Idir — Festival Arabesques, Montpellier, 2017

In May 2017, Idir (1949-2020), an emblematic figure of Kabyle song, performed at the Domaine d’O in Montpellier as part of the Festival Arabesques, devoted to the arts and music of the Arab and Mediterranean world. This full live concert celebrates an artist whose track A Vava Inouva (1974) was broadcast in 77 countries and translated into fifteen languages, opening Berber music to a global audience. On the stage of the Amphitheatre d’O, Idir unfolds a repertoire blending Kabyle melodies, acoustic guitar and warm harmonies, carried by a gentle voice and a spirit of sharing that marked generations. The capture conveys the intimate, unifying atmosphere of his concerts, between the passing on of a heritage and a modern sensibility. No setlist or detailed lineup for this evening could be reliably documented. A fine record of world music and song performed live, this Idir live concert at the Festival Arabesques 2017 in Montpellier will delight fans of world music and Kabyle culture, preserving the presence of an artist whose warmth reached far beyond any single language or border.