Saturday October 14th, 2023
5-8.30pm
Tickets here or below
Photo by Richard Dumas
Bombino’s folk-rock, blues music has long brought people together around its distinct sound. Marrying the guitar-focused music he gravitated to in his teens – Dire Straights, Jimi Hendrix, and others – with local inspirations like Tinariwen and Ali Farka Toure, plus Berber rhythms, Bombino’s music is enthralling and abiding.
Born in a nomadic Tuareg encampment in 1980, Bombino’s early life was shaped in large part by the political upheaval happening in the Sahara Desert. The peripatetic nature of his Ifoghas tribe and forced emigration is a possible source of the artist’s wide inspirations and ability to assimilate several styles. By the mid-90s Bombino was showing real promise as a guitarist. “Working as a herder in the desert near Tripoli, Libya, [he] spent many hours alone watching the animals and practicing his guitar.” After returning to Niger, Bombino began playing with several bands and growing his name. In the late 2000s and early 2010s he hit the international stage, recording in the United States, participating in documentaries, and sharing the blues, all while witnessing another period of conflict among tribes in his homeland.
Bombino’s acoustic concert at Volland comes at an exciting time for the “Sultan of Shred,” who’s latest album Sahel – one of the artist’s most politically minded and personal works yet – arrives in mid-September.
click here for fascinating details about Bombino’s latest album Sahel
Watch!
Volland is pleased to share the transformative work of Bombino on October 14th.
Bombino’s performance will begin at 7pm at the Ruin, but there will be plenty to see and do before the concert. Doors open at 5pm with a variety of food trucks, Manhattan Caravan Co (everyone’s favorite bar truck) – and – LIVE CAMELS! Flint Hills camel rancher Valeri Crenshaw will introduce the camels and their owner and tell you everything you ever wanted to know – about camels.
Inside the gallery, local author K. L. Barron will be available for conversation about her novel, Thirst, set in the Sahel and informed by her time in Niger with the Peace Corps. Thirst is the inspiration for bringing Bombino to Volland, and books will be available for purchase and signing by the author. If you are interested in having a copy of Thirst, mark it as an add-on when you purchase your ticket. You will not be charged and it is not a firm commitment, but this will help Barron know how many books to bring. The final sale will happen at Volland on October 14th.
Allison Cekala’s film Fundir will be on view in the gallery as well. The work centers around the extraction and movement of salt from the Atacama Desert of northern Chile to Boston, MA. The visuals and sounds share a fascinating story without the aid of a voiceover and the artist’s careful editing makes the piece immersive.
Please Bring
A lawn chair or blanket for seating around the Ruin
Any weather related clothing/items
A water bottle
Please Do Not Bring
Outside food or drink- Volland’s partner, MHK Caravan Co., risks losing their liquor license and liability if outside drinks are served
Pets
