Photo: Paul Smyth
It is almost half an hour before François Marry sings a word in English. "We’ve been playing in France a lot and I can’t translate everything", he says, almost apologetically.
But no matter - this is exactly what the audience at David Byrne’s Meltdown festival expect from the bill. They’re here for a celebration of world music, cultural sounds and genres, that - although far outside the mainstream - manage to engross to double the effect.
Flanked by an eclectic mix of nationalities and instrumentation, François and his Atlas Mountains offer a concoction of afrobeat, indie folk and reggaeton. Tonight, the focus takes firm inspiration from the memory of Fela Kuti’s pioneering afro influence, with musicians Papa Djiga Boubacar (on ngoni), Luc Kyenbreogo (bass ngoni) and Sanou Darra (balaphon), bringing the sound of Africa to the stage.
Watch the video for 'La Verite' below
Together these instruments produce a tireless rhythm, harmonising beautifully, ebbing and flowing with intensity. The ngoni, a West African lute, is particularly striking, its chords close to that of a sitar. At their most accessible, the band resemble 80s beach-kissed dream pop... but trying to categorise a night like this would do it a disservice. It is about mood, feeling, and intoxicating walls of sound.
Heads bob, feet tap, some get up from their seats and sway in a trance like state, blissfully unaware of the dormouse running between the seats of the Festival Hall. The hypnotism elevates further when a transfusion of dance music joins the fray. François, melded to the keyboard, has his eyes shut in an almost transcendent state as the ngoni and other guitars build to a slow climax. When the track eventually finishes its journey, he jumps back, as if experiencing an electric shock, and takes a moment to recover himself, drained yet energised by the experience.
The night ends with the band launching into a full-on spontaneous dance, soon replicated by the crowd, Darra’s balaphon leading the way. It is a joyous sight. Bringing the show to a close, Francois thanks both the audience and a crew member for helping sort the immigration visas. That’s something you won’t hear at Reading and Leeds – and tonight’s performance was all the better for it.
