Mashrou’ Leila @ Music Hall of Williamsurg

Emerging from Beirut’s underground indie scene, Mashrou’ Leila have continued to carve out their own distinct space within Arabic pop. Singing in Arabic about LGBT rights, political freedoms, race, religion and modern Arabic identity, they have crafted some of the most melancholic ballads and raucous anthems in contemporary alternative Arabic music, and went on to perform them live at sold-out venues worldwide.
 
The band has released four albums to date: Mashrou’ Leila (2008), El Hal Romancy (2011), Raasük (2013), and Ibn El Leil (2015). Infused with an electrifying pop spirit, the new album Ibn El Leil brilliantly reinvents the sound of the band into the sound of contemporary Beirut: dark, reckless, and fiery with young blood. Hamed Sinno’s lyrics beautifully mix the rawness of the night with an exquisite sensitivity that evokes a collective experience, almost spiritual at times. The music arranged by Carl Gerges, Firas Abou Fakher and Jeremie Regnier does not fall short of the words and puts into perspective a brand new approach, with images of faded neon lights, pulsing dancing and the reckless self-destruction of Beiruti nights being evoked.
 
“It’s such an impressive performance that stadiums seem not only possible but imminent.” – The Guardian
 
“A Lebanese band with an eclectic sound, an openly gay frontman and politically charged lyrics is trying to tear up the conventions of Arabic pop culture” – BBC
 
“The voice of their generation” – CNN
 
Mashrou’ Leila official site
Mashrou’ Leila on Facebook