Day 4: Colours of Ostrava

The day traversed a range of music ranging from Dhafer Youssef’s meditative sounds to Hayseed Dixie’s unique blend of bluegrass and rock style. I cannot say that day 4 of the Colours held any sort of climatic ending, nor was there a sense of a build-up. Rather, the program sustained itself with its consistent diversity of entertainment. Ending earlier than last year, the festival closed out at 9:45 with a 2 hour performance by Jamie Cullum. Heartfelt and delightful, Cullum won the hearts of Ostravians with his sincerity and talent. Accompanied by a superbly gifted group of musicians, the artist displayed an endearing modesty in the way he engaged the audience and shared the spotlight with fellow band members.

Compared to the previous 2 years, this year’s festival departed from norm in that it didn’t feature major “stars” like Alanis Morisette or Nick Cave. It’s not a question of Sigur Ros and Jamie Cullum being any less popular, but that they are perhaps not as internationally renowned as their counterparts. Ask any Ostravian – and I did – hardly any had heard of either acts, only a small minority. And if they did recognize the names, it did not generate excitement or enthusiasm.

Bringing me back to the same point about why Colours works as well as it does – its intimate and joyful atmosphere. And drawing attention to the obvious – that its 12 years of consistent hard work can and does bring together a community. Even if Ostravians have a tendency to indulge in a sense of inferiority, Colours gives them a reason to hold their heads up high.