Jun 5

Jun 5 Review: TAKAAT at AyurPrana Listening Room

Tuareg, Rock, Instrumental, Improvisational, Experimental

There’s no question that Mahamadou Souleymane is the star of Mdou Moctar. The frontman from Niger — known for his blistering guitar work and socially conscious lyrics — has become a leading force in the Tuareg rock movement that Tinariwen helped bring to the U.S.

But if you have ever seen Mdou Moctar live, you’ve likely found yourself equally captivated by the powerhouse rhythm section: Ahmoudou Madassane on rhythm guitar, Mikey Coltun on bass, and Souleymane Ibrahim on drums. When I saw them a year ago at The Orange Peel, I couldn’t take my eyes off Ibrahim, who was locked in, unleashing a rapid-fire barrage of beats with uncanny precision.

After years on the road together, the backing trio began writing new music in late 2023. Their project, TAKAAT, carries the West African spirit of artists like Ali Farka Touré and Tinariwen — much like Mdou Moctar does — but the side project sets itself apart by fusing that influence with the raw power of D.C. punk and post-hardcore.

Currently embarking on its debut national tour, TAKAAT stopped at AyurPrana Listening Room on May 29, delivering a performance that very nearly tore the roof off of the West Asheville venue. Playing through intentionally blown-out amps, the trio channeled the visceral influence of bands like Unwound and Fugazi, erupting into a set of noisy, polyrhythmic math punk. From the start, there was no letting up — each song bled into the next, a breathless, hypnotic cascade of rhythm and distortion that swallowed the room whole.

What made the show truly unforgettable was the balance of raw explosive sonic blasts and technical mastery. TAKAAT brought the urgency that defines great punk, but their intricate musicianship elevated the experience far beyond genre tropes. This wasn’t a sloppy, Germs-style free-for-all — it was a mesmerizing act of control and chaos, performed with grit, sweat, and precision.

As much as I love Mdou Moctar, I find myself even more enamored by this new undertaking from Madassane, Coltun, and Ibrahim. And while the main act now plays much larger venues, we’re lucky to be able to catch TAKAAT in the kind of intimate spaces where the electrifying sounds send shockwaves straight through your system.

(Photos by Jonny Leather)