PROPOSED EVENTS COMING SOON
SUMMER/ FALL 2017 | WORLD PREMIERE OF FILM, LIVE FROM MOGADISHU, MOGADISHU, SOMALIA & NAIROBI, KENYA | Time to premiere the film we made about Somali hiphop-against-violence group Waayaha Cusub’s world tour to bring music back to Somalia, climazing in the dangerous and historical Mogadishu Music Festival. For more, see our film website, Live from Mogadishu. If you want to support this, let us know at Humanitarianbazaar@gmail.com.
CURRENTLY PRODUCED BY HUMANITARIAN BAZAAR
SOMALI HIPHOP FILM | LIVE FROM MOGADISHU. Time to premiere the film we made about Somali hiphop-against-violence group Waayaha Cusub’s world tour to bring music back to Somalia, climazing in the dangerous and historical Mogadishu Music Festival. For more, see our film website, Live from Mogadishu. If you want to support this, let us know at Humanitarianbazaar@gmail.com.
SOMALIA EVENT | MOGADISHU MUSIC FESTIVAL. Somalia’s first international music festival since the war began and we produced it. Due to the war and security situation, we cannot announce the next festival yet. However, if you would like to sponsor or partner with us in the future, let us know at Humanitarianbazaar@gmail.com. Find out more at Somalisunrise.org.
PROMOTED OR ADVISED BY HUMANITARIAN BAZAAR
SYRIAN HEAVY METAL FILM | SYRIAN METAL IS WAR. Monzer Darwish’s feature documentary film following Syria’s heavy metal culture from its origins with The Hourglass to the new studio metal made by Eulen at the onset of war to the death-defying metal concerts run by The Rock Cave in Aleppo during the city’s worst bombardment. Currently in post-production, the film is set to premiere soon! If you would like to support the film, you can contact Monzer on the film’s facebook page or through us at Humanitarianbazaar@gmail.com.
SOMALI HIPHOP | WAAYAHA CUSUB, featuring SHIINE AKHYAAR, DIGRIYOW ABDI, FALIS ABDI, LIHLE MUHDIN, & BURHAN AHMED YARE. Somalia’s most influential hiphop and pop group who are also leaders in the peace and reconciliation movement. They perform songs with a tough edge about turning away from extremism, as well as songs with a sweet feel about being good to each other. They star in Live from Mogadishu, the coming feature documentary produced by Humanitarian Bazaar, about their journey from refugee life to producing the historic Mogadishu Music Festival. Find out more at Somalisunrise.org.
AFGHAN PSYCHADELIC METAL | DISTRICT UNKNOWN. Afghanistan’s first and only heavy metal band, performing psychadelic and doom metal based in Kabul. We run their website and can connect you if you would like to book them to perform via Humanitarianbazaar@gmail.com. Find out more at Districtunknown.com.
AFGHAN HARD ROCK | WHITE PAGE. Afghanistan’s hard rock band, including stars from the Afghan national youth orchestra. We produce their tour, album campaign, website, and music video. If you want to book them for a funded event or interview them, let us know via Humanitarianbazaar@gmail.com. Find out more at WhitePageAfghanistan.com.
AFGHAN TRADITIONAL & FUSION | QAIS ESSAR. The premiere performer of the Afghan rabab, based in Los Angeles, who performed alongside Ariana Delawari at the Mogadishu Music Festival. Let us know if you would like to work with him or interview. Find out more at Therabab.com.
NEW YORK POST-PUNK | YULA BEERI. Performer, songwriter, and producer, Yula Be’eri runs Yula & The Extended Family (post-punk formerly known as Nanuchka), Kiss Slash Crooked Smile (jazz-punk), The Hive NYC (arts space), and much much more. If you would like to book Yula to host an event, perform, or interview, let us know at Humanitarianbazaar@gmail.com. Follow her at Facebook.com/pages/Yula-and-the-eXtended-family/124717849424.
NEW YORK ARTS COMMUNITY | THE HIVE NYC. Created by music and arts leader Yula Be’eri, The Hive NYC arts community has a stage venue, photo studio, and garden located on Cook Street at Broadway in South Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Concerts, theater, filmmaking. If you would like to reserve the room or take part, let us know at Humanitarianbazaar@gmail.com. Find out more at Facebook.com/TheHiveNYC
PAST EVENTS & THOSE WHO HAVE PERFORMED
AFGHAN ROCK & ALTERNATIVE | SOUND CENTRAL FESTIVAL. Afghanistan’s first rock and alternative music festival, and the world’s first “stealth” music festival, founded by Travis Beard and the country’s first four post-Taliban rock bands, Morcha, Kabul Dreams, District Unknown, and White Page. We created their previous website, produced two of the seven shows of the first year of the festival, and continue to help promote when needed. If you want to support them, we can connect you via Humanitarianbazaar@gmail.com. Find out more at SoundCentralFestival.com.
AFGHAN ROCK & ALTERNATIVE | AFGHAN ROCK BUNKER PARTY: OPENING & CLOSING NIGHT. While Afghan and expat bands ran six live, revolutionary shows at the Sound Central Festival in Kabul, Afghanistan (see above), we produced opening and closing night parties in Brooklyn to book end the festival in a way for international press and New York supporters to take part if they couldn’t travel to Afghanistan. The first, in September 2011, held at The Hive NYC in Brooklyn, included performances by Yula Beeri and her band YXFM, Gato Loco Coconino, and Shayan Amini from The Casualty Process. Acrassicauda also spoke about the challenges of playing contraversial music amid war and extremism in places like Iraq and Afghanistan. The second, in October 2011, held at the incredible Gowanus Ballroom in Brooklyn, included performances by Zohra Atash & Religious to Damn, Opal Onyx, and Puta de Cava. Links coming.
AFGHAN-AMERICAN ALTERNATIVE | ARIANA DELAWARI. Alternative and psychadelic folk with themes of peace and hope based in Los Angeles. Ariana is the director of the feature film, We Came Home, performed at the Sound Central Festival in Kabul in 2012 and 2013, and co-starred in our Mogadishu Music Festival in 2013. Find out more at Arianadelawari.com.
AFGHAN-AMERICAN POST-PUNK | ZOHRA ATASH & RELIGIOUS TO DAMN. Alternative singer Zohra Atash performed at our Sound Central Festival closing night party in Brooklyn in October 2011. Much more to say about her new projects to be linked here soon.
AFGHAN EXPAT POST-PUNK ROCK | WHITE CITY. Expats playing progressive punk and rock in Afghanistan, including Travis Beard founder of the Sound Central Festival. In 2011, we helped promote their series Big in the Stans and we can help you book them directly for a funded event or interview via Humanitarianbazaar@gmail.com. Find out more at WhiteCityKabul.com.
GLOBAL ALTERNATIVE | BRIAN VIGLIONE. Humanitarian Bazaar (then known as HELO Magazine) invited drummer of The Violent Femmes, The Dresden Dolls, and (recording) Nine Inch Nails Brian Viglione to serve as the first Rock Ambassador to Afghanistan as part of the Sound Central Festival held in Kabul in September/October 2011. Although Brian was not able to travel to Afghanistan, he recorded drum lessons for cross-border drummers which we have posted here on the site.
GLOBAL & SOMALI POP | K’NAAN. Global pop icon, born in Somalia, professionally launched in Canada & the United States, performed a donated show as part of our Somali Sunrise Concert Tour for Peace at the New York show on August 28, 2012. It was the first time that Somalia’s biggest diaspora musician, K’naan, performed on the same stage with Somalia’s biggest Africa-based group Waayaha Cusub on the latter’s tour to bring live music back to Somalia.
IRAN ELECTRONIC ROCK | THE CASUALTY PROCESS. Iranian electronic rock, currently based in New York. We help them when we can and booked them for the global opening night of the Sound Central Festival in New York. They have also performed in Tehran and Los Angeles. If you wish to book them for a show or interview, let us know via Humanitarianbazaar@gmail.com. Find out more at TheCasualtyProcess.com.
IRAQI METAL | ACRASSICAUDA. Iraq’s first performing heavy metal band, stars of the feature film Heavy Metal in Baghdad, and now preparing for their new album, We’re Not Gonna Stop. We worked with them at the global opening night and workshop of the Sound Central Festival. Now we help them with PR whenever we can. If you wish to book them for a funded show or interview, let us know at Humanitarianbazaar@gmail.com. Find out more at Acrassicauda.com.
KENYAN FUSION | KOMBO CHOKWE & AFRO SIMBA. Kenya’s Malindi jazz and reggae band performs all over Africa and Europe. They also back up Somali hiphop group Waayaha Cusub and co-starred in the Mogadishu Music Festival. If you would like to book them for a funded event or interview them, let us know at Humanitarianbazaar@gmail.com. Find out more at Afrosimba.com.
NEW YORK PSYCHO-MAMBO BRASS | GATO LOCO COCONINO. Led by saxophone innovator Stefan Zeniuk and based in New York, Gato Loco has several incarnations including Coconino, de Bajo, and others, performing a range of punk brass, psycho mambo, salsa, and jazz. If you want to book them for an event or interview, let us know at Humanitarianbazaar@gmail.com. Find out more at Gatolocomusica.com.
NEW YORK PSYCHADELIC ALTERNATIVE | OPAL ONYX. Performers at our Sound Central Festival closing night party in Brooklyn in October 2011. Links and detail to be added soon.
NEW YORK POST-PUNK | PUTA DE CAVA. Performers at our Sound Central Festival closing night party in Brooklyn in October 2011. Links and detail to be added soon.
PHILIPPINES FUSION | JAHM & AFRO-ASIA. Mindanao’s music producer and performer covers a range from innovative Afro-Asian reggae to Philippines folk to metal. He co-starred at our Mogadishu Music Festival. Book him for a show or interview via Humanitarianbazaar@gmail.com. Find out more at Soundcloud.com/jahm-eye
SOMALI HIPHOP & POP | SOMALI SUNRISE CONCERT TOUR FOR PEACE | Featuring Waayaha Cusub, K’naan, and international guests, United States, United Kingdom, Kenya, August 2012 – December 2013. Find out more at Somalisunrise.org.
SUDANI SOUL | ALSARAH. Sudani soul singer based in New York, Alsarah performs and writes on several genres ranging from soul to new African. She starred in The Nile Project and was the first international performer to sing in Somalia since the war began when she co-starred at our Mogadishu Music Festival. Let us know if you would like to book her for a funded event or interview at Humanitarianbazaar@gmail.com. Learn more at Alsarah.com.
SUDANI HIPHOP | DZA THE DISSENTER. Khartoum rapper DZA performs in Sudan and co-starred at our Mogadishu Music Festival. If you would like to connect with him, let us know at Humanitarianbazaar@gmail.com. Listen to his work at Myspace.com/dzathadissenter
SYRIAN METAL | THE ROCK CAVE / U.GROUND. The Rock Cave & U.Ground Studio run by Bashar Haroun have recently moved from Aleppo to Lattakia where they continue to run heavy metal shows and musician mentorships. Facebook.com/U.GroundStudio
EVENT HIGHLIGHTS
FRONTLINE RECORDS PROMOTIONAL TOUR | LONDON (March 20, 2014), OXFORD (April 2014), VIENNA (August 2014), ROTTERDAM (September 28, 2014) | We are touring to show test screenings of our film Live from Mogadishu, but also giving talks at universities and arts institutions about heavy music against war and extremism, and the artists we work with, advise, or admire in Somali, Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Sudan. More detail soon.
OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2013 | ACRASSICAUDA’S “WE’RE NOT GONNA STOP” TOUR | Featuring Acrassicauda, October-December 2013. We’re helping Iraq-American metal band Acrassicauda connect to press, photographers, and other promotions for their coming album. Find out more at Acrassicauda.com.
APRIL 2013 | RAP AGAINST VIOLENCE CONCERT | Featuring Waayaha Cusub and Afro Simba Band performing in a prisoner of war camp in war time Mogadishu, Somalia, April 2013. We produced what was probably our scariest and most successful project, a rap concert, performing with lyrics in Somali about turning away from violence, with captured and defecting Al Qaeda and Shabab extremist fighters and child soldiers in Mogadishu during the war. Find out more at Somalisunrise.org.
MARCH-APRIL 2013 | MOGADISHU MUSIC FESTIVAL | Featuring Waayaha Cusub, Afro Simba Band, and international guests, Mogadishu, Somalia, March-April 2013. We produced the most ambitious music festival in recent history, bringing Somali and international performers to war torn Mogadishu to persuade youth to turn away from extremism and violence. The six concerts brought in 2,000 audience during high security conditions. The shows starred Waayaha Cusub (Somali hiphop featuring Falis Abdi, Digriyow Abdi, Lihle Muhdin, Burhan Ahmed Yare, and Shiine Akhyaar), Kombo Chokwe & Afro Simba Band (Kenya), Alsarah (Sudan/USA), Ariana Delawari & Band (USA/Afghanistan), DZA the Dissenter (Sudan), Jahm-Eye (Philippines Mindanao), and more. The festival, the world’s second “stealth” music festival after Sound Central (below), is depicted in our coming feature-length documentary film, Live from Mogadishu. Find out more at Somalisunrise.org.
AUGUST 2012-DECEMBER 2013 | SOMALI SUNRISE CONCERT TOUR FOR PEACE | Featuring Waayaha Cusub, K’naan, and international guests, United States, United Kingdom, Kenya, August 2012 – December 2013. Find out more at Somalisunrise.org.
SEPTEMBER 2011 | SOUND CENTRAL FESTIVAL | Featuring District Unknown, White City, and Afghan and international guests, September-October 2011. Combat Comms, led by Travis Beard, worked with Afghanistan’s first four post-Taliban rock bands Morcha, Kabul Dreams, District Unknown, and White Page, as well as expat band White City, and created the country’s first rock, alternative, and Central Asian music festival. It was also the world’s first “stealth” music festival. Humanitarian Bazaar, then known as HELO Magazine, produced the global opening and closing night events in New York, then came to Kabul to help bands District Unknown and White Page begin promoting their work globally. Find out more at SoundCentralFestival.com.
SEPTEMBER 2011 | AFGHAN ROCK BUNKER CONCERT | Featuring Acrassicauda, Gato Loco Coconino, Yula Beeri, and more, September 2011. We helped launch the Sound Central Festival (above) with a global opening night in Brooklyn, New York, in which we created a war bunker out of The Hive NYC, a warehouse studio, and had performances from Gato Loco Coconino and Yula & The Extended Family, and speeches on music freedom from Acrassicauda, The Casualty Process, and Sahar Muradi. Find out more at SoundCentralFestival.com.
