The name Etran de L'Aïr translates to "the Stars of the Aïr," the mountainous region of Northern Niger. They are based in the town of Agadez, an urban center renowned for the electric guitar and the Western named "desert blues." In the Sahara, this electric guitar genre is intertwined with social function. It's a lucrative commerce, and gigging bands make their living in weddings, baptisms, and political events. Etran de L'Aïr is one of Agadez's longest playing groups on the circuit. Yet they are also a band that has remained on the fringes, stars of the Agadez working class.

The history of Agadez is a series of invasions and conquerers each leaving their mark on the town. Founded in the 14th century as a Tuareg city, it was later conquered by the Songhai Empire. Subsequently, Hausa culture worked its way North, and the city became an important crossroads of trans-Saharan trade. In the 19th century the city became part of the French colonial empire. This patchwork influence continues today, with Chinese made goods flooding the market, immigrants passing by on their trek North, and a massive US military base a stone's throw from town. Suffice to say, modern Agadez is a multi-cultural city.