Here's a nice review of Tinariwen from their NYC concert. Saw them in Chapel Hill last Monday, the first night of their US tour. Amazing show. They were supposed to play at Duke last April but that show was canceled. So, yeah, I've been waiting for this concert since August 2008, when tix for the 08/09 Duke Performance season went on sale. And even with my unreasonably high expectations, I was not disappointed. Was surprised and pleased that I actually recognized a bunch of songs they played including "Tamodjerazt Assis" from the most recent CD and "Arawan" from Amassakoul. It might even be a good thing that their 2009 show here didn't happen since this time founding member Ibrahim Ag Alhabib was part of the tour. I knew he was supposed to be there but he did not come out with the rest of the band, who played a couple of numbers before he came on stage, guitar slung over his back. Definitely one of the cooler entrances and you could just tell (to paraphrase Homer Simpson) that he was gonna do something and it was gonna be really cool. And it was. Absolutely do not miss them if you have a chance.