Interview
• TCA: Since few years, by bringing great international names in Beirut, you are at Beirut Jam session really changing the local music scene. Why, when all eyes were on the electroscene, have you decided to gamble on the inplugged and jam concept?
The unplugged/jam concept is the second part of our project. We start off with organizing concerts by bringing international names to Beirut and having a local act open for them. Following the show we shoot the jam sessions which you can watch on our Youtube channel. Of course it’s a gamble, Lebanon is not known for its live music scene nor for its people being curious to discover and watch new live acts - even if they’ve never heard of them before. But slowly that’s changing and we’re happy to play a part in that. So far, it’s gone pretty well - but of course the electro scene here is massive compared to what we’re trying to do.
• TCA: You have also enabled the collaboration between local beiruti talents with international artists, how is it important for you to mix local and international? Any coming plans to go further into more fusion?
It’s actually very important. Maybe the local musicians don’t realize it yet but they probably will in the future. Today some of our local acts have collaborated with Joss Stone, The Royal Concept, Keziah Jones and so many more. These have opened doors and a new fanbase for our acts they wouldn’t have otherwise reached. So we’re keeping the collaborative spirit going and hoping it grows more & more.
• TCA: How does Beirut inspire you? When you are out of town what do you miss more about it? Is there a «Beirut sound»?
I’m not alone in saying that I love Beirut and I hate it in equal measure. There are days when I realize we’re living in the most utopic and disoriented city in the world. If people are trying to make sense of Beirut, they shouldn’t. It doesn’t make any sense and that’s what makes us all love & hate it. Whenever I’m out of town (which is luckily often), the only thing I miss are the people closest to me (friends or family) and the food. I certainly don’t miss the traffic, the pollution or just the general stress being in Beirut provides.
As for the sound, I believe Beirut’s sound is that of old taxis honking and old men screaming out that they’re selling «kaak» or «zaatar». If you’re referring to music, I think Mashrou’ Leila provides us with the sound of our generation and, again, I don’t think people will realize that until many years from now. Lebanon is too consumed with short-term stuff happening to appreciate what’s going to mark the city in the long run.
• TCA: Do you feel as a «confuser arab» today? (Nb: by «confusedarab» here we mean that we are a bunch of individuals living in very contradictory environments/cities which helps us to get the most creative of it. Confused here is not meant as «lost» but as in the middle of different/ opposite things)
Not too sure if I’m a «confused arab», because I’m quite straight forward with what I want to achieve in this city for myself and for the role Beirut Jam Sessions has in the music scene. I also wouldn’t want myself to be labelled as «confused» or «arab» or both together as I think it’s not accurate for myself or quite a lot of Beirutis.
However I do know very clearly where I stand with my opinion towards this city. And as I said, Beirut makes no sense and sometimes it does put everyone in a bit of limbo. It’s easy to get consumed by the city and to begin believing that we’re «doing well» or to have a high esteem of yourself. But sometimes we forget that Beirut is a tiny bubble and within that tiny bubble, there are thousands of tiny other bubbles - and if you just zoom out a bit and realize just how tiny Beirut is, it’ ll give you even more perspective into just how pointless all our tiny bubbles in Beirut are.
