The Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF) is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year and the organizer, Sarawak Tourism Board (STB), has promised to stage an event with a blast.

To keep to the promise STB has list up an impressive line up of performers. In fact, 20 bands had been listed and all of them had performed in the festival in previous years.

While most of the bands are making their second appearances in this year’s festival, bands like Inka Marka from Peru, Black Umfolosi (Zimbabwe), Shooglenifty (Scotland) and Aseana Percussion Unit (Kuala Lumpur) will be making their third appearances.  And, when they assembled at the Sarawak Cultural Village, it will be a reunion of the big names in world music of sort for everyone.

Given that scenario, this year’s RWMF should not be an event to be miss as other bands included in the line-up are Huun Huur Tu and Malerji from Tuva and Russia, Khac Chi (Vietnam), Ensemble Kaboul (Afghanistan), Shannon (Poland), Garifuna Allstars (Belize), Foghorn Stringband (USA), Tarika Be (Madagascar), Tammora (Italy), Mas Y Mas (UK), Doghouse Skiffle Band (UK), Mah Meri (Kuala Lumpur) and the maestro of world music Randy Raine Reusch (Canada).

It will definitely be a proud and memorable moment for Reusch to come back and perform at RWMF stage after his six years absence from the event. Him, being the consultant of the festival in the early years, was instrumental in demarcating the direction of the festival then.
 
To share that glorious moments are also Sarawak’s very own groups like Anak A’dik Rurum, Jerry Kamit, Taboh Pak Ainal and Lun Bawang Bamboo Band.

Together, the bands are expected to give all their best both during the workshop sessions and night concerts.  With so many bands ready to provide the entertainment, Sarawak Cultural Village and its natural surrounding is expected to be the venue for the party of the year from July 13 to 15.

The RWMF had enjoyed a steady increased in the crowd turn-up for the event each year since its inception in 1998. Targeting at attracting 24,000 people to RWMF this year, STB is confident of achieving its target as the tickets for the festival is now available online.

Ticketcharge Sdn Bhd had been entrusted to handle the ticket sales on its website www.ticketcharge.com.my.  Tickets are priced at RM80 per day for adult and RM40 per day for children between six and 12 years old. A three-day pass is priced at RM200 for adult and RM100 for a three-day pass for children between six and 12 years old.

Apart from online ticketing, STB had also embarked on extensive media and marketing campaign that had began last year.  Among the notable events where RWMF was promoted include the World Music Expo (WOMEX) in Seville, Spain; Internationale Tourismus Bourse (ITB) in Berlin; MATTA Fair in Kuala Lumpur and NATAS Fair in Singapore.

At the same time STB is also publishing a special RWMF anniversary book.  The book charted the chronology of the festival and numerous pictures from the past festivals will be included in this 206-page book. It will be available in July.

To ensure the success of this year’s festival, STB had also roped in many working partners that would be contributing in many ways. Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank Corporation is the official bank and Maxis Communications Bhd is the official telco.
Shell is the corporate partner and Astro is the official media while fRoots is the media partner. The festival is also sponsored by Heineken.

RWMF had also won the PATA Gold Award 2006 under the Heritage and Culture category.

This event also has the support of the Tourism Ministry of Malaysia and Ministry of Urban Development and Tourism Malaysia.  Tourism Malaysia’s support came in a big way as the RWMF had been listed as one of the top 50 Malaysian events under the Visit Malaysia Year 2007 campaign.

Update on RWMF is also available online at www.rainforestmusic-borneo.com.