Tinariwen

The band was formed in 1979 in Algeria from young Tuareg musicians exiled from Mali, who initially performed at weddings and local celebrations. In the early 1980s, during a military training in Libya, they met other Tuareg artists and created a loose musical collective designed to express the struggles and hopes of their people in their songs. Rooted in the themes of exile, resistance, and identity, their texts – soon became hymns of the Tuareg affair.

After the Tuareg uprising of 1990, Tinariwen members exchanged their weapons for guitars and shaped the war experience into music that throbs with both rebellion and deep longing. Their hoarse singing voice, hypnotic guitars, and rhythmic applause lead the listener to a world of music that is raw, transcendent, and perfectly reflects the soul of the desert.

Over the past four decades, this rock’n’roll rebel band has given more than 1,100 concerts worldwide, become ambassadors of Tuareg culture, and gained international recognition. Their 2012 album Tassili won the Grammy Award in the Best World Music Album category, and their other two albums were also nominated.

Tinariwen’s concerts offer a stunning sight: musicians take the stage in traditional Tuareg costumes that cover most of their faces – making the trance flow of guitars and harmonies even more mysterious.

After their highly successful performance in 2024, Tinariwen returns to Budapest again: on April 26, 2026, the audience can hear them again on the stage of the Aquarium Club as they bring their timeless desert blues and the eternal spirit of rebellion.