Tag: music

by jad

Creative Clusters: 20 Weeks of Gratitude, Week 8

Part 1: Artpop, Inc. I’ve been listening to a lot of Lady Gaga since she popped up on my playlist on Valentine’s Day. It’s been a while since I’ve listened to anything as infectiously positive and carefree; I’m especially aware of this because, two days prior, I attended an art-based workshop where they asked us to share a song that we turned to when we wanted to lift our spirits; I couldn’t think of any. There was a time when it was strangely meaningful to think that Lady Gaga and I are the same age. Looking back, I now feel … Continue reading “Creative Clusters: 20 Weeks of Gratitude, Week 8” →

by jad

The Music Scene: 20 Weeks of Gratitude, Week 4

Part 1: El Hal Romancy Let’s talk about a concert in Byblos. Yeah, that concert; the one where Lebanon’s biggest indie band, Mashrou’ Leila, was banned from performing for a meme—for basically nothing. That episode seems almost comical now, with all that’s happened in Lebanon since. Here they are playing at the original T-Marbouta in 2008. Is it too hipster to say that I remember them when they were nervous boys playing their butts off for free? With every album drop & NPR Tiny Desk performance, it’s easy to forget how unlikely this band’s success was; how prophetic they sounded; … Continue reading “The Music Scene: 20 Weeks of Gratitude, Week 4” →

by jad

Pantograph

“Third proposal.” By number two, I suppress a groan, my muscles aching from the unforgiving pew and long hours.  “Third proposal: Welcome our gifts and our limitations too.” There’d been a death in our building. Across the hall, a neglected toothache took a troubled life away. No judgement. “God welcomes everything in us; in our turn, we can accept ourselves just as we are. That is the beginning of a healing that is so necessary for us all.” That morning, the bus was crawling up Pill Hill, like it did every morning. There was a stop for the Good Vibes hat, … Continue reading “Pantograph” →

by jad

#LilWatan in Seattle

Today I visited Kurt Cobain’s memorial bench, in a park by his old house, to break the late morning quiet with a song in support of @mashrouleila & @_lilwatan. The experience was a lot sweeter than I expected; I saw two other “pilgrims” paying their respects, and the neighbors seemed totally fine with a bunch of sentimental weirdos milling around the area. Yeah, I wore flannel. I walked up to what I figured was number 171, and saw a hummingbird hovering by the gate, looking straight at me. I want to think that it was Kurt’s spirit saying “hey.” After … Continue reading “#LilWatan in Seattle” →

by jad

#AdventWord 2018, Week 3

#Rejoice Today’s #AdventWord is ‘rejoice,’ and I’m sharing a snippet of last night’s Christmas concert at Seattle First Baptist, which opened with a song of bittersweet anticipation: “Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.” This classic carol set the tone for the whole night, as bright jewels of the Western Christian tradition were cast against the dark backdrop of current affairs—tear gas at the borders, the words of women made lesser-than, people of color gunned down in the street with impunity. . . This sociopolitical interweaving may surprise some people, but Seattle First Baptist certainly made it sound … Continue reading “#AdventWord 2018, Week 3” →

by jad

#AdventWord 2018, Week 2

#Wild Today’s #AdventWord is ‘wild,’ and—with apologies to the theologians who made the selection—I’ve watched too much MTV over the years to associate that word with anything but a good time. Pictured here: Andrew WK at The Showbox, Kultur Shock at The Crocodile, and IDLES at The Sunset Tavern—these are some of the wildest nights I’ve had in this city thus far. They are also some of the most life-affirming artists I’ve ever seen in concert, who left me with a strong sense of their genuine love for their fans. Not pictured here, however, is probably my most memorable night … Continue reading “#AdventWord 2018, Week 2” →

by jad

The Kids Are Alt-Right

Neoreaction is nothing new. Revanchism—the politics of resentment and revenge—is a multi-headed hydra that seasonally slinks out from the depths like a b-movie monster that just won’t die. We’ve known the “Third Reich” and have been told about “Jihad vs McWorld,” so we should not be surprised when new dogs start barking about new wounds they’re licking, again and again. For every reform, a counterrevolution is hatched; with every social gain, a reconquista. But I can’t pretend to not be taken aback. “Fire and fury” is this season’s “shock and awe,” but it names a ferociously gleeful rejection of public … Continue reading “The Kids Are Alt-Right” →

by jad

10/10: World Mental Health Day

10/10 is World Mental Health Day because 10/10 is not a mark that too many of us can make that regularly. An important day for us all; if I were to make an educated guess, I’d say that ten out of ten is the percentage of us who have felt crushingly alone at some point in our lives. 10/10 is a good day to remember that at the very least nine out of the ten in my made up statistic might suffer a little bit less if we knew we didn’t have to suffer alone. Not in the generically abstract … Continue reading “10/10: World Mental Health Day” →

by jad

Seattle Signs & Wonders

It’s always creepy when a city plays to stereotype. On any given morning in Beirut, you will hear someone playing Fairouz; in Seattle, you’re going to expect Nirvana or Pearl Jam on the radio at some point. Maybe you’d expect Kurt Cobain’s name to come up in conversation, probably in a story from the old-timer wearing that original In Utero t-shirt from way back when. But only in your most morbid fantasies could you think that one day, you’d meet and hang out with the former police detective who was at his death scene. The best part is that this … Continue reading “Seattle Signs & Wonders” →

by jad

On Evil | طَأ طأطَأ طَأطَأتِينِي

There’s a reason why a taxi driver in Damascus ten years ago stiffened and fell silent when I jokingly said I preferred to put my seatbelt on, as “a good citizen,” despite ours being a very late-night ride to my hotel. That’s what authoritarian systems do to you. A quip like that could be a signal of something far more sinister. The walls may not have actual ears, but you hold your breath regardless. But the goose step doesn’t start there. You don’t have to wait for the garish banners to unfurl and the cultish anthems to ring to see … Continue reading “On Evil | طَأ طأطَأ طَأطَأتِينِي” →