Vieux Farka Toure – The Garage

Some gigs are planned months in advance.

Others happen because a ticket suddenly appears at the last minute and you decide to take a chance.

This was one of those occasions.

I managed to get hold of a last-minute ticket to see Vieux Farka Toure at The Garage in Glasgow and, by the end of the evening, I was extremely grateful that I had.

Before the main event, support came from India Blue.

Like many support acts, she faced the challenge of winning over an audience that seemed more interested in having conversations than listening to the person standing on the stage. It’s something that annoys me at the best of times, and there were moments early in the set when it looked like she might be fighting a losing battle.

Then she started singing.

Gradually the chatter began to die away as people realised there was something special happening. Her gentle vocals initially drew the audience in, but as the set progressed she revealed the full power of her voice. Combined with some excellent songwriting, it quickly became clear why she was on the bill.

By the end of her performance, she had achieved something few support acts manage.

She’d made people stop talking and start listening.

No small feat.

Then it was time for Vieux Farka Toure.

To say he was impressive would be a massive understatement.

I’ve seen plenty of great guitarists over the years, but there are certain musicians who seem to possess a completely natural relationship with their instrument, as though they were born holding it. Watching Vieux play felt very much like that.

The guitar simply appeared to be an extension of him.

Every song featured passages that left me shaking my head in disbelief. The speed, precision and feel he brought to the music were extraordinary, but what impressed me most was that it never felt like technical ability for its own sake.

Every note served the song.

That’s the mark of a truly great musician.

Of course, musical talent runs strongly in the family. Vieux is the son of the legendary Ali Farka Toure, one of the most influential African musicians of all time and a man whose music helped introduce countless listeners around the world to the sounds of Mali.

With a father like that, perhaps greatness was inevitable.

Even so, Vieux has very much established himself as an artist in his own right. While echoes of his father’s influence can certainly be heard, his performances possess their own energy and identity.

The audience responded accordingly.

As the set progressed, the atmosphere inside The Garage became increasingly electric. The combination of hypnotic rhythms, superb musicianship and Vieux’s dazzling guitar work created one of those performances where you become completely absorbed in what’s happening on stage.

The sort of gig where you stop thinking about filming, stop checking the time and simply enjoy the moment.

Looking back, this was exactly why it’s worth keeping an eye on last-minute ticket listings.

Had I not taken a chance, I would have missed one of the most enjoyable and impressive concerts I’ve seen in quite some time.

India Blue delivered a wonderful support set, Vieux Farka Toure proved himself to be an astonishing guitarist and The Garage hosted an evening of music that left everyone smiling on the way out.

Not bad for a spur-of-the-moment decision.

The videos below include India Blue’s excellent support performance and footage of Vieux Farka Toure demonstrating exactly why he’s regarded as one of the finest guitarists working today.

As for Vieux Farka Touré, well to say he was impressive is a massive understatement. He is seriously shit hot on the guitar and it seems like he was born to play and given the fact that his father is the legendary Ali Farka Touré, perhaps he was!