I learned a few days ago from a fellow travelphile that Anthony Bourdain’s San Francisco No Reservations episode will premiere while I am away in South America. I am not at all into celebrity worship or celebrity anything else, but Anthony Bourdain is my one exception. I will admit I am a little obsessed with him and his travels. I can totally relate to his snarky cynical humor which is always followed by hippie-ish optimism and reflection. I am excited to see Anthony Bourdain’s take on my city so I will have to DVR it or catch a rerun when I get back.
Vieux Farka Toure, son of Ali Farka Toure, will be performing in San Francisco on July 18th at the Independent as part of the annual Afrofunk Festival. Ali Farka Toure was the greatest Malian blues singer, and his son is trying to pick up where he left off by fusing his Ali’s sound with other genres of music. I would love to see the show, but I will be away in Los Angeles that weekend. L’Auberge Espagnole (which is a fantastic movie for the 20-something traveler) features Ali Farka’s song “Ai Du” in a scene where two students from different countries bond over their similar tastes in music. This is a powerful song with alternation between raw vocals and melancholy guitar solos and a steady bassline that drives it forward but never brings it to a climax. Here is a video of Vieux Farka Toure covering this amazing song:
{ 3 comments }
