A new alternative music scene in Beirut

The recently released ‘96.2 Music Compilation’ produced by Incognito features 11 new talented Lebanese artists and bands. They are the finalists, selected by the jury of Radio Liban and their ’96.2 modern Music Contest.’

This contest was organised in partnership with The Basement, Incognito, The French embassy in Lebanon, In Concert, El Tek & Time Out Beirut.

& the nice part is that we are invited to witness the birth of this new alternative music scene in Beirut. It's happening at the Basement club, on the 1st of March 2009, starting 6pm.

On stage: A.Boxx, Soul +, Cristobal, Elyas Diez, Karimbo, Mashrou’ Leila, Lara Matar, Stéphanie Merchak, Sylvain Nassar, Sandmoon & Anthony Touma. Rap, pop, rock, electronic music, soul, funk… in English, French or Arabic, they will perform, in a single night, original unreleased compositions.

My main interest is in Mashrou' Leila.

A Must follow Lebanese musicians group. "They're a tough bunch to describe," says one admirer of the band. "What to expect? A crunch of instinctual vocals, bold lyrics, and catchy tunes," he adds.

On ne voit pas ça tout le temps, en effet!

"We are all dysfunctional"...

It's with this statement that the web home of the musical collective Kill the Dj will welcome you...Excellent approach to put you from the start in their own mind set, and actually on the right route toward discovering their home, world, 'bubblicious' electronic trance house sounds. Got the opportunity to embark from the basement's runaway--btw the Basement is Beirut best rockin' club of resident dj Jade--to the outer zone...It's a dope musikal trip so smooth, yet so deep... These type oriented visuals are graphic gems in my own op. & speak loud about the nature of kill the dj's spirit & communication. Thanks Jade for sharing such an awesome find of the French elecro scene. Ça déchirre!

BOB N' Doobie

# 9_n0taz_volume-III, originally uploaded by izolag.

Rockin' Bob...

Body Orchestra

A group of performers, who deliver unusual rhythmic sounds from within, are due to perform this summer, in my funky town Beirut-- actually at Byblos International Festival. Initiated by the musician Fernando Barba, out of his interest in extracting sounds from his own body, the group holds his name from that habit labeled with the word 'barbatuques.' -- ("batuque" can be loosely translated as "percussion"). Got the news from the group itself on virb community, where they confirmed being scheduled for two nights --25, 26 July... That's perfectissimo! Back to normal for Lebanon!! Music will hopefully be the cure and bring about some warmth during the summer, as we are all ready to give Peace a dance and rock with all three prestigious music Festival [Baalbeck, Beiteddine and Byblos]. Apart from Lebanese born Mika, set to rock the crowd of the Heliopolis, programmes haven't been officially announced yet for all three. However, here I am, breaking the news for all of you out there interested in eclectic sounds. Claps, snaps, beating of the chest, mouth noises, vocals, and several other sounds will be combined in the production of rhythms and melodies of BARBATUQUES, the Brazilian group. Barbatuques is a full orchestra of Nanás, playing their bodies like locos, and creating some of the most uplifting and humorous music you can get these days. Barbatuques are dubbed "Body orchestra” where all musicians improvise on the same instrument, as they develop an artistic show, while exploring the innumerable sounds that can be produced by the human body. Formed in Sao Paulo in 1996, Fernando Barba’s troupe travel the world over in thigh-slapping style. One definite thing, is that the Lebanese audience can count on getting a deep dive into one memorable musical experience, thanks to Barbatuques' performance due at the magical Phoenician coastal city of Byblos. Whether you consider this to be sound choreography or body music, their performance is said to be a treat for percussion enthusiasts. From traditional Brazilian rhythms to those of funk or hip-hop, again, an assurance that the public is sure to find something in this amazing group’s repertoire; the least being a sensational exploration of the percussive rhythmic landscape of Brazil. Summertime, and the living is eaaaaaaaaaasyyyyy...........

Love is a creative game

Here is the first Barbie to have a doobie and be tattooed. The first British artist to win 5 Grammy in one night, AMY WINEHOUSE has spawned imitators and been the muse for fashion designers, most notably Karl Lagerfeld. And here we go again...inspiring... with her distinctive style, and beehive hairstyle, perfectly cloned, by a girl clearly in love with her boy friend. Popjustice site narrates the story of a girl in love, who went through all this trouble and hard work to replicate the British crooner, just to please her lover; as for the man to whom this doll was dedicated, he is obviously in love with a-m-a-zing Amy. Who isn't?

& here are some awing facts & figures: By 12 March 2008, the special deluxe edition of "Back to Black" had sold a total of 2,467,575 copies, putting the album on the UK's top 10 best-selling albums of the 21st century for the first time. On 7 April "Back to Black" was residing at the top position on the pan-European charts, for the 6th consecutive & 13th aggregate week. The original edition of the album resided at the number 30 position, in its 68th week on the charts. How awesome is that? Simply AdMYrable!!

A Voice that could Stop Wars

ONE Achingly Beautiful NIGHT IN BEIRUT's Music Hall

Tunisian-born singer and oud virtuoso Dhafer Youssef’s hypnotic, Sufi-inspired music, which connects the ancient with the modern, the East with the West in an enticing coalescence of culture, dropped by Beirut for one dazzling night. The kind of gig you watch and pray would never end, charged with such magic that you knew it would leave its mark, move you, change you... He managed to put a smile of Wonderment on my face, which seems to last forever... Dhafer Yousef... One of the most interesting artists alive. I believe I was lucky to be in that enchanted Music Hall. The atmosphere was so electric; a genius of contamination in fact! I got transported, for an hour or so, to another level. This man is without doubt one of the most moving and spirited vocalist that I have ever heard or had the pleasure to see and meet live. Cuz I met him at the end of his gig, hugged him, thanked him for that awesome night that brought back hope to my city; yep indeed, “a voice that could stop wars;” and I promised him that we will meet again..

Kobain leaving terra firma

"Kurt Cobain" - acrylic and pen on paper - 15x20 cm - 2007 An Illustration of grunge musician legend, Kurt Cobain's suicidal act [April 1994] by Italian artist Laurina Paperina.

Kurt Cobain was the lead singer, guitarist, and songwriter for the Seattle-based rock band Nirvana. Cobain formed Nirvana in 1987 with Krist Novoselic. Within two years, the band became a fixture of the burgeoning Seattle grunge scene. In 1991, the arrival of Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit" marked the beginning of a dramatic shift of popular rock music away from the dominant genres of the 1980s (glam metal, dance-pop etc.) and toward grunge and alternative rock. The music media eventually awarded the song "anthem-of-a-generation" status, and, with it, Cobain was labeled a "spokesman" for Generation X. During the last years of his life, Cobain struggled with drug addiction and the media pressures surrounding him and his wife, Courtney Love. On April 8, 1994, Cobain was found dead in his home in Seattle, the victim of what was officially ruled a self-inflicted shotgun wound to the head. In ensuing years, the circumstances of his death became a topic of fascination and debate. For more on the investigation into the events surrounding the death of musician Kurt Cobain, visit:

• Cobain case
• Justice for Kurt
• Death of Kurt Cobain

A for the tribute to Kurt Cobain and the Memorial Project to honour Kurt and Nirvana, log on to: Kurt Cobain Memorial

OH What a rat race!

Graffiti by Banksy that turns out to be so explicit of my thoughts about 'Others'; the rat race is so brillantly written and sang by King Bob, it says it all!!

Uh! Ya too rude! Uh! Eh! OH What a rat race! Oh, what a rat race! Oh, what a rat race! Oh, what a rat race! This is the rat race! Rat race! (Rat race!) Some a lawful, some a bastard, some a jacket: Oh, what a rat race, yeah! Rat race! Some a gorgon-a, some a hooligan-a, some a guine-gog-a In this 'ere rat race, yeah! Rat race! I'm singin' that When the cat's away, The mice will play. Political violence fill ya city, ye-ah! Don't involve Rasta in your say say; Rasta don't work for no C.I.A. Rat race, rat race, rat race! Rat race, I'm sayin': When you think is peace and safety: A sudden destruction. Collective security for surety, ye-ah! Don't forget your history; Know your destiny: In the abundance of water, The fool is thirsty. Rat race, rat race, rat race! Rat race! Oh, it's a disgrace To see the human-race In a rat race, rat race! You got the horse race; You got the dog race; You got the human-race; But this is a rat race, rat race!

By Bob Marley Album: Songs of Freedom Title: Rat Race