When the legendary Tuareg wedding band Etran de L’Aïr returns to Sweden, it is appropriate to warn of a life-affirming swinging dance evening.
In the hometown of Agadez in northern Niger, they have made a name for themselves as one of the city’s most popular. Etran de L’Aïr began as a trio of brothers and for just over a quarter of a century have carved out their own version of guitar-based desert blues. While other bands in the genre may have turned primarily to Western rock for widening influences, Etran de L’Aïr play in a pan-African style with the myriad of cultural influences housed in the city, from Malian blues to Congolese soukous.
The debut album ‘No. 1’, is recorded outdoors on a mobile phone, and was released through indie label Sahel Sounds as the first installment in the ‘Music from Saharan WhatsApp’ series. The project an experiment to give bands a more direct source of income and an opportunity to make a living from their music. In 2022, the band’s second album Agadez came as a tribute to the hometown.
Now Etran de L’Aïr comes to Fasching with his own raw, swinging guitar-based desert blues. The warning is issued, the floor is oiled. The dancing shoes laced.
