Three very excting Festival Big Top double bills kick off with one of the most mouth-watering, world music bills to be staged in Ireland this year when cult Sahara band Tinariwen take to the Festival stage with Cape Verde's new diva Mayra Andrade.
The Tinariwen story is already well marinated in startling myths; fierce nomadic desert tribesmen toting guns and guitars, Gaddafi's poet-soldiers spreading their gospel of freedom throughout the world with their hypnotic, electric guitar-laden desert blues. Following on form their show stealing set at the 2007 Glastonbury Festival and a support slot with the Rolling Stones, Tinariwen are now establishing themselves as major stars.
Drawing on trational Cape Verdean cadences and African, Brazilian and Parisian jazz scenes, Mayra Andrade creates her own gorgeous, acoustic sound. With a voice made to overwhelm souls and sway hearts, this artist is a stunning discovery. Andrade was the recent winner of Best Newcomer at the 2008 BBC World Music Awards.