The band took to the stage in their desert attire and instantly commanded the audiences attention. The musicians all played amazingly well holding solid through a variety of tightly syncopated rhythms. Bombino came across as a very humble front-man, choosing to thank the audience through the translation of his bass player. His guitar playing and singing was outstandingly energetic and ever ferocious at times and when put together the songs had a powerful sense of urgency. The set was structured in a way that added to this, with the slower more acoustic songs toward the beginning. Once Bombino swapped over to his electric guitar a few songs the energy and tempo of the gig climbed and kept climbing until reaching a spiraling reggae inspired jam at the end which saw most of the band and most of audience jumping along to the same beat! Seeing Bombino perform these songs in Sydney's late afternoon, summer-heat in a venue as luscious as the Spiegeltent really set the scene perfectly for this gig and the music transported the audience to a tent in the middle of the band's native Saharan Desert for an hour and a half. Great work Sydney Festival a truly awesome gig and we even got to meet the man himself after the gig.