Toubab Krewe Turns Up the Tribal Psych at the Electric Pickle November 19

Photo by C. Taylor Crothers

​Hailing from Asheville, North Carolina, world-beat rock band Toubab Krewe is kinda like Animal Collective's cousin from the country whose long-absent daddy happens to be the Dead. Taking cues from indie rock, psychedlic jam, and traditional Malian tuneage, the Krewe twists out songs -- i.e. "Holy Grail" and "51 Ft. Ladder" -- that sound like they should be bleeding from an old, beat-up boombox at a truck stop in Bamako.

But the five-member outfit doesn't just settle for adding some authentic African instrumentation -- soku, kamel ngoni, and kora -- to its guitar, drum, and bass.

In fact, the Krewe takes fusion to an almost existential level, jamming out with African-American poet Umar Bin Hassan, trekking to Mali and other Mother Continent spots, and communing with the spirit of Ali Farka Touré.

This trip isn't a weekender. It an all-consuming, lifelong quest.

Toubab Krewe. Thursday, November 18. Electric Pickle, 2826 N. Miami Ave., Miami. The show starts at 10 p.m. and tickets cost $13.50 via wantickets.com. Ages 18 and up. Call 305-456-5613 or visit electricpicklemiami.com.