Excited About: Ibeyi back on Stage in the U.S.
Ibeyi made a splash at SXSW 2015 on the heels of their self-titled debut album. The music of the French-Cuban twin duo was instantly mesmerizing yet difficult to put into a genre: Lisa-Kaindé Diaz plays the piano and sister Naomi traditional Cuban percussion, but they also threw in subtle electronics, and that opened an entire world of eclectic pop music.
Ibeyi at the Spotify House SXSW 2015 (photo: glamglare)
We saw a fair share of brilliant Ibeyi shows in 2015. At SXSW, they played the
Spotify House and the Presbyterian Church, whose ambiance added nicely to the inherent spirituality of their songs. In NYC, they performed at one of the bigger venues, Webster Hall, and delighted at an intimate in-store show at Rough Trade in Williamsburg, BK. And when Ibeyi was scheduled to play in Munich, coincidentally when we visited, we took our then 14-year-old goddaughter to the show. She was genuinely impressed, even though hip-hop and heavy metal were more her thing.
Ibeyi at the Central Presbyterian Church (photo: glamglare)
Regardless of how different the venues were, Lisa and Naomi always filled them with their warm personalities, beautiful music, and willingness to let the audience in on their story of loss and hope.
Ibeyi at an in-store show at Rough Trade Williamsburg in June 2015 (photo: glamglare)
We look forward to seeing Ibeyi at Brooklyn Steel on their North American tour in support of their third album, Spell 31. They perform for the first time with a full band, which probably means less intimacy than in their 2015 shows.
However, you cannot stay 20 forever, and eventually, the duo had to build on from what worked so well eight years ago and explore different directions. We are thrilled to see Ibeyi on this new chapter of their journey!
2023 Tour Dates
Fri 3.10 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Regent *
Sat 3.11 – San Diego, CA @ Music Box *
Sun 3.12 – San Francisco, CA @ August Hall * (SOLD OUT)
Tue 3.14 – Portland, OR @ Aladdin Theater *
Wed 3.15 – Seattle, WA @ The Crocodile *
Sat 3.18 – Minneapolis, MN @ Varsity Theater #
Sun 3.19 – Chicago, IL @ Thalia Hall #
Thu 3.23 – Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Steel *
Fri 3.24 – Boston, MA @ Brighton Music Hall *
Sat 3.25 – Philadelphia, PA @ World Cafe Live *
Sun 3.26 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club *
Tue 3.28 – Chapel Hill, NC @ Cat’s Cradle *
Wed 3.29 – Atlanta, GA @ Terminal West *
Fri 3.31 – Knoxville, TN @ Big Ears Festival *
Sun 4.2 – Miami, FL @ Miami Beach Bandshell #
Support Ojerime *
Support Annahstasia #
(Cover photo: Rafael Pavarotti)
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