Renowned Nigerien guitarist comes to Hill and Holler

Lewisburg, WV – Sunday, May 6th Hill and Holler Pizza in Lewisburg brings Nigerien guitarist Mdou Moctar to the stage. One of the first musicians to perform modern electronic adaptations of Tuareg guitar music, Moctar rose to fame in the underground network of West Africa where electric guitar music traveled hand-to-hand as pirated mp3s.

Moctar is touring the United States in promotion of his latest album release Sousoume Tamachek. In it he delves into his more sensitive side with a minimal studio recording of dreamy ballads. Thumping calabash, droning guitars, and vocal overdubs evoke an imagined desert soundscape. All instruments and vocals are performed by Moctar, creating very personal sessions. Emotive and introspective, he explores themes of religion, spirituality, and matters of the heart.

Toronto-based critic Slava Pastuk characterizes Moctar’s live performance as “one of the most amazing feats I’ve seen performed with a guitar in recent memory.”

IndyWeek.com says, “Moctar is as rock ‘n’ roll as he is Tuareg, and his music leans just as much toward psychedelia as it does folk, pushing the boundaries of what music of the region is expected to sound like.”

In 2015, Moctar starred in the first ever Tuareg language film, Rain the Color Blue with a Little Red In It, a Nigerien remake of Purple Rain. (The Tuareg language doesn’t have a word for purple.) The film will not remind American audiences of Prince’s music, and the desert setting will not be reminiscent of Prince’s own Minnesota roots. But, the story will feel the same: In the city of Agadez where guitars are king, musicians will do anything to succeed.

Hill and Holler will screen the film at 6:00 pm on Sunday, May 6th. Mdou Moctar will take the stage at 8:00 pm. Tickets are $12 at the door and include admission to the film and the concert. The full menu will be available for dinner service and drinks. Reserve tickets in advance by calling (304) 647-4429.

Watch the trailer - Rain the Color Blue with a Little Red in It