The sounds of 1960s and 70s-era Turkey, distilled through synths, electric guitars, and of course, the saz, make for some great psych-rock music that’s become a hit on both sides of the Atlantic. Who knew? What started as a Facebook ad in Amsterdam looking for Turkish musicians has turned into, Altin Gün, a globe-trotting unit that brings traditional Turkish folk and dance parties to the masses, including at a nearly sold-out Howard Theatre in DC.

In the span of five years, the hardworking quintet has released five albums, all reimaginings of traditional Turkish folk songs on love, death, and family. Saz extraordinaire Erdinç Ecevit Yıldız and keyboardist Merve Daşdemir took turns on lead vocals throughout the night. They made sure to pace the night appropriately, sprinkling slow-burners like “Ordunun Dereleri” and “Anlatmam Derdimi” in between the fast and furious Badi Sabah Olmadan, the funky, synth-driven “Süpürgesi Yoncadan,” and the undoubtedly Chic-influenced and part-spoken word “Doktor Civanım.”

In one corner of the crowd, a group of people were singing in Turkish and dancing enthusiastically throughout the set, so much so that Daşdemir jumped into the crowd to dance along with them. Even for those of us who need to run the lyrics through Google Translate, we can feel the love and care that Altin Gün puts into bringing these culturally significant songs to brand-new audiences worldwide. Altin Gün’s latest album Aşk is available now through ATO Records.

Opening for Altin Gün was Brazilian singer and guitarist Rogê, who has been nominated for a Latin Grammy and has recorded alongside the likes of Seu Jorge (they released a collaborative album in 2020). With drummer Stephane San Juan in tow, the two gave a masterclass in samba. His intricate fingerpicking alongside San Juan’s understated, but perfectly in-sync drumming style made for an upbeat, entertaining performance that had many singing and clapping along to soon-to-be vinyl crate-digger classics like “Existe Uma Voz.” Fans of Gilberto Gil and, of course, the aforementioned Seu Jorge, will easily fall in love with Rogê’s music. His latest album Curyman is out now on Diamond West Records.

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