On my way to work today, I saw this huge ad at City Mall Dora, it says “Jordan is more beautiful”. Whoever considered posting this in Lebanon should have thought of it twice, because it is both rude and ugly.
Seriously, in what exactly is Jordan better?! L7a22 3layyeh yimkin, I’m not following Amman’s nightlife news these days!!
As I posted earlier, La Fete De La Musique was set on Sunday June 21st. I didn’t attend the event in its previous versions, so this was my first time, and I’m definitely going again next year!
I went to Gemmayze, Downtown, Samir Kassir, and finally ended it Hamra. The whole experience was really great, no matter what your music choice is, you could have enjoyed it at one of the set places. I was mostly excited to see Machrou’ Leila playing in Downtown but for some reason I missed it!
Anyway, I’ll leave you with some of the photos I took during the evening, they’re all clickable.
Gemmayze
I got to Gemmayze at around 8:30PM, they were playing nice old Arabic music.
Downtown
Moving to The Martyr’s square, in the photos below you can see a band named “Ashekman” (echappement), made up of a twin of brothers, it was all about rap and hip hop there.
Samir Kassir
I really don’t know what kind of music was playing at Samir Kassir statue, but it was really nice! It was too crowded there for me to get a nice photo, all I got is this!
Hamra
Hamra street was for alternative rock lovers, I watched two bands and the music was once again, nice!
See you next year! 😉
Fete de la musique will take place this Sunday 21st of June starting 8pm, in Beirut in the following location. You may also check the event’s page on Facebook.
PLACE DES MARTYRS:
20h00 Limelight (Rock)
20h40 Khat Ahmar (Arabic Hip Hop)
21h35 Katibe 5 (Arabic Hip Hop)
22h05 Malikah (Arabic Hip Hop)
22h45 Anne (Rock)
23h30 Arcane (Rock)
00h20 The Kordz (Rock)
01h10 DJ Lethal Skillz (Scratch / Hip hop)
JARDIN SAMIR KASSIR:
21h00 The Narcissist (Dubai / Hip hop)
10h45 Sandmoon (Folk)
23h20 Sylvain Nassar (Rock)
23h55 The Incompetents (Folk / Indie)
00h50 I-Voice (Arabic Hip Hop)
THERMES ROMAINS:
20h00 Bayat (Oriental)
20h40 Champlain (Chanson française)
21h15 Elias Diez (Rock français)
21h50 Karimbo Mixity (Rap)
22h25 The New Government (Rock)
23h15 Mashrou’Leila (Pop rock)
00h00 Fareeq el Utrush (Arabic hip hop)
GEMMAYZE (escalier St Nicolas):
20h00 Toni Bayeh (Oriental)
20h35 Cristobal (Indy-folk)
21h15 Youmna Saba (Lebanese Folk)
21h50 ShaBa wa l Kaylou tafaha (Comic critic)
22h05 Omarz & Grandsunn (Hip hop)
22h35 J-Electric (Funk / Jazz)
23h30 Meen (Lebanese rock)
00h20 Arnab (Live Drum n’bass)
DOME:
21h – TRIX – DJ SET – DEEP HOUSE
22h – CHARLY SHAWLLPORN – LIVE – MINIMAL
22h30 – STEPHANIE MERCHAK – LIVE – ELECTRO TECHNO
23h – TRASH INC. – LIVE – ELECTRO BREAKS
23h30 – ASPRO (FRANCE) – LIVE – DEEP HOUSE
00h – JADE & DIAMOND SETTER – DJ SET – MINIMAL / TECH-HOUSE
01h – AAA – DJ SET – TECH-HOUSE / DUBSTEP
02h – JAY K – DJ SET – TECHNO
03h – FADY ASWAD – DJ SET – TECHNO
04h – E.L.I & RABI-H – DJ SET – TECHNO
Visuals by KAMA (ITALY) – LA MIRZA – MOSIG – LABO & STRONGSKY
HAMRA (Next to Fransabank):
20h00 Nahna El Nas (oriental)
20h40 L’Fahrass (Arabic hip hop)
21h00 7 Ta2at (Arabic hip hop)
20h20 Bicro-phone (Arabic hip hop)
20h45 Plugged (Alternative rock)
21h25 The Crave (Alternative rock)
22h05 José González (Flamenco)
22h55 Sphere (Rock)
23h35 Vibrations (60’s rock)
Via Independence 05 blog.
If you spot a guy with a big cam in his hand at any of these locations, there’s a probability it would be me!
I received the below images by e-mail today showing how Nahr El-Mot interchange should look like in I dunno how many years from now. If the contracting companies will continue working at the same rate, that is 1 bridge per 3 years, then my son will probably be able to go through Nahr El-Mot without getting stuck in the traffic jam!
You can click on the images to enlarge them.
Here are 3 new photos I’ve taken lately in Beirut, the first one was taken in the Saint Georges at night, the second is obviosly at Manara during sunset, and the last one was taken at a place called “Graffiti” in Makdissi street (Hamra). (Click on the thumbnails to enlarge)
I was getting my daily dose of photography on flickr today when I stumbled upon this Lebanese pervert’s account.
The guy is using a Canon EOS 50D with zoom lenses, some photos are taken at 250mm, others at 400mm… so he does have some nice photography gear (like this one for example), which I honestly dream of having. However, he’s messed up enough to use such “classy” tools just to practice his perversion.
I hope someone busts him, shove his cam and lens up his rear-end, take a photo of it and post it on flickr!
Last Sunday I thought of taking advantage of the nice weather and go shooting some sunset photos at Ain El-Mrayseh, but the outcome turned out far away from what I had in mind.
For some reason, every single Beiruti has apparently chosen to go have a ride on the corniche, so I ended up getting stuck in a traffic jam for more than 30 minutes… and you think it was boring? Hell no! It was not!
Next time you get stuck there like me, try to look for the clowns who drive their cars with their feet. YES WITH THEIR FEET!
(Click to enlarge)
So, this guy decided to stand up like a monkey on the driver’s seat, in the middle of the road, and control the steering wheel with his feet, without forgetting to raise the radio volume to the max while listening to Goerge Wassouf (you thought he was listening to Nostalgie? you silly..!)
And it looks like being cool these days is associated with getting out of the car window when you’re going for a ride on the corniche! Then you’ll get to open your mouth to the air and literally “teikol hawa” like our 2 friends below.
Conclusion:
Ain El-Mrayseh + Sunday Afternoon = Bad Idea. New York (aka Hamra) could have been a much better option.
Is it only me? Or do others also feel that Hamra resembles to New York? (Tsu2, I’m not out of my mind yet).
I used to rarely go to Hamra until recently when I got bored of all the other places like Downtown Beirut and Achrafiyeh, which are currently being heavily invaded by “wozziyyeh” teenage boys and girls especially on weekends!
Few weeks ago I went there in a hopeless attempt to find some new nice spot, and I was surprised by how beautiful Hamra is! Although I live in west Beirut, but since ever Hamra meant “traffic jam” to me, so I have always avoided passing by there. It isn’t like I have NEVER passed by Hamra before! But I’ve never passed and noticed the nice places I’m observing today.
The numerous neighboring shops, the cozy restaurants and cafés and the cozy streets, they all remind me of New York. I know that for some people there is no way to compare, but I have almost re-experience the same feeling I once had in New York everytime I go to Hamra for a walk.
I can call the Hamra area as “Little New York”… and no, once again I tell you that I’m not out of my mind yet!
Have you seen the video below before? It features a guy launching an RPG in the air during the latest speeches of either Nabih Berri or Hassan Nasrallah.
Blacksmith Jade is calling to arrest the guy. I know it will never happen so I will just go with asking that guys a small question:مبسوط بحالك؟. Although I doubt he will ever check on my blog…
On the other hand, Carlos Edde, the National Lebanese Bloc leader, warned his followers from firing their guns while he was in an interview on LBC TV.
You can listen to what he said by downloading this mp3 file. I honestly found this new hilarious, the National Lebanese Block is most probably made up of Carlos Edde himself only!
To Carlos Edde I say: مصدق حالك؟
I don’t know the probality of Carlos Edde checking on my blog.
