Originally Posted by Miss Anne Thrope

Nothing remotely Arabic. He is an amazing singer and performer from Mali, getting on a bit now but still a proper mickeydazzler. Very distinctive as he is an Albino and also of royal descent so he's not supposed to be demeaning himself as a griot. Better known in the Francophone world, I guess, where he's been reasonably high profile since the mid eighties when he recorded his breakthrough album, Soro, in Paris. For my money though his best records have been the three he has released in the past decade since returning to Bamako. Really distinctive and worth investigating if you love music - I'd suggest to start with Moffou, his 2002 album.

Originally Posted by Oyibopeppeh

Isn't this the guy who's also worked with Sir Robert of Plant?

Originally Posted by Miss Anne Thrope

Ah, but it was a disaster. It was 1987 after their first album and they were still not well known outside New York. This was Ohio! They were fifth on a bill of 5 or so rap acts headlined by Whodini (the irony of time, eh) and including Jazzy Jeff and Fresh Prince (who were quite good - much better than Parents Just Don't Understand would have suggested...). But PE never showed up and nobody seemed too upset except me! They were the only reason I was there. The other disconcerting aspect was that most of the audience were schoolkids. GF, her friend and me were the only ones old enough to buy booze - apart from, embarrassingly, some parents who had come with their kids (I guess they were among the few who just DID understand).

Now you've got me thinking about it, that was the best year of my life for concerts though: Jesus and Mary Chain, Sunny Ade, REM, Pixies, Prince, Earth Wind & Fire, Cameo, Stetsasonic... and ferking George Benson!

Originally Posted by Meow

A bigger irration for me at gigs in the UAE are the people who never bloody shut up and yak the whole way through.

Originally Posted by Paracletus

If you can hear people talking at a gig, you are going to the wrong type of gigs and way too far from the speakers. Musicians who have in the past told me to be quiet, I have told to **** off..god I hate accoustic singer song writer type hipsters.

Originally Posted by Paracletus

If you can hear people talking at a gig, you are going to the wrong type of gigs and way too far from the speakers. Musicians who have in the past told me to be quiet, I have told to **** off..god I hate accoustic singer song writer type hipsters.

Originally Posted by The Dean

I was dragged along to a James Blunt concert once......... at one point, I asked all the people around me to talk louder because I could still hear his singing......