Malian band postpones tour, including kickoff in Victoria

A Canadian tour by desert blues band Tinariwen, expected to get underway Thursday night at Studio 919 in Victoria, has been postponed.

In a social media post, the group’s management cited a house fire that destroyed the travel documents of several members of Tinariwen’s crew and touring party.

“The team has been doing everything possible to maintain the tour, but despite their best efforts, they are unfortunately now obliged to postpone the current Canadian tour.”

Members of the Grammy Award-winning group are currently based in Algeria, having fled war-torn Mali in late 2024.

A recent travel ban by the United States prohibited Tinariwen, which includes Malian nationals in its lineup, from touring the country, which resulted in the cancellation of its planned summer tour.

The band later switched its focus to Canada, where it was scheduled to play 13 dates this month.

The itinerary included Tinariwen’s first-ever Victoria performance on Thursday, which was sold out in advance. The group was also scheduled to perform Friday at the Chan Centre in Vancouver.

The shows are being listed as postponed, rather than cancelled. Ticket holders have the option to hold onto their tickets for the rescheduled date, or request a refund.

“We are working quickly with the band and their team to reschedule the shows in the short term, and we will announce the new dates as soon as they are confirmed,” band management wrote on Facebook.

“Tinariwen sincerely apologizes to all of their friends and fans across Canada for this unexpected change. They are doing everything they can to return and perform for you as soon as possible.”

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