Mdou Moctar | photo by WH Moustapha | courtesy of the artist
Mdou Moctar brings new album Afrique Victime to Johnny Brenda’s
Revered Tuareg rocker Mdou Moctar releases his sixth album, Afrique Victime, this Friday via Matador Records, and a U.S. tour in support of it stops by Johnny Brenda’s in Philadelphia on September 8th.
The record is a stylistic bridge between West African instrumental jams and the hard rock from American and British popular culture. The band cites Black Sabbath, Black Flag, and Black Uhuru as inspirations in a press release, and speaks vividly about the common grounds and universal energy of their chosen styles.
“In Agadez the music and feeling at Tuareg weddings is exactly like the best of Western DIY/Punk shows,” says Moctar. “It’s loud, energetic and powerful. There is a sense of everyone helping out. Tuaregs are a tight community. If you’re Tuareg you’re considered family.”
Tickets for the Johnny Brenda’s show go on sale this Friday, May 21st at 10 a.m., and more information can be found here.
Announcements for concerts at this point are subject to change due to uncertainty due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Though Johnny Brenda’s doesn’t have information on COVID-19 safety plans on their website just yet, talent buyer Barrett Lindgren spoke about it in this interview with The Key about the return of concerts:
It’s tough to say at this point, since we still don’t know where things will be at in the fall. All of our protocol will have to be informed by local, state and national guidelines that we just haven’t seen yet.
Listen to Mdou Moctar’s new song “Taliat” below, and check out his full schedule of tour dates; for the most up-to-date information on live music in the Philly region, check out the XPN Concert Calendar.
9.03 – Manchester, TN @ Bonnaroo
9.05 – Durham, NC @ Motorco Music Hall
9.07 – Baltimore, MD @ Ottobar
9.08 – Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda’s
9.10 – Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
9.11 – Holyoke, MA @ Gateway City Arts
9.12 – Boston, MA @ The Sinclair
9.14 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Thunderbird Café & Music Hall
9.15 – Columbus, OH @ Ace of Cups
9.17 – Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall
9.18 – Minneapolis, MN @ Cedar Cultural Center
9.20 – Denver, CO @ Globe Hall
9.21 – Denver, CO @ Globe Hall
9.22 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Urban Lounge
9.23 – Boise, ID @ Treefort Music Festival
9.24 – Seattle, WA @ The Crocodile
9.25 – Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios
9.26 – Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios
9.28 – San Francisco, CA @ The Chapel
9.29 – Oakland, CA @ Starline
10.01 – Pioneertown, CA @ Desert Daze Pre-Party
10.02 – Los Angeles, CA @ Lodge Room