad crowd was bouncing.
• This article was amended on 7 August 2013. The original caption on the top photograph said the singer on the right was Montsho Eshe. It is Fareedah Aleem. This has been corrected.
