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Immerse yourself in the hypnotic solos and sun-schlazed melodies of Agadez.

Etran de L’Aïr (or ‘stars of the Aïr region’) welcomes you to Agadez, the capital city of Saharan rock. Making their Melbourne Recital Centre debut, Etran evokes the desert metropolis with their dynamic repertoire of hypnotic solos and sun-schlazed melodies. A family band composed of brothers and cousins, their vibrant guitar playing is rooted in celebration and forms an integral part of the Tuareg people’s social fabric.

Embodying the exuberance of an Agadez wedding, Etran performs in a pan-African style that is emblematic of their hometown, drawing on a myriad of cultural influences ranging from Northern Malian blues, Hausa bar bands, to Congolese Soukous. Weaving layers of reverb-laden melodies and shimmering harmonies, witness an abundance of guitar solos that playfully pass over one another with restrained precision—forceful, yet never overindulgent.

Formed in 1995 when current band leader Moussa ‘Abindi’ Ibra was only nine years old, the band began with a single acoustic guitar, using calabash fruit and a sandal for percussion. Twenty-five years later, they are stars of the Agadez guitar scene, beloved for their adrenaline-fuelled anthems and electrifying performances.

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