Tinariwen with LEAO - Auckland

The Saharan Guitar Superstars Return to Aotearoa to Show Us How It's Done

Strange News & Banished Music Present:
Tinariwen Mali) with Leao
Wednesday 29 May - Powerstation, Auckland
Thursday 30 May - Opera House, Wellington

“Tinariwen proved why they’ve earned a reputation as one of the world’s most entertaining acts; their performance was a true testament to the universal power of music.” - Consequence of Sound

“Listening to Tinariwen is like dropping a bucket into a deep well.” Robert Plant

In the decades since they emerged from the Saharan desert area of Northern Mali, nomadic guitar slingers Tinariwen have been schooling the world one adoring audience at a time about their truly unique brand of Tuareg blues rock. Now, it’s time for Aotearoa to be reminded just why this very special band’s players are considered the true ambassadors of their genre.

Counting amongst their fans the likes of Thom Yorke, Carlos Santana, Cat Power, and Wilco, and having collaborated with the likes of The Dirty Three’s Warren Ellis, Kurt Vile, Cass McCombs, and Daniel Lanois, Tinariwen are truly hot property, and these upcoming appearances in Auckland and Wellington will be rare treats indeed.

For the uninitiated, Tinariwen are known for pioneering a thrilling fusion of West African and Arabic musical traditions with Western blues, rock, country, and folk sounds. Their songs are at once political and poetic, with lyrics confronting the often fraught social changes and upheavals happening in their homelands, all while being the best in the business when it comes to getting a crowd moving.

We could speak of the Grammys, the countless shows played across the globe, and give you more endorsements from Tinariwen’s endless list of famous fans, but really, all you need to know is taken from a Guardian review that described their playing as both ‘deft’ and ‘fearless’:

“This is a band that has been in existence, in one form or another, since 1979. Never resorting to cliche, they continue to be just as inspired by the universal themes of love, politics and nature as they always have been. Their musical delivery is just as heartfelt and forceful for it.”

Meanwhile, as the Aotearoa tour dates for Saharan superstars Tinariwen fast approach, Banished Music and Strange News have a magical message to throw into this musical mix with the announcement of LEAO in support at both shows.
Bursting onto the Tāmaki Makaurau music scene in 2019 with their debut Ghost Roads, Samoan musical project LEAO stand out amongst their peers with their dedication to creating music with a “fa’asamoa spirit”. Blending Pacific musical references and Samoan language with the quartet’s contemporary influences, LEAO’s sound has been described by some as ‘niu wave’ and ‘Pacific neo-psychedelia”.

Don’t miss the opportunity to catch this remarkable Saharan sensation at these two extraordinary shows.