Their music, played on a handful of electric guitars and one bongo drum, is as arresting as their costume. Saturday evening, shortly after eight o’clock, six tunic-clad and turbaned musicians troop across the Cedar Cultural Center’s stage and with a brief “bonsoir,” launch into their unique sound.

They call themselves Tinariwen, which is the Tamashek plural for desert or open space. An open space is how they insisted the Minneapolis-based Cedar arrange themselves for their show on November 16th. All the chairs have been stacked and put away save for a few short rows on either end of the large dance floor in front of the stage. The band wanted an audience that could move about and respond fluidly to their trance-like music.