Weather Afternoon: 14°c Light rain Tonight: 7°c Light showers

Critics' Choice

Theatre

Fiona Mountford

quoteIt’s Day’s night, and no one is going to spoil her storyquote

Fiona Mountford A Sentimental Journey Film

Andrew O'Hagan

quoteThis is a shocking, replenishing film, not to be missedquote

Andrew O'Hagan Green Zone Restaurants

Fay Maschler

quoteIt is great that Bruno Loubet is back — and at prices that are eminently fairquote

Fay Maschler Bistro Bruno Loubet

Reader reviews

Film

Antoine, London

quoteThe action and direction are superb and the acting good, but the plot is so pathetic it defies beliefquote

Green Zone Theatre

Marge

quoteWonderful - beautifully acted and gloriously funny, particularly Simon Russell Beale and Fiona Shawquote

London Assurance Art

Paul

quoteProbably the most important photography exhibition london has ever seenquote

A Positive View: A Landmark Photographic Exhibition

Music reviews London,

Tinariwen

Your rating
one startwo starthree starfour starfive star
Click on a star to rate
Barbican Hall
Silk Street, EC2Y 8DS

Evening Standard rating Evening Standard rating
Evening Standard rating Reader rating
 Add your review

Description: The Tuareg group sing electric blues in the Tishoumaren style and promote their album Imidiwan: Companions.


Phone: 0845120 7537

Trains: BR/Tube: Moorgate Overground network

 
Please wait the page is loading extra content
  • Show details
  • Hide details

Rebel sound of the desert blues

Simon Broughton, Evening Standard 26.03.07
 
Fighters: several members of Tinariwen took part in Mali's Touareg rebellion

Fighters: several members of Tinariwen took part in Mali's Touareg rebellion

Look here too

There's a buzz around Tinariwen because their powerful electric guitars and real-life story of rebel fighters turned musicians gives them rock 'n' roll credibility.

Band leader Ibrahim Ag Alhabib took the stage first for an opening solo with his curly, windswept hair, looking like a darker, younger version of Robert Plant, who - as a big fan of the band - was in the audience to see them.

And then the rest of the group appeared - six men swathed in long robes, wrapped in Touareg headresses and one woman, unveiled, with flashing eyes.

"Welcome to the desert" they said and their music said the same with its twanging guitars, handclaps, and basslines as agile as a beetle in the sand.

Several members of Tinariwen fought in Mali's Touareg rebellion and have now found an international audience for their raw desert blues.

Much of their music has the steady trudge of a camel caravan rather than anything more up tempo. As Andy Kershaw said on Desert Island Discs the other day, Tinariwen certainly know how to roll.

There's a danger for those of us not versed in Tamashek that many songs sound samey and the first part of the set wasn't varied enough in pace or mood.

For a band that are so striking in their appearance, they are rather sedate on stage and it was about six numbers in before a faster groove got things moving.

But there were magic moments such as Assouf, a song which means "nostalgia" in Tamashek, the subdued lighting suggested music around a fire in the limitless space of the desert.

Towards the end, the heavily turbaned bass player Eyadou Ag Leche prowled around the stage wielding his guitar like a Kalashnikov. The wildly enthusiastic reaction at the end seemed like a welcome release of suppressed energy.

More


Details are correct at the time of publication - please check with venue before booking.

 

Reader reviews (0)

 Add your review

No comments have so far been submitted.


Add your comment

 

Your email address will not be published

Terms and conditions make text area bigger You have  characters left.


 
 


 
 
London's Weather
Afternoon
Light rain
14°c
Tonight
Light showers
7°c
5 day forecast
 
 

Daily Mail Mail on Sunday Travel Mail This is Money Metro

Loot | Jobsite | Homes & Property | London jobs | Educate London | Holiday Villas