Arnaud Contreras Photo Journal

This 2011 november evening, I had the chance to witness my first tuareg rock battle.

On one side of the ring, Bombino from Agadez, Niger, jumping all around and playing with his Fender as fast as he could.
On the other side, Tamikrest from Kidal, Mali, calmly and deeply launching their Gibson sound in the air.

And the winner was ….
Ahmed Abdoulaye Boudane (aka “Ag Jackson”), young tuareg painter, who made a brilliant saharan air guitar show.

Listen to Bombino +++ and Tamikrest +++

Discover Ahmed Abdoulaye Boudane work +++

While doing a radio documentary, spent many time in Whammy Bar and The Wine Cellar, St Kevin’s Arcade, K’ Road, Auckland.
Loved the spirit of that rock place, met good people, humoristic hipsters and punks, going with them from an exhibition to a music studio. Thx Aucklanders !