Amadou & Mariam Play Free Concert Thursday

Bluesy guitar duo Amadou & Mariam will rock the Thursday night at its free weekly summer concert series.

Known for their unique mix of sweet melodies and funky rhythms, the husband and wife (who began making music after meeting as teenagers at the Bamako Institute for the Young and Blind) are frequent guests on KCRW, have toured with Coldplay, won two BBC 3 Awards for world music and performed at the opening ceremony of the 2006 World Cup.

They will be joined by Portland's Y La Bamba. The band will play from its folk album, “Court the Storm,” described as "rich with lush vocal harmonies" by frontwoman Luz Elena Mendoza over chamber pop.

The show is 7-10 p.m. near the parking lot on the pier deck. Parking will be available in the lot north of the pier at 1550 Pacific Coast Hwy., however parking on the pier deck will be closed. The city will provide a free bike valet, stationed on the beach next to the bicycle path on the south side of the pier.

Co-produced by Los Angeles-based Rum & Humble and emceed by DJs from KCRW, there are four free concerts left in the Twilight Concert Series:

• Aug. 16: African Rock from Mali’s Amadou & Mariam paired with Portland Scene-stealers Y La Bamba
• Aug. 23: Cuban singer-songwriter Alex Cuba and the Salsa dance sounds of Lucky 7 Mambo
• Aug. 30: New Orleans’ own Hot 8 Brass Band and Louisiana funk band The Gumbo Brothers
• Sept. 6: SoCal Indie Breakout Act Best Coast

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