A spectacular pairing, Tinariwen and the Growlers opening minds at The Belasco

Tinariwen

Mix your favorite desert rock band with a bit of psychedelic garage rock and most likely you’ll get to witness a crazy awesome sold-out show like we just did last night, at The Belasco. Tinariwen with opening band The Growlers has been a highly anticipated night by a solid fan base in Los Angeles. The doors of this beautiful theater opened early and at 8 p.m. the place was already cracking with a multi-generational crowd displaying how music is ageless. The Growlers started the night with a charming nostalgic style that at the same time generated crowd surfing moments that for a few seconds seemed to get out of control. Regardless, their nostalgic psychedelic surf rock vibes received many sighs of admiration from the crowd for both younger fans who have followed the band since they were playing underground venues, and for new fans who wore solely here to see Tinariwen’s performance.

PHOTOS: Tinariwen at Luckman Fine Arts Complex, 2011

Tinariwen are poet-guitarists and soul rebels from the Southern Sahara desert. At Grimy Goods we have been following Tinariwen’s journeys from their home Mali which is currently in political conflicts where musicians can not freely develop their music. Due to the lack of stability in their homeland, they recorded for the first time outside of Africa in Joshua Tree. Our desert rock band of choice was magnificent as expected. They sing about their love for the desert, the beauty around them, and nostalgia for what they knew as home. It is always a pleasure to witness their resilience and musical strength making them authentic, valuable nomads in their craft. Tinariwen is currently promoting their album (in CD and Vinyl), Emmaar produced by the record label Anti.

PHOTOS: The Growlers at Burgerama III

Photos and Words: Farah Sosa

Tinariwen