Desert Nomads Come to an Arlington Bar

Thanks to the 2003 focus on Mali at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, repeated appearances by Tinariwen, and the recent “Art of Being Tuareg” exhibit (with art and video) at the Museum of African Art, North African desert nomad music is not a complete novelty in this town. But it’s not a sound you hear regularly, so tonight’s Etran Finatawa appearance at Iota should still prove unique. Formed in 2004 from members of the Tuareg and Woodabe tribes that have often feuded in Niger, this ensemble’s second effort, “Desert Crossroads,” melds hypnotic African blues electric guitar with calabash percussion and chanted folkloric vocals. While the vocals are an acquired taste, the guitar and percussion draw you right in.