It's been six years since Mashrou' Leila first performed in Byblos, the place where the band took a major stand both artistically and politically. It was their first concert at an international festival, and it would be the first of many more to come.
On Aug. 5, the band will take to the stage again at the Byblos International Festival . It will have come full circle in a lot ways: its music more mature, its audience bigger than its ever been, and their socially-oriented messages resonating with much greater force. Mashrou' Leila transcends gender and genre, identity and geopolitic, the personal and the political... and all with the lyrical and melodic precision of a brain surgeon with a scalpel.
The band's music works on two fronts: it faces off with taboos in the Arab world, and it breaks the Arab image(s) out of the orientalist mould in the west. The band is larger than life. And here's why:
1. The band has contributed greatly to the LGBT community in the region
Mashrou' Leila's lead singer Hamed Sinno raised the LGBT flag during their 2010 Byblos concert, publicly and shamelessly taking a stand with respect to homosexuality in the Arab world. Hamed Sinno fearlessly made his own sexuality crystal clear.
He once said in an interview, that he always expects a "tomato or a gunshot or something" when he sings that part of the song "Shim el Yasmine" where he professes to be a housewife.
2. The band has attracted global recognition from major mainstream media including the BBC, Huffington Post, Vice and many more
BBC highlighted the band in Middle East Beats, featuring a performance of “Skandar Malouf,” a satirical take on homophobic attitudes.
3. They've traveled the world, and delivered earth-shattering performances
"[Mashrou' Leila] is such an impressive performance that stadiums seem not only possible but imminent." - The Guardian on the band's concert at the prestigious Barbican concert hall in London.
4. Mashrou' Leila put an Arabic twist on two of the most popular songs... and beat the originals
5. The band did not give in when it was banned from performing in Amman
Back in April, Jordanian authorities banned Mashrou' Leila from performing in Amman's Roman amphitheater, which was scheduled to take place on April 29.
The authorities later reversed their decision one day prior to the concert, after Mashrou' Leila caused an uproar on social media. The band still could not perform due to logistical restrictions.
6. The band took on the cover of various magazines including Rolling Stone
In short, we couldn't be more proud of these brave and brilliant souls.