Rock Monsters Romania

The nomadic Tuareg band Tamikrest returns to Control Club for a special night where Saharan winds meet electric riffs a soundscape shaped by longing, resistance, and connection.

“Desert-blues for fans of Can and Pink Floyd to sink their teeth into.” — MOJO

About the band

Formed in 2006 in Tinzawaten, a small desert town on the border between Algeria and Mali, Tamikrest was created by Ousmane Ag Mossa, Cheikh Ag Tiglia, and Aghaly Ag Mohamedine as an act of artistic resistance a way to give a stronger voice to the Kel Tamasheq (Tuareg) people through music rather than conflict.

Their name, Tamikrest, means “junction” in Tamasheq a language spoken by few, yet carrying the spirit of many. Fittingly, the band’s members come from different corners of the Tuareg world, united by a shared cultural heritage and a forward-looking creative vision.

Rooted in Ishumar rock and Tuareg blues, Tamikrest’s music stretches far beyond tradition. Drawing inspiration from artists like Tinariwen, Pink Floyd, and Jimi Hendrix, they blend hypnotic desert rhythms with modern rock textures, evoking the vastness and vitality of the Sahara.

A legacy of resistance and renewal

Tamikrest’s debut album, Adagh (2010), and its follow-up, Toumastin (2011), introduced a distinctive melodic voice and poetic sensibility. Their third record, Chatma (2013) dedicated to the struggles and strength of Tuareg women won the Songlines Music Award for Best Album of the Year, solidifying their place on the global stage.

With Kidal (2017) and Tamotait (2020), the band deepened its connection to its roots while expanding its sound the latter being described as “their most adventurous album yet,” recorded partly in Japan. These releases reinforced Tamikrest’s reputation as one of Africa’s most vital and boundary-pushing modern rock bands.

Through countless international tours across Europe, Africa, the Americas, Japan, South Korea, and Australia, Tamikrest has built a reputation for intense, transcendent live performances that bridge worlds between ancient tradition and modern rebellion, desert silence and electric storm.

A message through music

Their latest work, Tamotait, is more than an album it is resistance set to sound. Amid political turmoil and displacement in their ancestral lands, Tamikrest continues to channel hope, identity, and endurance through music.

Every concert becomes a celebration of voice, heritage, and survival a reminder that even in the harshest landscapes, creativity finds a way to thrive.

About ctrl LIVE & OneDay Live

The ctrl LIVE series at Club Control continues to bring some of the world’s most compelling and adventurous artists to Bucharest. This concert is booked by OneDay Live.

Join us at Control Club for a night that transcends borders where the pulse of the desert meets the heartbeat of the city. Tamikrest, live in Bucharest: a rare chance to witness one of the most powerful voices of modern African rock.

Tickets are still available here.