One of our Top Live Acts of 2011, Tinariwen continues to live up to that illustrious title with a new video from their September performance at Los Angeles’ El Rey Theater, in which the band was joined onstage by members of Red Hot Chili Peppers. Flea and Josh Klinghoffer rocked out alongside the African desert bluesmen for “Cler Achel”, a cut off Tinariwen’s 2007 LP Aman Iman. Watch the clash of the titans below (via RollingStone.com).

Tinariwen will deliver more live performances this summer when they play a string of North American tour dates in June and several European shows with the Red Hot Chili Peppers in July.

Additionally, Tinariwen adds to our growing list of Record Store Day releases with the vinyl debut of their most recent album, Tassili. The special release includes four remixes by Animal Collective’s Deakin, Portugal. The Man, Four Tet, and Galactic. Check out the remix’s tracklist and band’s upcoming tour dates after the video.

Tassili Remix Tracklist:
01. Tenere Taqhim Tossam (Four Tet Remix)
02. Imidiwan Ma Tenam (Portugal. The Man Remix)
03. Imidiwan Ma Tenam (Galactic)
04. Tameyawt (Deakin of Animal Collective Remix)

Tinariwen 2012 Tour Dates:
04/05 – Glasgow, UK @ Oran Mor
04/06 – Edinburgh, UK @ Queens Hall
04/07 – Bristol, UK @ Colston Hall
04/08 – Manchester, UK @ HMV Ritz
04/10 – Birmingham, UK @ Birmingham HMV Institute
04/11 – Liverpool, UK @ Liverpool Philharmonic
04/12 – Dublin, IE @ National Concert Hall
04/14 – Turin To, IT @ Hiroshima Mon Amour
04/15 – Milan, IT @ Alcatraz
04/16 – Ravenna, IT @ Bronson
04/17 – Rome, IT @ Auditorio
04/18 – Florence, IT @ Flog Club
04/21 – Cologne, DE @ Kulturkirche
04/23 – Copenhagen, DK @ Vega
04/24 – Arhus C, DK @ Voxhall
04/26 – La Rochelle, FR @ La Sirene
04/27 – Bourges, FR @ Printemps de Bourges
04/28 – Angers, FR @ Festival Toucouleur
04/29 – Lille, FR @ Aeronef
05/03 – London, UK @ Shepherd’s Bush Empire
06/02 – Ozark, AR @ Wakarusa Music Festival
06/05 – Denver, CO @ L2 Arts Center
06/08 – Petaluma/Big Sur, CA @ TBA
06/10 – San Francisco, CA @ SF Jazz
06/11 – Portland, OR @ Aladdin Theater
06/12 – Seattle, WA @ The Showbox at The Market
06/14 – Washington, DC @ Howard Theater
06/15 – Brooklyn, NY @ Northside Festival
06/16 – Croton-on-Hudson, NY @ Croton Point Park
06/28 – Nijmegen, NE @ Goffertpark *
06/30 – Paris, FR @ Stade de France *
06/29 – Brussels, BG @ Tour & Taxis
06/30 – St.-Denis, FR @ Stade de France
07/01 – Brussels, BG @ Tour & Taxis
07/03 – Bern, SW @ Stade de Suisse *
07/23 – Lyon, FR @ Theatres Romains de Fourviere

* = w/ Red Hot Chili Peppers

If you couldn’t tell from our collection of photos last week, we’ve covered plenty of live shows over the year. That’s why we felt it was unfair to peg one band as the best live act for 2011. It’s all about perspective, really. And genre. There’s an inordinate wealth of talent out on the road these days. From the arena downtown to the neighborhood bar around the corner, it’s a spoil of riches in any metropolis.

As the music industry evolves, you’re going to see more and more artists in your local concert halls. While not the most amicable predicament for them (you try living on the road; it sucks), it’s good news for fans everywhere. Music is meant to be experienced. Those long weeks spent staring at your ticket lying on your nightstand (or, in your office), it’s an exciting buildup. It’s probably the only situation involving music these days where we actually have to wait. For that reason, it’s pretty special.

Consequence of Sound put together a list of its five favorite live acts of the year. These were the ones that shook our feathers, the shows that had us saving our tickets, moving them from our nightstands and into frames, along with the posters. Hopefully, you did the same, too.

-Michael Roffman
President/Editor-in-Chief

Arcade Fire

With a third album on the shelf (see: last year’s The Suburbs), one that clocks in at over an hour no less, Win Butler finally had an expansive catalog to use, and Arcade Fire has always hinted at bigger things. Their 2004 debut, Funeral, shined with songs like “Wake Up”, “Rebellion (Lies)”, and “Neighborhood #3 (Power Out)” – three tracks that could close out any festival worldwide. They just never had enough material to push their live show into the upper echelon of, say, the E Street Band.

In 2011, Arcade Fire took everyone to the suburbs. Following last year’s headlining performance at Lollapalooza 2010, mere days after releasing their third LP, the Canadian octet unearthed a surreal truth: They appealed to many. Thousands packed in to catch the group, who performed against a recently reunited Soundgarden. That was the spark, but the following year’s win at the Grammy was the ultimate bombshell. The fallout was an ensuing tour that captured and dazzled millions across the world. Songs sounded bigger, themes were understood, and the group appeared self-aware. They stormed around with an authority that just wasn’t there previously. On new tracks like the rollicking “Ready to Start”, the insightful “We Used to Wait”, and the driving “Sprawl II”, Butler & Co. took fans to another world. It was an arena rock show in the vein of Pink Floyd’s tour for The Wall. Songs became events. The band stood for something.

Personally, they hit at areas I can’t even begin to describe without sort of tearing up (e.g. lost moments, fractured nostalgia, bitter adulthood), but a part of me truly believes that anyone of any age in any place could feel the same way. That’s the sort of power any live band should try to grasp. Few ever do – yes, the E Street Band trademark this, too – but how about that? One of our acts made it. Admittedly, that’s a great feeling, and one we’ll be able to enjoy for years to come. Let’s just hope they don’t call it a day like their pal, Mr. Murphy. Doubtful. This is just the beginning. -Michael Roffman

Portishead

When quizzed earlier this year about the possibility of reissuing his band’s seminal 1994 album, Dummy, in honor of its upcoming 20th anniversary, Portishead’s Geoff Barrow shut the idea down by explaining that alternate takes and bonus tracks simply weren’t a part of the band’s vocabulary. They either perfected a song, or they didn’t record it at all. Given their history, it makes sense. Nothing seems to describe Portishead’s approach to music better than that old adage about quality over quantity. The same overt perfectionism that’s limited the group’s studio output to just three albums in almost two decades has ensured that nearly every track on each of those albums is an immaculately crafted realization of the band’s musical vision.

More than perhaps any other act touring today, Portishead fuses virtuosic technical skill with visceral levels of performance quality, seamlessly blending all of the disparate styles and influences they’ve made their own throughout their career into pitch-perfect, seemingly unrepeatable performances of their material every time they take the stage. Regrettably, though, the group doesn’t tour much (especially not stateside), a fact that, for years, relegated accounts of their phenomenal live shows mostly to the stuff of legend.

This year, though, the group finally made it overseas for a 16-date North American trek. Though they haven’t released any new material since 2008’s Third (aside from the brilliant single “Chase the Tear” back in ’09), nothing on the setlist – even the songs that are now almost two decades old – felt old in the least.

Opening every night of the tour with “Silence” off of Third and closing with “We Carry On”, a bleak, brooding highlight off of the same record, the band’s setlist dug into their hallowed back catalog to ensure that everyone went home happy. Barrow and Adrian Utley, masters of all things musical, are a huge part of that, playing an army of guitars, basses, synthesizers, and everything else necessary to bring the band’s tunes to life. Jim Barr on bass, John Baggott on keys, and frequent collaborator/drummer Clive Deamer – who looks to spend 2012 with Radiohead on their King of Limbs world trek as the band’s second drummer and Phil Selway’s mirror image – rounded out the six-man band. And of course, there’s Beth Gibbons’ voice, an instrument of peerless beauty in its own right, one somehow even more hauntingly siren-like than it is on record.

While we’re probably still a ways out from any new material from the group (they took 11 years to release Third), Portishead did well this year to cement their status as one of the best live acts of our time. -Möhammad Choudhery

The Throne

Twenty years ago, the idea of seeing a hip-hop show at the United Center probably sounded ridiculous. Who would perform? Who carried enough energy to entertain that many people? Who even remotely had that power? Things have changed. In the past 10 years, hip-hop has become such an unnatural entity. Artists like Kanye West, Eminem, Jay-Z, and Lil Wayne have built up their brands similar to NBA all-stars. They’re legends with scorecards. In an era where albums bring in dollars and cents, these names turn a profit that rivals most entrepreneurs. Have you ever seen Scarface? That sort of excess is their lifestyle. What’s more, they’ve amassed legions of fans.

So, the idea of The Throne – Jay-Z and Kanye West’s long-hyped collaboration – could only fit in one place: stadiums and arenas nationwide. The event’s stage setup says it all: Over an empty stage, which features two raised platforms and a slew of digital screens, the two commercial and critical smashes do their “thing.” That’s all they need. The real appeal is seeing their dynamic collaboration in action. It’s a three-prong attack that starts with the excess and pizazz of “Otis”, continues with the rare introspection of “New Day”, and ends with the test of ego that comes with the multiple performances of “Niggas in Paris”. Between these three cuts are several Throne tracks and the rapper’s respective hits. It’s exhausting, it’s almost overload, but it’s a true example of how far this genre has come and how much further it will go. Because if there’s anything we’ve learned from history, it’s that there’s always someone waiting to take the throne. This won’t be the last time the United Center, or any venue like it, will host an event of this caliber. But, hey, every story needs a first page. -Michael Roffman

Tinariwen

Even though I wish Malian desert blues emissaries Tinariwen received the same attention as the American musicians that inspire them, I appreciate the opportunity to see the band without 80,000 other people at a summer music festival. When they played Minneapolis for the second time this year, I jumped at the opportunity to see the band’s entrancing fusion of ancient Berber songs, guitar-driven assouf, and good old-fashioned rock and roll. And while the traditionally nomadic lifestyle of the Tuareg constantly changes the band’s lineup, Tinariwen’s particular incarnation at the Cedar Cultural Center performed so seamlessly it seemed like these musicians had been playing together for the full three decades. The rolling percussive rhythms, quick-fingered bass, and electrifying vocals affected and impressed me more than any other performance I’ve seen this year.

Bandleader Ibrahim Ag Alhabib, framed with the same wild hair as his icon Jimi Hendrix, commanded the attention of the audience with his gilded guitar and world-weary delivery. His and many members of Tinariwen’s participation in sub-Saharan conflicts influences the band’s songwriting, giving the Tamashek lyrics depth and heft that comes across, even though few, if any, audience members understood what he was singing about. After three encores—including a set with a shepherd’s flute and vocal harmonies that literally made my hair stand on end—I was happy I got to keep them to (almost) myself. -Harley Brown

tUnE-yArDs

At a tUnE-yArDs show, Merril Garbus starts many songs with a microphone in her left hand and a drumstick in her right. She bangs an odd beat on the snare while holding the microphone close. Then she moves on to the tom. Next comes the snare rim, or perhaps the mic stand. It’s stand-alone amazing when a song’s percussion track is conjured from this ritual, but one of my favorite moments at a show this year happened at Lincoln Hall, when she was making these loops and someone just screamed for her, letting out a yawp of excitement. The microphone picked up the scream as Garbus was recording her loops, and she smiled and said, “Well, now you’re really a part of this song.” We got to relive that moment again and again for the next five minutes.

I don’t doubt this happened at other tUnE-yArDs shows across the US this year, but it’s a good example of the kind of spontaneity born from the unadulterated joy that happens at her show. In all of the many shows I saw, no one smiled quite like Garbus. No one had the elation for the music and the audience like Garbus. No one made me happy — literally and simply happy — like Garbus. Her goofy, bubbly, and always confident demeanor excused the crowd to let go and engage more fully and personally with her and the music.

Garbus doesn’t strive for the cool and detached aesthetic. She strives for individualism and confidence in one’s own self. Cool it. It’s not as new agey as it seems. There are never any precious or pretentious moments at her shows, even with her face paint, tulle shoulder puffs, and semaphore gesticulations. All of it is supported in her stage persona and her music, both of which set new standards for performers and musicians alike. She’s our pop-poet laureate and my favorite live act of 2011. -Jeremy D. Larson

One second. Sometimes that’s all a photographer gets – and hardly in ideal conditions. At worst (and most likely), a photographer may be squeezed between 15 others in the pit, mere feet away from pyrotechnics, finding support from stress-rattled knees, while focusing on a spastic frontman and sheltering oneself from a downpour, which may or may not involve a hailstorm. Truth: A great photographer handles the unenviable task of capturing that one moment everyone goes home thinking about. Half-truth: There’s probably a statistic somewhere that discusses what the job does to the heart. If not, there should be a study. Double-truth: It’s just a sweaty, life-threatening task.

Hi, I’m Michael Roffman, President and Editor-in-Chief of Consequence of Sound. You may know me from such stories as “Look Out! The Gaslight Anthem is Coming!” or “Scratch that… Brian Wilson is not returning to The Beach Boys.” This year, I sent out dozens of writers and photographers to hundreds of shows and just about every major music festival this side of the Atlantic (some even overseas). Without a doubt, our eyes were everywhere.

More specifically, our photographers’ multiple weighty lenses. In the past 12 months, we’ve published countless, fully-stocked galleries, featuring some of the most awe-inspiring shots on the ‘net, all thanks to our brave and inordinately talented photographers. Actually, that’s an understatement. These artists bleed talent – to get somewhat histrionic. Look, we value words, but as Fred R. Barnard so famously wrote, “a picture is worth a thousand words.” Cliche, but you spend over four years putting these live and festival reviews together. You’ll quickly see how true that statement is. To date, I still feel like I’ve attended Bonnaroo.*

For our annual report, we put together our 100 favorite photos of the year. Lots of colors, lots of locales, and plenty of popular mugs to savor. So, throw on some tunes, grab a bag of chips, and enjoy the trip. You’ll go places, kiddo.

-Michael Roffman
President/Editor-in-Chief

* Would never happen. This guy in mud? Nah.

Weezer

Event: Weezer at Chicago’s Aragon Ballroom
Date: 1/7/2011
Photographer: Heather Kaplan

The Walkmen

Event: The Walkmen at Atlanta’s Variety Playhouse
Date: 1/13/2011
Photographer: Max Blau

Girl Talk

Event: Girl Talk at Atlanta’s Tabernacle
Date: 1/21/2011
Photographer: Max Blau

Sad Brad Smith

Event: Sad Brad Smith at Chicago’s Schubas Tavern
Date: 1/23/2011
Photographer: Brad Bretz

The Church

Event: The Church at Chicago’s Park West
Date: 2/11/2011
Photographer: Brad Bretz

Robyn

Event: Robyn at Chicago’s The Riviera Theatre
Date: 2/14/2011
Photographer: Meghan Brosnan

The Dismemberment Plan

Event: The Dismemberment Plan at Chicago’s Metro
Date: 2/19/2011
Photographer: Heather Kaplan

Ben Kweller

Event: Ben Kweller at Chicago’s Vic Theatre
Date: 2/23/2011
Photographer: Joshua Mellin

Bright Eyes

Event: Bright Eyes at Miami’s The Fillmore
Date: 3/2/2011
Photographer: Lauren Guagno

Raphael Saadiq

Event: Raphael Saadiq at SXSW 2011
Date: 3/16-20/2011
Photographer: Cap Blackard

Baby Headphones

Event: SXSW 2011
Date: 3/16-20/2011
Photographer: Heather Kaplan

Owen Pallett

Event: Owen Pallett at SXSW 2011
Date: 3/16-20/2011
Photographer: Heather Kaplan

The Strokes

Event: The Strokes at SXSW 2011
Date: 3/16-20/2011
Photographer: Cap Blackard

The Kills

Event: The Kills at SXSW 2011
Date: 3/16-20/2011
Photographer: Heather Kaplan

TV on the Radio w/ Yo Gabba Gabba!

Event: TV on the Radio w/ Yo Gabba Gabba! at SXSW 2011
Date: 3/16-20/2011
Photographer: Heather Kaplan

Matt & Kim

Event: Matt & Kim at SXSW 2011
Date: 3/16-20/2011
Photographer: Heather Kaplan

Odd Future

Event: Odd Future at SXSW 2011
Date: 3/16-20/2011
Photographer: Heather Kaplan

Odd Future

Event: Odd Future at SXSW 2011
Date: 3/16-20/2011
Photographer: Heather Kaplan

Hollerado

Event: Hollerado at Axis of Audio Showcase: SXSW 2011
Date: 3/19/2011
Photographer: Cap Blackard

Astronautalis

Event: Astronautalis (& Four Fists) at Axis of Audio Showcase: SXSW 2011
Date: 3/19/2011
Photographer: Cap Blackard

P.O.S.

Event: P.O.S. at Paid Dues Festival 2011
Date: 4/2/2011
Photographer: Winston Robbins

The Mountain Goats

Event: The Mountain Goats at Chicago’s Vic Theatre
Date: 4/5/2011
Photographer: Meghan Brosnan

Queens of the Stone Age

Event: Queens of the Stone Age at Oakland’s Fox Theatre
Date: 4/11/2011
Photographer: Karina Halle

The Strokes

Event: The Strokes at Coachella 2011
Date: 4/15-17/2011
Photographer: Debi Del Grande

Kanye West

Event: Kanye West at Coachella 2011
Date: 4/15-17/2011
Photographer: Debi Del Grande

The National

Event: The National, Arcade Fire at Chicago’s UIC Pavillion
Date: 4/24/2011
Photographer: Lauren Guagno

Arcade Fire

Event: The National, Arcade Fire at Chicago’s UIC Pavillion
Date: 4/24/2011
Photographer: Lauren Guagno

Battles

Event: Battles at Chicago’s Lincoln Hall
Date: 4/30/2011
Photographer: Brad Bretz

tUnE-yArDs

Event: tUnE-yArDs at Chicago’s Lincoln Hall
Date: 5/10/2011
Photographer: Wallo Villacorta

Lykke Li

Event: Lykke Li at Chicago’s Metro
Date: 5/23/2011
Photographer: Meghan Brosnan

The Gorge

Event: Sasquatch! 2011
Date: 5/27-30/2011
Photographer: Heather Kaplan

Death From Above 1979

Event: Death From Above 1979 at Sasquatch! 2011
Date: 5/27-30/2011
Photographer: Heather Kaplan

Robyn

Event: Robyn at Sasquatch 2011
Date: 5/27-30/2011
Photographer: Heather Kaplan

Fitz and the Tantrums

Event: Fitz and the Tantrums at Sasquatch! 2011
Date: 5/27-30/2011
Photographer: Heather Kaplan

The Flaming Lips

Event: The Flaming Lips at Sasquatch! 2011
Date: 5/27-30/2011
Photographer: Heather Kaplan

The Decemberists

Event: Sasquatch! 2011
Date: 5/27-30/2011
Photographer: Heather Kaplan

Melvins

Event: Melvins at Chicago’s Double Door
Date: 5/31/2011
Photographer: Katie Schuering

Bonnaroo Fan

Event: Bonnaroo 2011
Date: 6/9-12/2011
Photographer: Ben Kaye

Buffalo Springfield

Event: Buffalo Springfield at Bonnaroo 2011
Date: 6/9-12/2011
Photographer: Max Blau

Eminem

Event: Eminem at Bonnaroo 2011
Date: 6/9-12/2011
Photographer: Max Blau

Future Islands

Event: Future Islands at Chicago’s Subterranean
Date: 6/15/2011
Photographer: Meghan Brosnan

Florence + the Machine

Event: Florence + the Machine at Chicago’s Aragon Ballroom
Date: 6/18/2011
Photographer: Meghan Brosnan

Glastonbury

Event: Glastonbury 2011
Date: 6/22-26/2011
Photographer: Laura Page

Eddie Vedder w/ Glen Hansard

Event: Eddie Vedder at The Chicago Theatre
Date: 6/28/2011
Photographer: Heather Kaplan

Phish Heads

Event: Phish Super Ball IX
Date: 7/1-3/2011
Photographer: Jake Cohen

Fucked Up

Event: Fucked Up at Chicago’s Lincoln Hall
Date: 7/2/2011
Photographer: Jeremy D. Larson

Cold Cave

Event: Cold Cave at Pitchfork 2011
Date: 7/15-17/2011
Photographer: Jeremy D. Larson

OFF!

Event: OFF! at Pitchfork 2011
Date: 7/15-17/2011
Photographer: Meghan Brosnan

Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti

Event: Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti at Pitchfork 2011
Date: 7/15-17/2011
Photographer: Meghan Brosnan

tUnE-yArDs

Event: tUnE-yArDs at Pitchfork 2011
Date: 7/15-17/2011
Photographer: Meghan Brosnan

Fleet Foxes

Event: Fleet Foxes at Pitchfork 2011
Date: 7/15-17/2011
Photographer: Meghan Brosnan

Soundgarden

Event: Soundgarden, Queens of the Stone Age, Mastodon at Washington’s Gorge Amphitheater
Date: 7/30/2011
Photographer: Karina Halle

Paul McCartney

Event: Paul McCartney at Chicago’s Wrigley Field
Date: 7/31/2011
Photographer: Heather Kaplan

Lolla Chicago

Event: Lollapalooza 2011
Date: 8/5-7/2011
Photographer: Brad Bretz

Le Butcherettes

Event: Le Butcherettes at Lollapalooza 2011
Date: 8/5-7/2011
Photographer: Heather Kaplan

Crystal Castles

Event: Crystal Castles at Lollapalooza 2011
Date: 8/5-7/2011
Photographer: Brad Bretz

Coldplay

Event: Coldplay at Lollapalooza 2011
Date: 8/5-7/2011
Photographer: Heather Kaplan

The Chain Gang of 1974

Event: The Chain Gang of 1974 at Lollapalooza 2011
Date: 8/5-7/2011
Photographer: Brad Bretz

Ellie Goulding

Event: Ellie Goulding at Lollapalooza 2011
Date: 8/5-7/2011
Photographer: Heather Kaplan

Foo Fighters

Event: Foo Fighters at Chicago’s Metro
Date: 8/6/2011
Photographer: Heather Kaplan

Foster the People

Event: Foster the People at Outside Lands 2011
Date: 8/12-14/2011
Photographer: Debi Del Grande

Muse

Event: Muse at Outside Lands 2011
Date: 8/12-14/2011
Photographer: Debi Del Grande

Arcade Fire

Event: Arcade Fire at Outside Lands 2011
Date: 8/12-14/2011
Photographer: Debi Del Grande

Bush

Event: Bush at Chicago’s Congress Theatre
Date: 8/18/2011
Photographer: Brad Bretz

Rubblebucket

Event: Rubblebucket at North Coast 2011
Date: 9/2-4/2011
Photographer: Lillian Cai

Pearl Jam

Event: Pearl Jam at PJ20 at Alpine Valley
Date: 9/3-4/2011
Photographer: Jeremy D. Larson

Erykah Badu

Event: Erykah Badu at New York’s Rock the Bells 2011
Date: 9/3/2011
Photographer: Jake Cohen

Lauryn Hill

Event: Lauryn Hill at New York’s Rock the Bells 2011
Date: 9/3/2011
Photographer: Jake Cohen

The Kills

Event: The Kills at Vancouver’s Commodore Ballroom
Date: 9/5/2011
Photographer: Karina Halle

James Vincent McMorrow

Event: James Vincent McMorrow at Chicago’s Hideout
Date: 9/15/2011
Photographer: Matt Hyland

Delta Spirit

Event: Delta Spirit at Austin City Limits 2011
Date: 9/16-18/2011
Photographer: Debi Del Grande

My Morning Jacket

Event: My Morning Jacket at Austin City Limits 2011
Date: 9/16-18/2011
Photographer: Nate Slevin

Kanye West

Event: Kanye West at Austin City Limits 2011
Date: 9/16-18/2011
Photographer: Nate Slevin

Randy Newman

Event: Randy Newman at Austin City Limits 2011
Date: 9/16-18/2011
Photographer: Nate Slevin

Incubus

Event: Incubus at Miami’s Bayfront Park
Date: 9/20/2011
Photographer: Lauren Guagno

Blink-182

Event: Blink-182 at West Palm Beach’s Cruzan Amphitheatre
Date: 9/23/2011
Photographer: Lauren Guagno

Deerhoof

Event: Deerhoof at Chicago’s Bottom Lounge
Date: 9/25/2011
Photographer: Katie Schuering

Radiohead

Event: Radiohead at New York City’s Roseland Ballroom
Date: 9/28/2011
Photographer: Nate Slevin

St. Vincent

Event: St. Vincent at Chicago’s Metro
Date: 10/5/2011
Photographer: Katie Schuering

Portishead

Event: Portishead at Chicago’s Aragon Theater
Date: 10/12/2011
Photographer: Jeremy D. Larson

Sims

Event: Doomtree at Minneapolis’ Fine Line Music Cafe
Date: 10/15/2011
Photographer: Harley Brown

The Stepkids

Event: The Stepkids at CMJ 2011
Date: 10/18-22/2011
Photographer: Jeremy D. Larson

Duran Duran

Event: Duran Duran at The Chicago Theatre
Date: 10/21/2011
Photographer: Brad Bretz

Deadmau5

Event: deadmau5 at Chicago’s Aragon Ballroom
Date: 10/22/2011
Photographer: Brad Bretz

Moby

Event: Moby at Moogfest 2011
Date: 10/28-30/2011
Photographer: Cap Blackard

Moby

Event: Moby at Moogfest 2011
Date: 10/28-30/2011
Photographer: Cap Blackard

Childish Gambino

Event: Childish Gambino at Moogfest 2011
Date: 10/28-30/2011
Photographer: Catherine Watkins

Suicide

Event: Suicide at Moogfest 2011
Date: 10/28-30/2011
Photographer: Cap Blackard

The Flaming Lips

Event: The Flaming Lips at Moogfest 2011
Date: 10/28-30/2011
Photographer: Catherine Watkins

Mayer Hawthorne & County

Event: Mayer Hawthorne & County at Moogfest 2011
Date: 10/28-30/2011
Photographer: Cap Blackard

M83

Event: M83 at Moogfest 2011
Date: 10/28-30/2011
Photographer: Cap Blackard

Zola Jesus

Event: Zola Jesus at San Francisco’s The Independent
Date: 11/1/2011
Photographer: Summer Dunsmore

Feist

Event: Feist at Chicago’s The Riviera Theatre
Date: 11/4/2011
Photographer: Brad Bretz

The Raconteurs

Event: The Raconteurs at Orlando Calling 2011
Date: 11/12-13/2011
Photographer: Cap Blackard

Pixies

Event: Pixies at Orlando Calling 2011
Date: 11/12-13/2011
Photographer: Cap Blackard

YACHT

Event: YACHT at San Francisco’s The Independent
Date: 11/17/2011
Photographer: Summer Dunsmore

M83

Event: M83 at Chicago’s Lincoln Hall
Date: 11/17/2011
Photographer: Jeremy D. Larson

The Cure

Event: The Cure at Los Angeles’ Pantages Theatre
Date: 11/23/2011
Photographer: Debi Del Grande

Tinariwen

Event: Tinariwen at Minneapolis’ Cedar Cultural Center
Date: 11/26/2011
Photographer: Harley Brown

Iggy Pop and the Stooges

Event: Iggy Pop and the Stooges at Hollywood’s Palladium
Date: 12/1/2011
Photographer: Debi Del Grande

Leave it to Stephen Colbert to bring a crowd together – an eclectic one at that, too. Last night, Malian collective Tinariwen came “to rock the gourd” and also sat down to talk shop with Colbert. Although Ibrahim Ag Alhabib and Eyadou Ag Leche had to use a translator (named Lola) to connect with the Comedy Central goldmine, they did have support from recent collaborators Tunde Adebimpe and Kyp Malone of TV on the Radio. In fact, both Adebimpe and Malone joined them on a performance of “Tenere Taqqim Tossam”, off this year’s Tassili. As Harley Brown recently wrote, “There are, literally, almost no words to describe Tinariwen’s performance…” So, be sure to check it all out below, including an online-only cut of “Imidiwan Ma Tenam”.

Interview:

“Tenere Taqqim Tossam”:

“Imidiwan Ma Tenam”:

The Cedar, which often hosts international musicians, was the perfect venue for this multicultural lineup. Swiss songstress Sophie Hunger opened, backed by a trombonist—and occasional chest-thumping percussionist—and an acoustic guitarist. Whether on keyboard, solo vocals, or guitar, she produced a melodic blend of folk, vaudeville, and 1920′s speakeasy jazz. Her fluid segues between German, French, and English were admirable, as were her band’s multifaceted, tight musicianship and her version of Bob Dylan’s “I Shall Be Free No. 10” sung as “Sophie Hunger Blues”. But the calculated theatricality of Hunger’s performance, from the aforementioned torso drumming to intense facial expressions and dramatic execution, unfortunately both distracted and detracted from the performance.

When Tinariwen took the stage, the room’s energy palpably increased, and the audience’s collective heart rate started racing. Here was a legendary group of African musicians who formed in Tuareg rebel camps in the 1970s, many of whom later fought in Libya and Mali’s civil conflicts. Tinariwen couldn’t even record its latest album, Tassili, in Mali, because the political situation there is still too precarious. Bandleader Ibrahim Ag Alhabib, who took the stage six songs into the set to perform Tinariwen’s newest material, exhibited this world-weariness in his sad brown eyes and slow, deliberate movements. Tracks like “Aden Osamnat” and closer “Imidiwan Ma Tennam” smoldered live, more electrifying than Tinariwen’s older material, even though Tassili was a noted departure from the band’s plugged-in sound. On the slow, sweet “Walla Illa”, Hunger returned to the stage, taking over backing vocals sung by TV on the Radio’s Tunde Adebimpe and Kyp Malone on the record.

For the second encore, one of the band members took the stage with a shepherd’s flute before the rest of the band joined him in a hair-raising, droning vocal canon. It more than prepared the audience for Ag Alhabib’s awaited return to the stage for the third encore. He thanked the audience effusively in French before bringing the rest of Tinariwen onstage to close out the night.
——

[nggallery id=305]

This Americana influence is obvious from Nels Cline’s opening hair-raising guitar licks on “Imidiwan Ma Tennam”. Though his background murmur hums with recognizable Wilco density and tension, it ebbs and flows naturally with Ibrahim Ag Alhabib’s leading guitar and all the band members’ vocals. Other collaborators Kyp Malone and Tunde Adebimpe of TV On the Radio also easily integrate their falsettos into “Walla Illa” and “Tenere Taqqim Tossam”. And it’s almost impossible to notice the language difference, especially since Malone and Adebimpe inflect rolled “r”’s when they say “Tenere”.

But loss and minor chords don’t structure all of Tassili: Tinariwen’s asceticism can be hopeful, too. Album closer “Iswegh Attay”, for example, builds from Nick Drake-ian opening guitars to choral arrangements like slave field songs from the American Songbook. The low, insistent horns on “Ya Messinagh”, courtesy of The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, give the song and vocalists purpose. And “Imidiwan Win Sahara” sounds practically pastoral with handclaps, monk-like wordless humming, and sparsely sunny melodies. Ultimately, the warm “Wish You Were Here” 12-string verses and seamless, tribal harmonies on “Tamiditin Tan Ufrawan” encapsulate Tinariwen’s compelling fusion of African and American rock and roll.

Essential Tracks: “Imidiwan Ma Tennam”, “Tenere Taqqim Tossam”

The mere idea that a band of West African tribal revolutionaries could inspire the sort of fan-hood that they have, headlining and selling out a club in West Hollywood with freedom jams sung in their native Tamashek (a blend of Berber, Arabic, and French spoken by no more than 1.3 million people worldwide) is fairly mind-blowing. The unenviable job of setting the stage for them was filled by Josh Klinghoffer (perhaps best known as the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ latest addition on guitar), who got feet moving early with an eclectic all-vinyl DJ set that dipped deep into a wide range of music. Extra cheers for throwing in Dr. John’s demented rave-up “Danse Kalimba Ba Doom”.

Tinariwen’s five members took the stage to wild cheers and raucous applause, positively glowing at the warm welcome before launching into their set. Early word on their upcoming full-length, their fourth proper studio release, is that it’s fully acoustic, a marked departure from the electric-heavy desert blues they’ve cut over the years. The outfit’s striking bandleader Ibrahim Ag Alhabib switched off on acoustic and electric guitars with Abdallah Ag Alhousseyni, cutting a stately figure as he lead in a world-weary baritone that instantly called to mind a desert Nick Cave of sorts, with the tight, grooving band behind him as his Bad Seeds.

It was a true blessing to hear and see the band — an act who I’ve seen tear shit up at Coachella and the cavernous Hollywood Bowl — in such an intimate setting as the Troubadour. Eyadou Ag Leche and Said Ag Ayad, on bass and percussion respectively, were one of tightest rhythm sections I’ve ever seen, with the latter’s pounding rhythms (all on played on hand drums, no less) along with Ag Leche’s taut bass groove making it near impossible to stand still. Ending their 90-minute-plus set and its subsequent two-song encore with a group bow and polite mercis all around, Tinariwen proved why they’ve earned a reputation as one of the world’s most entertaining acts; their performance was a true testament to the universal power of music.

Out August 30th on ANTI- Records, the followup to 2009′s Imidiwan: Companions is titled Tassili. The band brought in some special guests to record the full-length — that is, somewhere in the southeastern Algerian Desert — including TV on the Radio vocalists Tunde Adebimpe and Kyp Malone. Dirty Dozen Brass Band handled the horn section for the record, while Wilco’s chief ax man Nels Cline also chipped in to add what guitars were necessary. Tinariwen made it a point not to focus on electric guitars, relying more on acoustics and unamplified percussion.

In the month preceding the release of Tassili, be sure to look out for Tinariwen’s North American tour. The band will visit America after two upcoming gigs in Europe, hitting stops in Chicago, Minneapolis, California, Seattle, and New York. The itinerary also includes three festivals, the Winnipeg Folk Festival, the Vancouver Folk Music Festival on July 17th, and finally NYC’s GrassRoots fest before Tinariwen heads back to Europe. The extensive international tour, featuring dates in Europe, Japan, and North America, lasts through the end of the year when Tinariwen will appear at the Jeff Magnum-curated ATP UK festival. Take a look at Tinariwen’s upcoming calendar below.

Tinariwen 2011 Tour Dates:
06/28 – Paris, FR @ Theatre des Bouffes du Nord
07/02 – Comblain-La-Tour, BE @ Comblain Jazz Festival
07/07 – Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall
07/08 – Minneapolis, MN @ Cedar Cultural Center
07/09-10 – Winnipeg, MB @ Winnipeg Folk Festival
07/12 – Solana Beach, CA @ Belly Up
07/13 – Los Angeles, CA @ Troubadour
07/14 – San Francisco, CA @ Bimbo’s 365 Club
07/16 – Seattle, WA @ Neumo’s
07/17 – Vancouver, BC @ Vancouver Folk Music Festival
07/20 – New York, NY @ HighLine Ballroom
07/21 – New York, NY @ GrassRoots Festival of Music and Dance
07/23 – Valence, FR @ Valence Festival
07/24 – Meze, FR @ Festival de Thau
07/27 – Budapest, HU @ Zöld Paron
07/29 – Berlin, DE @ Haus der Kulturen der Welt
07/31 – Nigata Prefecture, JP @ Fuji Rock
08/27 – Rio de Janeiro, BR @ Back to Black Festival
09/03 – Birmingham, UK @ Moseley Folk Festival
09/04 – North Dorset, UK @ End of the Road Festival
09/21 – Paris, FR @ 104
09/25 – Ljubljana, SI @ Krizanke Amphitheater
09/26 – Zagreb, HR @ Aquarius Club
09/30 – Los Angeles, CA @ Ooh La L.A!
10/05 – Magny-Le-Hongre, FR @ File 7
10/06 – Cologne, DE @ Philharmonie
10/07 – Blois, FR @ Halle Aux Grains
10/08 – Begles, FR @ Rendez-vous des Terres Neuvese
10/09 – Laval, FR @ 6 par 4
10/11 – Lyon, FR @ Ninkasi Kao
10/12 – Poitiers, FR @ Théâtre Scène Nationale
10/13 – Nanterre, FR @ Maison de la Musique
10/15 – Zurich, CH @ Kaufleuten
10/16 – Lausanne, CH @ Les Docks
10/18 – Amsterdam, NL @ Paradiso
10/19 – Brussels, BE @ Ancienne Belgique
10/20 – Mannheim, DE @ Alte Feuerwache
10/21 – Berlin, DE @ Kesselhaus
10/22 – Warsaw, PL @ Palladium
10/23 – Wroc?Aw, PL @ Eter Club
10/27 – London, UK @ Roundhouse
11/18 – Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club
12/04 – Minehead, UK @ ATP UK Curated by Jeff Magnum

Since we last talked, the 2010 lineups for two of the city’s biggest summer concert series, SummerStage/Rumsey Playfield and Celebrate Brooklyn (the same concerts with which we told you about last week) have been updated. And let’s just say your studio apartment beneath the nail salon isn’t the only place that’ll be heating up in the Big Apple this summer.

While SummerStage already had a lot of big names filling out the whole ordeal, there’s been a few substantial additions, including Gil Scott-Heron, St. Vincent, The xx, tUnE-yArDs,  and more, all of which will be playing free shows. The likes of Hot Chip, Gov’t Mule, The Black Keys, and The Morning Benders will also be taking part in the SummerStage festivities, however, their respective performances will all come in the form of benefit concerts to support the full season of free programs. So, you’ll have to pay to get into ‘em.

It should be noted that while all the shows listed (which you can peep below) are at Rumsey Playfield, not all are SummerStage shows.We’re talking pretty much about the Cake, Ween, Coheed and Cambria, and Broken Social Scene gigs. But don’t let that stop you from enjoying your summer and a group of awesome shows, including some by some band Pavement.

And while the sheer number of concerts at SummerStage almost eclipses the shows we think you’ll dig when compared to the 2010 Celebrate Brooklyn event, don’t you dare skip out on a trip to Prospect Park. Kicking off the summer extravaganza is Norah Jones, and it only gets better as the degrees in the thermometer tick their way north. Expect free performances from Sonic Youth, The Swell Season, Metric, The Roots, and Ozomatli. Plus, Passion Pit, Rufus Wainwright, The National, and The Dead Weather will be performing ticketed benefit shows.

Find a complete list of SummerStage and Celebrate Brooklyn shows below. Special thanks to BrooklynVegan for the through pre-coverage. For additional info on SummerStage and Celebrate Brooklyn, head here and here.

2010 Summerstage/Rumsey Playfield Lineup:
05/16 – Leon and the Peoples
05/26 – Coheed and Cambria, Circa Survive, Torche #
06/05 – Living Colour w/ Ebony Bones!, Pillow Theory, and CX KiDTRONik (3 p.m.)
06/14 – Baaba Maal, Mamadou Sarr ( 7 p.m.)
06/15 – John Butler Trio, State Radio (6:30 p.m.) #
06/19 – Meshell Ndegeocello (NYC LGBT Pride Rally) (4 p.m.)
06/23 – Stanley Clarke ft. Hiromi, McCoy Tyner Quartet w/ Ravi Coltrane, Esperanza Spalding, Francisco Mela (CareFusionJazz Festival) ( 7 p.m.)
06/26 – Tinariwen (3 p.m.)
06/27 – Gil Scott Heron (3 p.m.)
06/30 – Def Poetry Jam ft. Carlos Andres Gomez and others ( 7 p.m.)
07/25 – Bassekou Kouyate, Fool’s Gold (3 p.m.)
07/26 – The Flaming Lips (7 p.m.) #
07/27 – The Black Keys w/ The Morning Benders (6:30 p.m.) #
07/28 – The Black Keys w/ The Morning Benders (6:30 p.m.) #
07/31 – Los Amigos Invisibles (3 p.m.)
08/01 – St. Vincent w/ tUnE-yArDs and Basia Bulat (3 p.m.)
08/04 – Hot Chip w/ Hercules and Love Affair, Holy Ghost! (6:30 p.m.) #
08/08 – The xx w/ CHairlift and Jack Peñate (7 p.m.)
08/11 – Gov’t Mule (6 p.m.) #
08/15 – Public Enemy w/ 7th Octave and Blitz the Ambassador (3 p.m.)
08/22 – The Specials (3 p.m.)
09/16 – Cake #
09/17 – Ween #
09/18 – Broken Social Scene #
09/21 – Pavement (7 p.m.) #
09/22 – Pavement #
09/23 – Pavement w/ Slothbear #
09/24 – Pavement #

2010 Celebrate Brooklyn Lineup:
06/09 – Norah Jones (Opening Night Gala) (8 p.m.)
06/29 – Passion Pit w/ Tokoy Police Club (Benefit Show) (7:30 p.m.) #
07/09 – Ozomatli w/ Fidel Nadal and Toy Selectah (Bud Light Latin Music Series) (8 p.m.)
07/20 – Rufus Wainwright (Benefit Show) (7 p.m.) #
07/27 – The National w/ Beach House (Benefit Show) (7:30 p.m.) #
07/30 – The Swell Season, The Low Anthem (Bud Light Music Series) (7:30 p.m.)
07/31 – Sonic Youth w/ Grass Widow and Talk Normal (7 p.m.)
08/03 – The Dead Weather (Benefit Show) (7 p.m.) #
08/05 – Metric w/ Joan as Police Woman and Holly Miranda ( 7p.m.)
08/07 – Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings, Budos Band and more (7 p.m.)

# = Ticketed show, aka it will cost you money. For tixs, head here for SummerStage and here for Celebrate Brooklyn.

Bumpershine.com has discovered various confirmed and unconfirmed acts playing this summer, and beyond what we already knew, there are some gems. While not part of the SummerStage series, some noteworthy Rumsey Playfield shows coming up include the CareFusion Jazz Festival, a Meshell Ndegeocello performance at the New York LGBT Pride Rally, and Coheed and Cambria with support by Circa Survive and Torche.

Other acts said to be playing this summer in Central Park include Tinariwen, Los Amigos Invisibles, Hot Chip (with Hercules and Love Affair and Holy Ghost!), The Specials, Gov’t Mule, The Flaming Lips, Cake, Ween, Broken Social Scene, John Butler Trio, and two shows by The Black Keys. Isn’t New York just grand?

There will be more — according to Bumpershine.com there are typically over 30 official SummerStage shows and we’re not quite there yet. Of course, everything is still unofficial unless it’s on here.

Gov’t Mule’s presale has sold out, and tickets will go on sale May 7th. Presale for the Cake show is currently underway. You can find tickets to individual shows here.

2010 Summerstage/Rumsey Playfield Initial Lineup:
05/16 – Leon and the Peoples
05/26 – Coheed and Cambria, Circa Survive, Torche
06/14 – Baaba Maal, Mamadou Sarr
06/15 – John Butler Trio, State Radio
06/19 – Meshell Ndegeocello (NYC LGBT Pride Rally)
06/23 – Stanley Clarke ft. Hiromi, McCoy Tyner Quartet w/ Ravi Coltrane, Esperanza Spalding, Francisco Mela (CareFusion Jazz Festival)
06/26 – Tinariwen
06/30 – Def Poetry Jam ft. Carlos Andres Gomez and others
07/25 – Bassekou Kouyate, Fool’s Gold
07/26 – The Flaming Lips
07/27 – The Black Keys
07/28 – The Black Keys w/ The Morning Benders
07/31 – Los Amigos Invisibles
08/04 – Hot Chip w/ Hercules and Love Affair, Holy Ghost!
08/11 – Gov’t Mule
08/22 – The Specials
09/16 – Cake
09/17 – Ween
09/18 – Broken Social Scene
09/21 – Pavement
09/22 – Pavement
09/23 – Pavement w/ Slothbear
09/24 – Pavement

As for the end result of said attention? An initial lineup announcement headed by Jay-Z, Stevie Wonder, Dave Matthews Band, and Kings of Leon. Other noteworthy acts include Jack White’s The Dead Weather, Jack Black’s Tenacious D, Weezer, Norah Jones, Damian Marley and Nas, LCD Soundsystem, Phoenix, Regina Spektor, Tori Amos, John Fogerty, and Jeff Beck.

Also set to appear at this year’s edition, which runs from June 10-13, are the Dropkick Murphys, John Prine, Jimmy Cliff, Michael Franti and Spearhead, The Avett Brothers, The Black Keys, Deadmau5, Against Me!, Les Claypool, the Zac Brown Band, Steve Martin & the Steep Canyon Rangers, and Rise Against, as well as a few familiar faces, including the Disco Biscuits, Medeski Martin & Wood, and Calexico.

A number of high-profile indie acts will also perform, including She & Him, Blitzen Trapper, The Dodos, Local Natives, The Gaslight Anthem, Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros, Chromeo (who will be joined by the legendary Daryl Hall), Tokyo Police Club, and Neon Indian.

We should once again note that today’s announcement was billed as the initial lineup, and additional artists are expected to be named in the weeks ahead. We’ll of course update you when the information becomes available.

Tickets, available in the general admission and VIP varieties, are currently on sale and priced at $234.50 and $1,349.50 respectively. Payment plans are available, as are various rental packages. Hit up bonnarootickets.com for all the specifics.

Additional details regarding the festival itself can be read on bonnaroo.com. We also suggest bookmaring our Bonnaroo Outlook pages, as we’ll update it once additional lineup news is announced. Now would also be a good time to check out our recent interview with Bonnaroo co-founder Ashley Capps.

As previously mentioned, the lineup announcement will work something like this. Unlike previous announcements, the 2010 bill will not be unveiled all at once, but rather throughout the day, with the goal being to “generate conversations about the lineup a few acts at a time.” Starting at 10 AM EST (barring any early leaks), bands will begin announcing their participation via various social media outlets and bonnaroo.com. It’s basically like one giant, procrastinating-inducing puzzle. Fortunately, just in case we don’t figure it out by then, Bonnaroo will end our agony by announcing the full lineup later tomorrow night.

Given all this, it only makes sense that we start an open thread, where you guys can chat, complain, and post any discoveries you find. We’ll of course keep track as well!

7:30 pm Update: 90 minutes left! LCD Soundsystem, Les Claypool, Lucero, Kris Kristofferson, Martin Sexton, and Deadmau5 among the newest additions.

5:30 pm Update: Add The Dodos, Tori Amos, Tenacious D, Damian Marley & Nas, Lotus, Blitzen Trapper, Calexico, Mumford & Sons, Aterciopelados, and John Butler Trio to the mix. Still waiting for Neil, Pavement, and Roger Waters…

3:30 pm Update: A few more worthwhile confirmations: The Dead Weather, They Might Be Giants, The Melvins, Dave Rawlings Machine, John Prine, Mew, Dr. Dog, Clutch, and The Bakerton Group. Also, a few more expected: Alicia Keys, Pavement, and Spoon.

2:00 pm Update: So far, we’ve been going at this for a good five hours and we still only know about a 1/4 of the acts. Of those however, there are certainly a fair share of early highlights, including Jay-Z, The Flaming Lips, Regina Spektor, The National, Disco Biscuits, Jeff Beck, Norah Jones, Weezer, She & Him, and Phoenix.

We can also confirm the participation of Kings of Leon, Dave Matthews Band, Stevie Wonder, Dropkick Murphys, and Zac Brown band. As for what we can expect to see in the hours ahead? Neil Young, Spoon, Broken Social Scene, and Deadmau5. Also don’t be shocked if Roger Waters (performing The Wall), Pavement, and My Morning Jacket make an appearance.

Update: Here is the initial lineup…

Against Me!, Aeroplane, The Avett Brothers, B.o.B., Baaba Maal, The Black Keys Bassnectar, Baroness, Blitzen Trapper, Blues Traveler, Brandi Carlile, Calexico, Chromeo w/ Darryl Hall, Clutch, Cross Canadian Ragweed, Damian Marley & Nas, Dan Deacon Ensemble, Dave Matthews Band, Dave Rawlings Machine, The Dead Weather, Deadmau5, Diane Birch, Disco Biscuits, The Dodos, Dr. Dog, Dropkick Murphys, Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros, The Entrance Band, The Flaming Lips (w/ Stardeath and White Dwarfs) performing Dark Side of the Moon, The Gaslight Anthem, GWAR, Here We Go Magic, Hot Rize, Jamey Johnson, Japandroids, Jay-Z, Jeff Beck, John Prine, Kid Cudi, Kings of Leon, Kris Kristofferson, Ingrid Michaelson, Isis, John Fogerty, Julia Nunes, LCD Soundsystem, Les Claypool, Local Natives, Lotus, Lucero, Manchester Orchestra, Martin Sexton, Mayer Hawthrone & the County, Medeski Martin & Wood, Melvins, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Miike Snow, Miranda Lambert, Monte Montgomery, Mumford & Sons, The National, Needtobreathre, Neon Indian, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Norah Jones, OK Go, Phoenix, The Postelles, Punch Brothers, Rebelution, Regina Spektor, Rise Against, She & Him, Steve Martin with the Steep Canyon Rangers, Stevie Wonder, The Temper Trap, Tenacious D, They Might Be Giants, Thievery Corporation, Tinariwen, Tori Amos, Tokyo Police Club, Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, Wale, Weezer, The xx, Zac Brown Band

Here are other expected and rumored acts.

Now, buckle up kids! It’s going to be a long and wild ride!

Feature image courtesy of Ryan Mastro…

“In December of 2008, Tinariwen gathered in the frontier Malian village of Tessalit to record a new album [Imidiwan Companions]. The recordings took place in a rented house, out in the bush, in nomad camps and other magical locations.”

This makes you wonder where these other magical locations are and just how magical they might be. It really wouldn’t be hard to top the magic of a “rented house,” but you really can’t imagine Gandalf manning the soundboard, either. And though all anyone wants to talk about with Tinariwen is their unique (and rather amazing) backstory, it is easy to forget just how good the music is.

Beginning February 15th, Tinariwen will bring their world music show to a few major American and Canadian cities, playing a diverse range of venues throughout. Notable stops include KCRW’s World Fest at the Hollywood Bowl, the Central Park Summerstage, and three dates at Millennium Park in Chicago. And Columbus, Ohio. Turns out, Tinariwen are Buckeye fans. Who knew!? Tickets are available through Ticketmaster.

Word on the street (via the CoS Festival Outlook page) is that a stop at Bonnaroo could also be in the works. If you can’t make it to Columbus, try to hit that one up.

Tinariwen 2010 North American Tour:
02/15 – Chapel Hill, NC @ University of North Carolina
02/16 – Columbus, OH @ Wexner Center for the Arts
02/18 – New York, NY @ Highline Ballroom
02/19 – Brooklyn, NY @ The Bell House
02/20 – Los Angeles, CA @ UCLA
02/21 – San Francisco, CA @ San Francisco Jazz Festival
02/23 – Seattle, WA @ Triple Door
02/25 – Vancouver, BC @ Orpheum
02/27 – Chicago, IL @ Old Town School of Folk Music
03/04 – Toronto, ON @ The  Phoenix
03/05 – Montreal, QC @ Club Soda
03/06 – Quebec City, QC @ Palais Montcalm
06/17 – Chicago, IL @ Millennium Park
06/18 – Chicago, IL @ Millennium Park
06/19 – Chicago, IL @ Millennium Park
06/20 – Los Angeles, CA @ KCRW World Fest at the Hollywood Bowl
06/26 – New York, NY @ Central Park Summerstage

Well, with the games scheduled to kick off in less than two months, we’re beginning to get a good idea of who will be playing where, when, and how. Since guides are always fun, we thought we’d draw one up for you. Ladies and gentlemen, let us present you with A Music Fan’s Guide to the 2010 Winter Olympics…

The following acts will appear during the Olympic Games (February 12-28):

Kid Koala: Short Attention Span Audio Theatre:

What: This specially commissioned Short Attention Span show features a three-piece turntable section and accompanying visuals. Bingo and other special surprises are also promised.

When: February 12

Where: CODE Live 1 at Great Northern Way Campus

How: Price = $22

Malajube:

What: Montreal outfit whose past accolades include a nomination for the 2006 Polaris Music Prize and a spot in a RadioShack commercial.

When: February 12

Where: Place de la Francophonie

How: It’s free

Wilco:

What: Wilco + free? Enough said.

When: February 13

Where: Live City @ David Lam Park

How: It’s free

Mes Aïeux:

What: This Quebec quintet was crowned Quebec’s best band in 2009.

When: February 13

Where: Place de la Francophonie

How: It’s free

Pierre Lapointe:

What: He’s only 28 and already has more trophies then you’ll ever have.

When: February 14

Where: Place de la Francophonie

How: It’s free

City and Colour w/ The Rural Alberta Advantage:

What: Lots of songs about Canada

When: February 15

Where: Queen Elizabeth Theatre

How: Price(s) = $32.50; $37.50; $39.50

Valérie Sajdik:

What: Formerly of the band Saint Privat, the Austrian pop singer has drawn comparisons to Florence K and Martha Wainwright.

When: February 16

Where: Place de la Francophonie

How: It’s free

Feist w/ Gonzalez:

What: A one-off featuring Canada’s favorite indie princess and Gonzales, aka as the dude who holds the world record for longest-ever solo concert

When: February 17

Where: The Orpheum

How: Price(s) = $37.50; $42.50; $49.50

Karkwa:

What: They draw comparisons to Radiohead. And everyone loves Radiohead…

When: February 17

Where: Place de la Francophonie

How: It’s free

Hal Willner’s Neil Young Project:

What: The event of the Olympics features Lou Reed, Iron & Wine, Sun Kil Moon, Ron Sexsmith, Joan As Police Woman, Broken Social Scene’s Kevin Drew and Jason Collett, and more paying homage to the Canadian rock icon.

When: February 18

Where: Queen Elizabeth Theatre

How: Price(s) = $74.50; $67.50; $59

Stars w/ Hey Rosetta!:

What: Another Broken Social Scene sighting…

When: February 19

Where: The Orpheum

How: Price(s) = $37.50; $35; $32.50

The Lost Fingers:

What: The Quebec acoustic trio promises covers of Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, and Jon Bon Jovi. Talk about eclectic!

When: February 19

Where: Performance Works

How: Price(s) = $20 Adults; $18 Students/seniors

Corb Lund:

What: A third-generation Alberta rancher turned Country musician. Need I say more?

When: February 19

Where: Whistler Village Square

How: It’s free

Chromeo and Team Canada DJs:

What: Lots of dancing

When: February 20

Where: CODE Live 1 at Great Northern Way Campus

How: Price = $28

K’Naan & Tinariwen:

What: Performance featuring the author of the FIFA World Cup Anthem and a collective of poet guitarists from Sahara

When: February 25

Where: The Orpheum

How: Price(s) = $39; $35; $30

Florence K:

What: Speaking of Florence K, she’s playing too.

When: February 26

Where: Performance Works

How: Price(s) = $20 Adults; $18 Students/seniors

Blue Rodeo:

What: The last day of the Olympics = this Canadian alt-rock band

When: February 28

Where: Whistler Village Square

How: It’s free

Other Olympic related events taking place in the weeks proceeding and following the games:

Steve Earle w/ Joel Plaskett:

What: Two acclaimed musicians team up to kick off the games on a right note.

When: January 23

Where: The Orpheum

How: Price(s) = $39.50; $35.50; $32.50

Martha Wainwright & Jorane:

What: As good as a collaboration you’re going to get.

When: March 18

Where: Commodore Ballroom

How: Price(s) = $32.50

Starting out in Saharan Africa in 1979, Tinariwen has experienced things that few American bands can hold a candle to (so the next time you hear some tool whining about the rigors of touring, remind him that he at least doesn’t have terms like “refugee camps” and “rebel uprising” in his vocabulary). Fortunately, things have turned around for the band, as a new generation of fans (among them: Thom Yorke, Chris Martin, and TV On The Radio) has grown to appreciate their raw grooves—no surprise that their brief tour takes them to UNC and UCLA.

Check them out when they come to your town.

Tinariwen 2010 Tour Dates:
02/15 – Chapel Hill, NC @ University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill
02/16 – Columbus, OH @ Wexner Center
02/18 – New York, NY @ Highline Ballroom
02/19 – Brooklyn, NY @ The Bell House
02/20 – Los Angeles, CA @ University of California-Los Angeles
02/21 – San Francisco, CA @ San Francisco Jazz Festival
02/23 – Seattle, WA @ Triple Door
02/25 – Vancouver, BC @ The Orpheum
02/27 – Chicago, IL @ Old Town School of Folk Music
03/04 – Toronto, ON @ The Phoenix
03/05 – Montreal, QC @ Club Soda
03/06 – Quebec, QC @ Palais Montcalm