Recording: Tamikrest

Artist: Tamikrest

Songs: two unknown songs^*

Recorded on the patio of Roy Thompson Hall, July 23, 2015.

Tamikrest - unknown #1

Tamikrest - unknown #2

In a nifty bit of place-making, the folks at Roy Thompson have decided to create a space for summer patio parties by decking over parts of the reflecting pool found between their building and King Street. It creates a visually sumptuous oasis, locating the visitor at the bottom of a glassed-in valley. There are drinks and expensive finger food, but the shows are free to attend. The layout does create a literal moat between the band and audience, which (along with the casual hang-out atmosphere) probably means they're not getting much energy from the crowd.

That certainly seemed to be the case for Tuareg rockers Tamikrest, who played as if they were a little further removed from the crowd than they would have preferred. (And I'm not sure if playing on an "island" in the middle of a pond was conceptually weird for these desert-based touring veterans.) In any case, there were a few spots where the energy level was a little low. And asked to play a casual-crowd friendly two-set configuration, one got the impression that the band simply took the setlist for a full-length gig and chopped it in half — meaning that the first set was heavier on slow buildup and the second on more intense groovers. But in any case, this was a superb band, and even if they weren't as scorching as some of their contemporaries seen here recently, it's still a treat when voyagers such as these make a trip to our part of the world.

^* Does anyone know the titles to these? Please leave a comment!