This is a bit of a Goldilocks story. The first time I saw this band was in a club - too small. The next time I saw them it was on the Open Air stage at Womad - too big. Today I saw them at a medium-sized concert hall - just right, and SBB really are getting better all the time. When the band first burst upon the world music scene, some oh-so-cool critics said that beneath the gimmickry, SBB were just an average rumba outfit, but that is very far from the truth. For a start, theirs is one of the best rhythm sections of any band I've heard in ages. They sing sweetly and their songs are memorable. Their stage presence is obviously remarkable, and when they do some of their hell-for-leather rocking-out numbers, their music is nothing short of transcendental. The sticking point for many is the sound of the satonge - you either love it or hate it - but it doesn't dominate and was played quite sparingly tonight. SBB played a long set with a generous encore, and a packed Colston Hall loved 'em.
The support was excellent - Malian diva Fatoumata Diawara, who did a solo set of beautifully measured songs accompanied by her lovely guitar-playing. She reminded me very much of Nahawa Doumbia, and I can't think of a better recommendation than that.
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