ONE LOVE
Amadou & Mariam’s set Friday afternoon at Field of Heaven was lush, full-bodied and backed up by a sizable band that kept the love flowing out in waves (check
Phil’s great review). The blind Malian couple’s performance in the much more intimate Crystal Palace Tent at 11:45 last night was however very different. They completely shed the band and played as a duo, Mariam singing and clapping as Amadou sang and played the guitar. It was spare, soulful and – especially in comparison to the earlier gig – almost ethnographic. But even though the Crystal Palace is almost designed for explosions of hotfoot hoofin’ (and that would come later on when Amadou & Mariam’s producer Manu Chao appeared with his band, and then again with fellow Spaniard rockers Obrint Pas) the crowd was rapt and attentive. It was wonderful and tender presentation of West African blues, and even if its a bit different from the more standard and produced big sound of their records and standard festival set, it also felt very real and alive – like they were just sitting down to play some phenomenal music, and they could do this any time they wanted to.
Photo: 前田博史
More photos: http://fujirockexpress.net/11/3572.html
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