Often called pioneers of desert blues, the mighty Tinariwen are coming to The Glasshouse in Gateshead this May to show just why they’re such captivating live performers.

Tinariwen’s status as a legendary band came about through a rare fusion of political rebellion, cultural preservation, and a sound that feels both ancient and radical. They were founded in 1979 in refugee camps by Ibrahim Ag Alhabib – who built his first guitar using an oil can, a stick, and a bicycle brake wire – and their music would go on to become the voice of the ishumar; displaced Tuareg youth who left their homes due to drought and conflict. And while, yes, we in the west may label them as ‘Desert Blues’, the band actually name their style as ‘Addouf’, which refers to a sense of deep nostalgia, longing, and the ‘soul’ of the desert. Live they are utterly transcendent performers and another feather in the cap for The Glasshouse’s envelope-pushing Innovators series of concerts. GM

Tinariwen, Tuesday 19 May, The Glasshouse, Gateshead, 7.30pm, £35.30, theglasshouseicm.org