Vieux Farka Touré Debut New Zealand Shows Announced

Hitting the Official New Zealand Top 40 Albums chart last month with Ali (Dead Oceans), his new collaborative album with Khruangbin, Malian superstar singer / guitarist Vieux Farka Touré is venturing to Aotearoa for two can't miss headline dates at Tāmaki Makaurau's Hollywood Avondale and Pōneke's San Fran. Son of blues guitar legend Ali Farka Touré (whom Ali is recorded in tribute to), Vieux Farka Touré's own distinguished career includes a dozen long players so far under his own name and with The Touré-Raichel Collective, including the artist's second album of 2022 Les Racines (translating as ‘the roots’) — representing "a deep reconnection with the traditional Songhai music of northern Mali." Performing here for the very first time with his live band, don't miss Vieux Farka Touré in February 2023...

“I’ve had a desire to do a more traditional album for a long, long time. It’s important to me and to Malian people that we stay connected to our roots and our history.” — Vieux Farka Touré

Vieux Farka Touré

Tuesday 21st February - Hollywood Avondale, Auckland
Wednesday 22nd February - San Fran, Wellington

Banished Music presale starts 9am, Wednesday 23rd November
General tickets on sale 9am, Friday 25th November
Sign up to the Banished presale HERE

Watch the clip for Vieux Farka Touré's 'Gabou Ni Tie' from his new album Les Racines...

Experience the video for Vieux Farka Touré and Khruangbin's 'Diarabi'...

Press release:

Fresh from releasing his critically acclaimed collaboration album with instrumental superstars Khruangbin, Mali’s favourite son Vieux Farka Touré will tour with his live band in Aotearoa for the first time in February 2023.

One of the world’s most respected guitarists and musicians, Vieux Farka Touré will perform in Auckland February 21 and Wellington February 22, playing songs from his extraordinary catalogue. Including cuts from this year’s release Les Racines (hailed as one of the best albums of 2022), as well as from Ali, the 5 star reviewed album made alongside Khruangbin in tribute to Vieux’s father, the legendary Ali Farka Touré.

Les Racines, translating as ‘the roots’, represents a deep reconnection with the traditional Songhai music of northern Mali. This is one of the northern West African musical traditions known in the West by the catch-all term ‘Desert Blues’. And Vieux’s roots run far deeper than most. His father, the late Ali Farka Touré, was acclaimed as one of the finest guitarists Africa has ever produced and was a pioneer in introducing this style to audiences around the world.

Vieux spent two years making Les Racines, but the album had been gestating in his mind even longer. “I’ve had a desire to do a more traditional album for a long, long time. It’s important to me and to Malian people that we stay connected to our roots and our history,” Vieux explains.

Never one to stick to just one creative path, Vieux’s other 2022 release Ali seamlessly melds his masterful guitar work and soulful singing with Khruangbin’s dubby psychedelia. New Zealand audiences can expect a truly mesmerising performance in February 2023.