tinariwen

been thinking about something else i can blog on about
there's a few projects underway that i enjoy doing
which i accept are either boring to anyone else
or can been seen as totally self-indulgent
amongst the thousands of people reading this blog (ahem)
but it's a blog - a web-log - an on-line diary
documenting things that are personally significant
something to look back on in years to come
and provide a memory jolt for a memory that needs jolting
especially as the grey matter starts cashing in on it's superannuation
as opposed to continually asking for or needing a top-up
so the plan here is to document some womadelaide highlights
not only for the aforementioned reason
but i live in hope that someone (anyone) else reading this blog
and is aware of my fondness for said musical festival
may as a result of this exercise decide to join me
in my annual expedition to the beautiful city of adelaide
and the wonderful musical event that is womadelaide
on in this year of 2008 during the weekend of march 7-9
in 2004 on the usual balmy saturday night i had made a choice
decided to park myself smack centre in front of the main stage
to check out an act written up in the program in an appealing way
basically the words nomadic, mali, desert, guitar, band did it for me
they came on stage dressed in their traditional tourag costumes
flowing garments from head to toe billowing in the night wind
beautiful brightly coloured and shiny guitars strapped on
then proceeded to take the crowd away trance-like
4 years later and i still remember the hypnotising effect
this band had in the way they played their music
i had the great fortune to see them again the next night
same result and a much bigger crowd - the word was out
have bought their cd's many times over since
to replace copies given to friends in need
the band has since moved on in stature
are now signed to a major european label
raved about and loved by all and sundry
including one chap by the name of carlos santana it seems
stumbled across the following clip of the band with him guesting
at a not insignificant music festival known as the montreux jazz festival
not sure what their blues based music has to do with jazz
but apparantly carlos s insisted on them playing there
presumably so he could share the stage
with this smaller version of the band
and claim he discovered them first
sorry buddy - it was me
womadelaide 2004
unforgettable
(now)