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Pibau Bach - credit: ASK CATHY

Pibau Bach in Libya. Credit: Pibau Bach.   

Dancing in the Desert   

Libya's red tape for visiting artists
New Routes
Traditional and Folk music

Pibau Bach play in the Drj Desert Festival, Libya

September 2002   

'I never thought we would see a British band play here in Libya.' A member of the audience   

In September 2002 we held our first British music event in Libya in thirty years.

Welsh folk band Pibau Bach participated in the fifth Drj desert festival, the only European band to perform at the festival which features traditional bands from all over Libya and North Africa. More than 5000 spectators, mostly young Libyans from the major urban areas, cheered and danced when Pibau Bach came on stage in the middle of the night under a starry desert sky. Many in the audience were delighted to see connections re-established between Libyan and UK musicians.

Libyan television and press carried full coverage of the event:

'The participation of the British band, Pibau Bach this year made the Drj festival unique.' Shams newspaper

'We were congratulated by revolutionary youths on our beautiful music and told that they loved Wales.' Band member, Ceri Matthews

Two personal views of this project appear in ‘ Dancing in the Desert’, an article written by Leah Zakss, who organised the event from our London office, and Ceri Matthews of Pibau Bach.

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