Mdou Moctar- The Cooperage; Warm-Up Party for Psych Fest VII 4/5/19

photo courtesy of Gigshotz by Stephen Bloch

Some call him the Jimi Hendrix of the Sahara.  Others compare him to Prince (after all, he did star in a Tuareg remake of “Purple Rain,” titled, “Rain the Color Blue with a Little Red in It” ), but after seeing Mdou Moctar live, he is an artist like none other; a unique entity with a style, stage presence, and sound all of his own. Mdou Moctar and his band, consisting of Ahmoudou Madassane on rhythm guitar, Soulemane Ibrahim on drums, and Mikey Coltun on bass delivered a wall of psychedelic guitar-focused music to a packed house at The Cooperage for the preview party for Milwaukee’s Psych Fest VII.  The band has been touring almost non-stop these days, bringing the psychedelic sounds of the Sahara all across the United States and beyond. Amidst all of Mdou’s guitar prowess, it was the pure joy that emanated from his music that made him an incredibly engaging performer and one who is primed to soar in today's music scene.

photo courtesy of Gigshotz by Stephen Bloch

Currently hailing from the Saharan city of Agadez, Niger, the epicenter of the increasingly popular Tuareg guitar sound, Mdou Moctar’s back-story story is an uplifting and gripping one.  As a young person living in the village of Tchintabaraden and then in the uranium mining town Arlit, playing music was not widely accepted in the culture. Mdou taught himself how to play a homemade guitar created from a piece of wood strung with bicycle brake wires.  Despite this, Mdou’s songs, which are steeped in honor, respect, and tradition gained favor amongst the local village and religious leaders. Mdou gained recognition for playing weddings in his home village and began to develop a strong following.  With the help of the digital age and artists trading music in the Sahara region via Bluetooth technology and memory cards on cell phones, Mdou’s music reached the ears of Christopher Kirkley, who, with his label, “Sahel Sounds,” helped introduce Mdou Moctar to audiences around the world, exposing the Tuareg artist to a plethora of new fans.

Mdou Moctar’s latest record, 2019’s Ilana (The Creator), is a guitar lover’s dream, and a record that is poised to make many "end-of-the-year, 'best of' lists."  The nine-song record transports listeners on a jam-infused journey to the desert region of northern Niger, the land of Mdou’s Tuareg people. Recorded live, the album has a groove-driven vibe and original face-melting guitar sound that hooks the listener upon the first spin and makes them want to come back repeatedly for more, finding a new takeaway each time.

photo courtesy of Gigshotz by Stephen Bloch

Live, Mdou’s jams often take on a palpable, hypnotic sense of surrealism.  A perfect artist to headline the warm-up party for Milwaukee’s Psych VII, Mdou’s songs took on a life of their own, showcasing his incredible range as a guitar virtuoso and vocalist.  His backing band provided a deep groove to support the layers of guitar solos and jams that Mdou delivered. The set drew heavily from Ilana (The Creator) with a fair amount of improvisation and deep jams that made the songs smoothly flow into one another.  With big smiles and a warm demeanor, Mdou and his band left the fans at the Cooperage mesmerized. Mdou Moctar is clearly an artist on the rise and we can’t wait to see him again next time he comes through Milwaukee.