After participating in the Tuareg rebellion of 1990, Tinariwen, natives of northern Mali, returned home and exchanged their Kalashnikovs for guitars to devote themselves to creating and developing the musical style now known throughout the world as “desert blues”. The band addresses the concerns of their people in songs with a strong socio-political focus that blend traditional Arabic and West African music with blues, folk and other aesthetic trends. Three-time Grammy nominees and winners of the Best World Music Album award in 2012, Tinariwen have performed around the world at the invitation of names such as the Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Bono Vox and the Rolling Stones. They are now touring Europe to present their brand new album, The Hoggar, another inspired artistic step on their journey of raising awareness about Tuareg culture and identity.