Concert at Pierre Abou Khatter Auditorium, Beirut
6 june 2008
Release of the new album ” Falak ”

Our concert in the “Pierre Abou-Khater” auditorium was great. The day before the concert the hall was already sold out. Still many people from all parts of Lebanon tried to get tickets the night of the concert. Since they traveled so far the organiser offered some of them free entrance when they would sit on the stairs of the auditorium. The room was over packed. Around 600 people in total. It was a hot summer day and the air conditioning was shut off so Rima wouldn’t be bothered by it. The temperature in the hall must have risen to over 35 degrees celsius. We were all sweating on stage and so was the audience. But none of this withheld both the musicians and the audience to enjoy a 2 hour concert without a break. An unusual quiet and concentrated audience listened to a whole new set of music. All new arrangements, many new songs.

The reactions were heartwarming and although we could have played better we were very satisfied with the result. Unfortunately we only had one concert. A second or a third concert would have given us some more freedom and relaxation. Rima had worked hard for weeks, organising the concert, the video clip and all publicity. Luckily she has a great group of friends around her who support her in every possible way.

After the show I went for 2 days to Damascus to enjoy some free time with my girlfriend. Damascus is a wonderful city, the centre of the Arab culture. It was great to be back. And we spent hours wandering trought the old town and the Souk.

When we returned to Beirut we met up with Rima, she showed me the roughs of the video clip and we had a nice dinner at the sea side in Beirut. The video clip is great! It’s a very stylish and arty clip with great lighting and composition of image. I hope we will have it on our website soon. We will keep you updated.

Today Rima recorded here videoclip for our CD Falak, which will be released in Beirut this week. One of the songs, Haflet Taraf, on the cd is a rather political song about the situation here in Lebanon. It criticizes the fact that people are just talking and discussing while bombs fall and the country falls apart.

The scene is set in an old deserted parking house in Beirut. A dusty smelly place which is a good reflection of the situation that is sang about in the song. It is really great to see it and even be in it. Because I came a few days earlier and the shooting of the clip was delayed some days I even got a little role in it. Not playing, that would have been nice if the whole band could have been there, but as sort of an actor carrying around a basscase. My first job as an actor! (after my infamous version of Joseph in the Christmas play in Primary school) It was great to do and I am so happy to be part of this great achievement for Rima. Her first real video clip! As soon as the result is ready I will try to post it on the website.

This morning, at 3 am, my girlfriend and I arrived in Beirut. It has been a long awaited tour which was postponed several times. But now I am finally here! The rest of the musicians of the group of Rima Khcheich, Yuri, Joost and Maarten van der Grinten, Will arrive in 2 days. I had always wanted to bring my girlfriend to Beirut and I took this oppurunity to visit my favourite country in this part of the world.

I feel right at home. There is something about this country that I really love. It’s my home away from home. Maybe it is because of my close friendship with Rima and some of her close friends, maybe it is the culture, a very open and friendly version of the Arab world, the music, the food, the people… I just love being here.

Beirut is a wonderful city, the Paris of the Middle east as they call it. It has a charme and flair which is really appealing. Despite of all the political tensions here.

Our Hotel Cavelier is in the Hamra Street. One of the main shopping streets in Beirut. People are flandring throught the streets, enjoying the weather and the relatively peacefulness. it is hard to believe that only 2 weeks ago this street was the scene of the street riots which almost resulted in a new civil war. People were fighting with guns, rockets, tanks just here in the streets. Now it all seems forgotten. People of all possible orientations are browsing through the shops again, looking for summerclothes, shoes, hats. As if nothing happened. Maybe this is typically Lebanese, the ability to go on and continue to enjoy life. After al the wars and fights the last 25 years they still seem to know how to how to get past these difficult times.