The 2025 line-up was a dream come true for rock and metal fans. Well-known bands from both Morocco and abroad hit the stage, delivering powerful sets that really connected with the crowd. The metal bands had everyone headbanging with their heavy riffs and killer solos like GOROD, KATATONIA, PAGAN ULVER, and the best gift of this fest is the TRIBUTE TO DEATH, while the reggae/gnaoua fusion acts brought a chill, dance-friendly energy that got people moving and celebrating like TASUTA N-IMAL, ZAR ELECTRIK, BOHEMIAN BETYARS, SAAD TIOULY, QUEEN OMEGA, SOUKAINA FAHSI, BOMBINO, ISAM ELIAS, and many others.

One highlight was a popular Moroccan metal band that has been making waves in the underground scene. Their performance mixed traditional Moroccan sounds with heavy metal perfectly, showing off the rich cultural blend of the region. The reggae fusion artists also added a fresh vibe by mixing reggae beats with rock sounds, creating something totally unique that everyone loved.

Tremplin L’Boulevard has been an important event for emerging talents in Morocco’s urban music scene since 1999. The competition recently announced its winners for the 23rd edition. After a tough audition process with 340 artists and groups, the juries revealed the following laureates.

• Rap & Hip-Hop

• Fusion / Other Styles 

• Rock / Metal

Award package

• Intensive training program at the Boultek Centre (September 22–27).
• Professional recording session at Hiba Studio.
• Grants: 10,000 MAD for the 1st prize; 5,000 MAD for the 2nd prize (Moroccan dirhams).

FYI…

Tremplin L’Boulevard continues to highlight the next generation of Moroccan urban music across various genres. It reinforces its role as a Launchpad for artists seeking national and regional recognition.

After the competition between the bands competing for the festival awards (Rock/Metal), the audience enjoyed the festival with international Rock and Metal bands like: MOROCCAN TRIBUTE TO DEATH, PAGAN ULVER, GOROD, and KATATONIA.

MOROCCAN TRIBUTE TO DEATH Returns at L’BOULEVARD Festival 2025 Casablanca, Morocco 2025 After a historic night in 2017 where twenty musicians united at Boultek to pay homage to Death and the legendary Chuck Schuldiner, the Moroccan Tribute to Death returns this year with a renewed force.

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The performance promises to be a blazing celebration of Schuldiner’s music, blending technical precision, raw energy, and deep reverence for the band that helped define an entire genre. In 2025, a razor-sharp four-piece lineup; Achraf El Mellouki on guitar (Suicide Machine), Wassim Ahenjir on vocals and guitar (Thrillogy), Mehdi Salmane on bass (We come for War), and Samir Houaoura on drums (ex-Mean Street, Analgesia), drawn from the heart of Morocco’s metal scene, will take the stage at L’BOULEVARD fest to deliver an uncompromising tribute to one of death metal’s most influential pioneers. Death’s music transcends generations. Since its beginnings, L’BOULEVARD Festival has stood as a landmark festival for alternative and underground culture in Morocco, providing a platform for heavy music to thrive.

Bringing it back to the L’BOULEVARD stage is both an honour and a reminder that this legacy will never fade, says the organising team. This year, tribute is set to reaffirm the strength and resilience of the Moroccan metal community on an international stage.

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PAGAN ULVER, a genuine Moroccan black metal band known for their dark and atmospheric sound, gave a captivating performance at the L’Boulevard 2025 festival. The band’s intense and powerful music connected with the audience, creating an immersive and unforgettable experience. Their stage presence and musicianship were impressive, making them a standout act in the festival lineup. Overall, PAGAN ULVER‘s performance at L’Boulevard 2025 was a highlight of the event and left a lasting impression on everyone who attended.

GOROD is a French technical death metal band formed in 1997. Known for their complex musicianship, the band has gained a strong following in the metal community. Their performance at L’Boulevard Fest 2025 in Casablanca, Morocco, displayed their technical skill and intense energy on stage. Fans of extreme metal were treated to a memorable and thrilling experience.

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Over the years, KATATONIA has changed from their early death/doom metal sound to a more progressive and atmospheric style, adding elements of alternative rock and dark metal. They have released several acclaimed albums and built a strong fan base worldwide. Their performance at L’Boulevard Fest 2025 in Casablanca, Morocco, displayed their skill in delivering a captivating live show with powerful music and emotive vocals. Katatonia remains a respected and influential band in the heavy metal scene.

Highlights

• L’Boulevard Festival 2025 presented a spectacular program of a diverse variety of rock, metal, and reggae fusion bands.
• 🌍 The event held in Casablanca became a dynamic cultural centre surrounded by arts and Moroccan cuisine.
• 🤘A top-notch Moroccan metal band combined traditional music with metal to show their cultural fusion.
• 🎶 Fusion artists energised the festival with their refreshing and danceable tunes.
• 🎤 Workshops and discussions centred on music production and cultural expression, creating a sense of community.
• 🎉 The festival was a melting pot of people with different backgrounds, but who all shared the same love for music and culture.
• 🌅 L’Boulevard Fest 2025 has been an unforgettable experience and will be missed till the day its spectacular future events show up again.

Key Insights

• 🎸Musical Diversity as a Core Strength: The festival’s proficiency in blending rock, metal, and reggae fusion without visible seams is a testament to the evolving and welcoming nature of the Moroccan music scene. Such diversity not only helps to attract a broader spectrum of listeners but also fosters a hybrid-music scene closer to the cultural fabric. Moreover, the presence of both domestic and international performers doubles the effect of this phenomenon and puts L’Boulevard Fest at the forefront of the global and Moroccan music cultures’ intersection.
• 🌍 Venue as a Cultural Nexus: A festival that is vibrant with eye-catching arts and the spicy flavours of Morocco has gone far to delight the senses of the festival goers, which, as a result, makes the festival a multi-sensorial experience besides being just music consumption. It is indeed a more immersive way of connecting with Moroccan culture, and as a result, the festival will not only be an event or a concert but also a cultural fiesta. Having such a setting is a great way of engaging the audience and allowing them to be part of the culture.
• 🤘 Musical Melting Pot: By mixing traditional Moroccan music with heavy metal, the Moroccan metal band is embracing the idea of blending different cultures in the world of music. This combination not only keeps the local roots alive but also opens up new creative possibilities within the genre, leading to new works that can be appreciated by fans of different backgrounds and styles both locally and globally. Hence, it is the perfect example of culture being successfully revitalised through the use of music.
• 🎶 Festival Dynamics Amplified by Reggae Fusion: The addition of reggae fusion performances to the festival completes its soundscape perfectly since the calming attitude of reggae music that can get the attendees into dancing and celebrating ventilates the heaviness of metal and rock, which in turn makes the festival dynamic that it at the very least caters to different tastes and moods. The festival is therefore able to maximise overall attendee satisfaction and engagement, besides also being a perfect display of reggae as an adaptable genre that is capable of going with any other style.
• 🎤 Community Building Through Education: The usage of workshops and discussions concentrating on music production and songwriting is reflective of the festival’s goal of encouraging new talent and cultivating an educational environment. The local music scene can be supported by this model, which is essential, as it gives artists the needed skills and knowledge, as well as support from the music community. We see L’Boulevard not solely as a stage for concerts but also as a talent development incubator.
• 🎉 Audience Diversity and Inclusion: One of the advantages the festival has is that it manages to have such a diverse range of fans to show that it is not just a cultural event from one side but a unifying one in the community. Fans from diverse backgrounds sharing their love for music create a common ground, and while doing so, L’Boulevard is promoting both social cohesion and cultural exchange at the same time. Moreover, this inclusivity is very important as it represents one of the key aspects which help festivals to amp up their sociocultural impact beyond the entertainment aspect.
• 🌅 Sustainable Legacy and Future Outlook: The 2025 edition, with its unforgettable performances and lively atmosphere, will remain in people’s minds for a long time; hence, L’Boulevard is a major cultural event with sustainable appeal. The 2025 edition is the one that will leave a lasting impression on people’s minds forever, and through this, the festival is becoming a major cultural event with sustainable appeal. First of all, the kind of achievement that has been the reason behind this huge success is promising, and by that, we can expect an increase in the number of the festival’s editions as well as the innovation in the way that the festival and the music scene will be developed not only in Morocco but also in the global music festival circuit. The above development is indeed very valuable as Morocco’s cultural scene benefits greatly from such an onward and upward movement.

L’Boulevard Festival 2025 was a smashing hit, sealing with it indelible memories and awakening sensibilities for the Moroccan music landscape in its diverse representation of music. With the unique mixture of both rock, metal and reggae and fun, one could easily come to realise that the festival was both entertainment and unification of mankind through music. As the sun nestled beneath the horizon of Casablanca, and the sound of guitars and drums momentarily lingered in the space, one could hear them teasing future and subsequent festivals, bigger and better than before. If you love rock sticks, but also if you love reggae, and equally if you are a complete tourist, L’Boulevard Festival is a place to capture the essence of Moroccan music culture!

L’Boulevard Festival 2025 in Casablanca reaffirmed its status as a pivotal event in Morocco’s music scene by delivering a vibrant and diverse musical experience. The festival’s venue, located in the heart of Casablanca, was transformed into an energetic and colourful space filled with art installations and Moroccan culinary delights, creating a festive atmosphere that welcomed a broad audience. The lineup featured a dynamic mix of rock, metal, and reggae fusion bands from both local and international acts, highlighting powerful performances that captivated attendees. A notable highlight was a Moroccan metal band that skillfully blended traditional Moroccan sounds with heavy metal, while reggae fusion artists added a unique and danceable twist to the festival’s soundscape. Beyond music, L’Boulevard fostered community engagement through workshops and discussions on music production and cultural expression, emphasising its role as a cultural hub. The 2025 edition was a resounding success, uniting diverse audiences through music and culture, and setting high expectations for future editions of the festival.

Thank you, L’Boulevard Festival!

See you next year!

L’Boulevard Festival returns in November with a different lineup and different and unique programs.

The festival was held from November 16th to November 19th . Over the years, it became one of the biggest Festivals in the Middle East, especially in North Africa. L’Boulevard Festival has become a destination for Hard rock/Metal fans, as well as other genres. The festival witnessed many shareholders and sponsors’ presence from Morocco and abroad, as well as an honorable presence of the Moroccan and international media covering this artistic and cultural event. More than 30,000 people came to the festival to watch various Metal acts that took part. This year’s edition was headlined by the iconic Decapitated and Shobee, Lazywall, Djmawi Africa….

Decapitated

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The 21st edition of the “Tremplin” L’Boulevard Fest was successfully held from the 16th to the 18th of November, at RUC stadium located in the district Beauséjour, Casablanca, Morocco. There were 15 competing bands through different categories like Rap/Hip-Hop Rock/Metal and Fusion.

 For Rock & Metal, there were 4 competing bands:

WE COME FOR WAR (CASABLANCA)

STAIN (CASABLANCA)

MALAK (MARRAKECH)

TAGREST (CASABLANCA)

These bands stunned the audience and everyone who followed the participating bands.

The jurors of the three categories of the competition showed a good level among the participating groups: Rap/Hip-Hop and Rock/Metal and Fusion.

The winners will receive professional music training at Boultek, as well as the recording of two titles, and finally a concert on the Boulevard Fest 2023 stage!

The first prize of this year’s Tremplin L’Boulevard لبولفار, Rock/Metal category:

WE COME FOR WAR  from Casablanca city, the winning band from the Tremplin L’BOULEVARD FEST 2023.

The second prize of this year “Tremplin” L’Boulevard Fest: STAIN also from Casablanca city.

L’BOULEVARD Festival 2023 is an exciting and vibrant event that brings together an impressive lineup of rock & metal bands, hip hop, and World music from the Arab region and beyond.

This festival offers a unique opportunity for music enthusiasts to immerse themselves in the energy and spirit of rock music.

One of the standout features of the BOULEVARD Festival is the diversity of the participating bands.

From well-established names to emerging talents, the festival offers a platform for both local and international rock acts to showcase their music.

This diversity ensures that there is something for everyone, regardless of their musical preferences.

The festival’s organization is commendable, with efficient management and smooth logistics.

The stages are well-arranged, providing a great view and sound quality for the audience.

Additionally, the festival grounds are spacious, allowing for a comfortable and enjoyable experience for attendees.

The atmosphere at the  Festival is electrifying.

The passion and enthusiasm of the performers are contagious, creating an immersive and engaging experience for the crowd.

The energy of the crowd adds to the overall vibe, as rock lovers come together to celebrate their shared love for the genre.

Another positive aspect of the festival is the opportunity to discover new bands and broaden one’s musical horizons.

The lineup often includes lesser-known acts that are worth exploring, giving attendees a chance to appreciate new genres or styles of rock music.

One area that could be improved is the availability of food and beverage options.

While there are usually food stalls and refreshments available, it would be beneficial to have a wider range of choices to cater to different dietary preferences.

Overall, the Festival is a must-attend event for rock music enthusiasts in the region.

With its diverse lineup, well-organized structure, and electrifying atmosphere, it offers a memorable experience for both fans and artists alike.

Whether you are a seasoned rock lover or just curious to explore this genre, L’BOULEVARD  Festival 2023 is definitely worth checking out.

Written by: Yassine Siyaf

Photography: Chadi Ilias & Abdelhamid Belahmidi

The energy and intensity displayed by the bands on stage were truly remarkable. Each band delivered powerful and captivating performances, leaving the audience headbanging and moshing throughout the night. The musicians showed incredible skill and precision, effortlessly executing complex guitar riffs, thunderous drum beats, and impressive vocal ranges. It was evident that they poured their hearts and souls into their music, creating an immersive and authentic experience for everyone present.

Furthermore, The 21th edition of the Tremplin L’Boulevard Festival provided a platform for emerging bands to showcase their talent and gain exposure. It was refreshing to see lesser-known bands getting the opportunity to perform alongside more established acts. This not only adds an element of discovery for the audience but also fosters a sense of community within the rock and metal scene, supporting and encouraging up-and-coming artists.

Back to the competition The TREMPLIN will be held at the famous sports complex R.U.C from September 14th until September 16th, with the participation of 15 bands and artists from various regions of the Kingdom including Casablanca, M’hamid el Ghizlane, Tiznit, Azilal, Agadir, Rabat, Marrakech. There will be a number of different musical styles, Rock & Metal, there were four competed bands:

• WE COME FOR WAR (CASABLANCA).
• STAIN (CASABLANCA).
• MALAK (MARRAKECH).
• TAGREST (CASABLANCA).

While there were 8 competed Rap/HipHop artists as :

• BABIDO (CASABLANCA).
• DAREAL GOKU (CASABLANCA).
• YAKUZA (CASABLANCA).
• 7MAD (AGADIR).
• SCOOLBOY (CASABLANCA).
• N.I.C. (CASABLANCA).
• DONTIF(TIZNIT).

Regarding Fusion/World, there were four participants:

• ANASS OUBLAID &RAW RHYTHM (AZILAL).
• FERAS &THE RIDDIM UP (RABAT).
• MHAMID BAND (MHAMID EL GHIZLANE).
• FNZAHA (CASABLANCA)

After the competition between the bands competing for the festival awards, the audience enjoyed the festival with Moroccan Rock and Metal bands like LAZYWALL (ROCK ORIENTAL), OLD SCHOOL (THRASH METAL) and CHIKNO (HEAVY METAL).

The two winners of the Rock / Metal category will participate on Saturday 23 of September in the official concert with the greatest Moroccan and international rock and metal artists and bands:

On the Main Stage:

• RASHA NAHAS (Rock “Palestine/Germany”).
• THRILLOGY (Thrash/Death Metal “Morocco”).
• DECAPITATED (Death Metal “Poland”).

On the Souk stage:

• SAAD EL BARAKA (Indie/Alternative Rock “Morocco”)

Stay metal, stay safe & take care, STAY ROCK ERIANS!

The opening track, “White Tide”, was released as a single and it has been their show opener for a considerable number of years during their career. The following two tracks, “RTD” and “I’m Alright”, continue in the same fashion and then we can hear the set’s shortest and fastest track, “Human Wheel”, which made me want to thrash around and bang my head crazily. Following this, Serge announced that they are playing a new track for the first time and it’s entitled “Nation in Distress” and it’s my favorite track from this whole live set. The two following tracks, “GI Bill” and “Breakdown”, continue in the same thrashy and fast-paced fashion, with the snare drums being front and center and the vocalist, Serge, having incredible charisma and stage presence. The fact that you can hear the basslines and the vocals loud and clear serves to prove how well this live was mixed and post-produced. “America Hates Its Youth” is another track that stood out for me because of its memorable bassline and its awesome chorus/ main riff. The next track, “Storm Troopers of Good Faith”, is a little different as well. It starts with a chord progression that’s slower than the rest of the tracks, and it has some 70s rock and heavy metal elements that I haven’t heard in other tracks here- pretty similar to Mötorhead or The Dead Kennedys if you ask me. There is a breakdown after which the tempo changes, and at this point I was wondering how these guys weren’t exhausted or drained yet. 

“Hey Yo”u” and “Revenue Machine” are when I really began to feel the band show some tiredness and some strain in the vocals and guitars, but this is the beauty of live shows and how you can feel that such powerful music is played by humans who can make mistakes, not machines. “What You Wanted” and “Every Day” are somewhat slower tracks that have some breathing space before the final track, “Ozone Alert”, brings back the speed and intensity. This is how you cab literally end your show with a bang. In conclusion, these guys know how to put on a show that will get everyone moshing, thrashing and hyped with energy for days after the show. The only weaknesses of this album are how the diverse and slowe tracks are few in number, but this is probably because their whole catalog is based on speed and heaviness and this is why their fans love them anyway. 

Photography by Ryan Holloway

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The 20th edition of the “Tremplin” L’Boulevard was successfully held from the 23th to the 25th of September, at RUC stadium located in the district Beauséjour, Casablanca, Morocco. There were 17 competed bands through different categories like Rap/Hip-Hop and Rock/Metal and Fusion.

 For Rock & Metal, there were four competed bands:

-The Grunge Garage (Casablanca city).

– Post Kaskrot (Rabat city).

– Aghroomers (Rabat city).

– Teltach (Marrakech city).

These bands stunned the audience and everyone who follows the participated bands.

The jurors of the three categories of the competition showed a good level among the participating groups: Rap/Hip-Hop and Rock/Metal and Fusion.

The winners will receive professional music training at Boultek, as well as the recording of two titles, and finally a concert on the Boulevard fest 2022 stage!

The first prize of this year’s tremplin L’Boulevard لبولفار, Rock/Metal category:

AGHROOMERS (Blues/Rock) from Rabat city, the winner band from the Tremplin L’BOULEVARD FEST 2022.

The 2nd prize:

TELTACH is a Punk Rock band from Marrakech city.

Photos Competing Moroccan Rock and Metal bands for the festival prizes:

The Grunge Garage (Casablanca city).

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Aghroomers (Rabat city).

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Teltach (Marrakech city).

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Guest international and Moroccan  Bands:

Deep Scar  (Progressive Metal from Tangier).

Haoussa (ISSAWI PUNK ROCK from Morocco)

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Psykup (Autriche Core from France)

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The winners AGHROOMERS and TELTACH of the Rock / Metal category will participate on Saturday 1st of September in the official concert with the greatest Moroccan and international rock and metal artists and bands:

Saturday 1st September: ROCK / METAL

Line up:

On Scène Souk stage:

• Dj ANIA (Morocco).
• KUSSUF (Morocco).

 On the Main Stage:

• TELTACH (Morocco) “The Second Winners of Tremplin l’boulevard fest 2022’”
• AGHROOMERS (Morocco) “The First Winners of Tremplin l’boulevard fest 2022’”
• HOLD THE BREATH (Morocco).
• ARKA’N ASRAFOKOR (Togo).
• BETWEENATNA (Morocco).
• VADER (Poland).

Stay metal, stay safe & take care, STAY ROCK ERIANS 🤘

Photo Credit by: Zakaria Latouri, Abdelhamid Belahmidi, Chadi Ilias, and Hicham Laabd.

The Gnaoua and World Music Festival, or as it is said by its fans, is called the Moroccan Woodstock Fest because it attracts multi-ethnic and gendered audiences. The festival is not limited to gnawi art but includes all the old musical forms of blues, jazz, flamenco and reggae….gnaoua festival its a festival of tolerance and rapprochement between different religions and cultures…

On June 20 – 23 GNAOUA & WORLD MUSIC FESTIVAL returned to ESSAOUIRA CITY for  22th edition anniversary celebrations. More than plus 500.000 festival-goers enjoyed four days of amazing music of Gnaoua  and culture from  international, regional and local artists. The festival took a lot of  place in ESSAOUIRA (Place Moulay Hassan)  and  set on a wide expanse of rolling golden sands in the scene near the sea, Even without being a Gnaoua adept, in that far more intimate atmosphere, the hypnotic beat of the Qraqebs (metal castanet-like instruments) and tambours (drums); the rhythmic bass of the Guembri, and the flowing melodic chants lend the music a power that reaches somewhere deep inside me, and I begin to see how it can induce trances, Gnaoua music is a combination of acrobatic dancing as well as music. Its origins lie in a unique mixture of Berber, African and Arabic songs, religious rites and dance.

The greatest maâlems and renowned artists will play the game and share with generosity, sincerity and energy moments of musical exploration unpublished and daring.

The audience gnaoui  was an opportunity to see both the brightly-colored, energetic spectacle of Gnaoua groups performing on large open-air stages (on Place Moulay Hassan and near the beach) as well as at more intimate concerts which simulate some of the atmosphere of a lila in smaller venues such as Dar Souiri or a Zawiya. The best venue for the late night, smaller, concerts is the Borj Bab Marrakech with the magical place.

Laying on rugs and cushions under the stars, within earshot of the waves crashing on the beach and with seagulls calling and swooping overhead, a special atmosphere is created for some of the best known artists on the program is huge and creamy.

This festival has known a variety and a fascinating mixture, from Gnaoua to fusion , Jazz to Reggae, Tuareg ,Cuban,flamenco, and of course the tagnaouite with the the Masters of Gnaoua , an a lot of bands exciting and eclectic selection of world class and emerging musical acts graced the festival’s mixed performance areas.  Over 50 artists spanning a lot of nationalities took to the stages, with homegrown local talent playing alongside established international names including global world music giants Major Maalam Hamid El Kasri and Moroccan superstars Maalam Hassan Hakmoun & The Universal Force , Tinariwen, Maalam Omar Hayat, Osain Del Monte, Jorge Pardo, Maria Del Mar Moreno and Nabyla Maan, Third World, Moh Kouyate, Imdiawn, Baloji, Betweenatna…Alongside the music were interactive talks, Human Rights Forum, traditional dance, theatre and art, festival workshops, exhibition of the 2019 festival…

One of the advantages of this festival was its atmosphere was fictional, Visitors, festivalgoers and performers sleep under the stars or in unique riads. Everything is designed to encourage harmony and bonding. The festival gives pride of place to gnawa music. Get to know this ancestral music played by master musicians called Maalem. Their music rises and pierces your body and mind to soothe the soul. With world music, traditional music and scenery that will take your breath away, your stay in these sun-drenched climes will be pure pleasure.

Maalam Hamid El Kasri 

Maâlem Hamid El Kasri & Susheela Raman (Fusion)

Susheela Raman

Maalam Hassan Hakmoun & The Universal Force

Third World

Maâlem Mustapha Baqbou

Maâlem Mustapha Baqbou & Tinariwen (Fusion)

Tinariwen

Maalam Omar Hayat

Residence Maâlem Hassan Boussou

Maâlem Abderrazak El Hader

Moh Kouyaté & Maalam Omar Hayat (Fusion)

Residence Maâlem Hassan Boussou  & Osain Del Monte (Fusion)

Osain Del Monte

Betweenatna

Thank you Gnaoua and World Music Festival, we will see you next year.

Photography by: Zakaria Latouri, Siham Moukhles, Fatim Ezzahra Khilad, Yassine Atir, and Mohamed Tawi.

Roger Waters: The Wall is a documentary that will feature footage from the three-year 219-date tour of the greatest production of Rock theatre. Co-directed by Waters and Sean Evans, the documentary will run for 133 minutes. No release date has been announced.

Commenting on Roger Waters: The Wall, according to the Toronto Sun, Waters said, “I think people are sick and tired of being told that the most important thing in their life is commerce and the new this and the new that. And they’re sick of adverts on TV and they’re sick of being told what’s important is whether we win or lose or whether or not we’re exporting more. I think people are probably ready to go now. Well, all of that rhetoric leads us to lob bombs over the top of the wall that divides society ecologically, economically, philosophically and politically, from all our fellow human beings. And we no longer want to be told by our political leaders that they are scum and that we are great.”

“So that I believe that it may be we’re no longer interested in the ‘Us and Them’ form of political philosophy that we’ve been fed on for the last couple of 1,000 years and that we may be ready to move into a new place.”

Throughout his music career, Waters has promoted the anti-war message in his music and in the news. Waters’ latest stance has been against the US position in Gaza, and he has been encouraging fellow musicians such as Neil Young to boycott performing in Israel. Read the letter from Waters to Young here.

The Wall History
Waters conceptualized The Wall in 1977, to express his feelings of alienation from the audience, at a time when Pink Floyd were playing in massive arenas. In an interview with BBC Radio One, Waters said, “The idea for The Wall came from ten years of touring with Rock shows. I think, particularly the last few years when in 1975 and 1977, we were playing to very large audiences, some of whom were our old audience who’d come to hear us play, but most of whom were only there for the beer. All this was in big stadiums and, consequently became a rather alienating experience doing the shows. I became very conscious of a wall between us and the audience.”

It came to a point where Waters did not want to be on stage because, “It is very difficult to perform in a situation with people whistling and shouting and screaming throwing things and hitting each other crashing about letting out fireworks… it’s a drag to try and play when that was all going on.” Although it he is happy that the audience were expressing themselves, he claimed that sort of behavior could be an alienating experience for everybody. Waters went on to explain that this was a situation that they (Pink Floyd) had created for themselves when they were playing in large festivals, “through our own greed.”

It was at a disheartening show in Montreal, Canada, where Pink Floyd were performing at the newly build Montreal Olympic stadium in front of 80,000 fans. In an interview with BBC One in 1979, Waters said, “Some guy in the front row was shouting and screaming and having a wonderful time, pushing into a barrier. What he wanted to do was start a riot. And what I wanted was to do a Rock and Roll show. I got so upset that I finally spat at him, right in the middle of his face.” It was then when Waters thought of the idea to build a wall between himself and the audience.

The Wall Timeline

The Movie
The Wall movie is a rock opera which depicts the life of Roger Waters’ life from early childhood to the idea of The Wall. The main character Pink, who represents Waters, is a Rock star whose life is marred by promiscuous relationships, outbursts of violence and drug use. Pink’s troubled mind often flashes back to World War 2, where he lost his father to battle. He grew up with an over-protective mother in a school full of strict teachers, whom Waters considers to be ‘bricks in the wall’.

The Concert
If you have been lucky enough to have been at The Wall concert, you witnessed one of the greatest performances of Rock music’s history. The show follows the set list in the album with a 40-foot wall made of cardboard bricks being built, separating the band from the audience. Inflatable characters from the movie appear on stage, as well as scenes projected on the wall. The 2010- The Wall live tour updated the projections to include more political messages, as Waters claims the message is now more “universal” symbolizing the factors in the world that cause alienation among people, including religion and war. Also projected are photos sent in by fans, of loved ones they lost in war or acts of violence. The 2010- version was also supercharged with 3D animations. The production team for the 2010 had the advantage of a wealth of technology that was not available 30 years ago, so the visuals, sound and lighting were nothing short of mind-blowing.

Production design for the tour was headed by Mark Fisher, who designed The Wall stage in the 1980s.

James Khalaf is the live sound engineer and also The Walls tour manager. According to Sound on Sound, Khalaf uses a mix between two Midas XL4 ‘old school’ analogue consoles and a Yamaha PM5D digital board. Khalaf is extremely loyal to the analogue medium. Quoting his interview with Mark Cunningham on Sound on Sound, “Why? Digital sucks, but I see a lot of engineers these days going down that route. I just look on rigidly in amazement, as if they are insane. Digital consoles don’t sound good but, OK, there is a place for them. If you’re mixing a ‘hard drive pop’ show, where you’ve got a different kick drum coming at you for each song, it makes sense. But Roger’s show is the polar opposite of that. This is a situation where you have extraordinarily good musicians playing live, and in my mind it would be ludicrous to suggest reducing their sound to mere ones and zeros…Was the original album of The Wall recorded digitally? No. Did it sound good? Yes. That’s pretty much the core of my argument here.”

The Band
The band, consists of Graham Broad on drums, Dave Kilminster, Snowy White and GE Smith on guitar,
Jon Carin and Harry Waters (Roger Water’s son) on keyboard, Robbie Wyckoff on vocals, backed by
Jon Joyce, Kipp, Pat and Mark Lennon.

Various glimpses of videos from the Roger Waters: The Wall tour looks spectacular, and at we at Rock Era cannot wait for the DVD release.

Written by: Natsky D
Edited by: Nehal Ali

Complete bands set lists in order:

Maticrust:

1. Die In Vain
2. Identify and Attack
3. Their Lies
4. Denies and Demise
5. Forced Patriotism
6. It’s None of Your Fault
7. Never Mind Them
8. Unheard Cries

Tartarus:

1. Seshot (Intro)
2. Axes of Hatred
3. Cosmic Storms
4. I am the black wizard (Emperor cover)
5. Grimness and Atrocity
6. Mother North (Sataryicon cover)

Arrivl:

1. Deception in the shadows
2. Endless
3. Grotesque cold empire
4. Plagues of flames
5. As the eternal winter
6. Sacrifice in blood
7. Exile`s silents
8. Wound
9. Everything invaded (Moonspel cover)

Kimaera:

1. Ancient serpents
2. The Day Innocence Died / In A Dying Embrace
3. In the Shade of Nephilim
4. Lost Control (Anathema Cover)
5. Among the Dead
6. The Taste of Treason
7. Crystal Mountain
8. God’s Wrath

Metal East Anthem (Music my DJ)
Anarchadia – True World Order
E.Y.E – Panaromia II
Bilocate – Hypia

Aramic:

– The Summoning
– The Fallen

Svengali:

– Conquer
– Embrace

Kaoteon – Anthem of Dead
Benevolent – The Tyrant
Nervecell – Nation Plague
Voice Of The Soul – Under A Blood Red Sky
Scarab – Ankh
Myrath – Merciless Times
Chalice Of Doom:

– Shame Written In Blood
– Against The Wind

Nu clear Dawn – The Meeting
Ascendant – Doomsday Machine

The night started off with Maticrust, a local grindcore band which had sort of a peculiar line up if you ask me. The band consisted of 2 screaming/ brutal vocalists, a guitarist, a bassist and a drummer. They played 8 tracks – about 3 and half minutes each- staring it all off with ‘Die In Vain’. Both vocals were INSANE jumping around and screaming their lungs out – I thought for sure they each swallowed an amplifier before getting on stage. Fast riffs, powerful beats and an amazing performance. They went on to play ‘Identify Their Attack’, ‘Their Lies’ and my personal favorite from their set ‘Forced Patriotism’. Their main lyrical theme revolved around war and it’s effect.

After Maticrust finished their set Moutasem – the organizer – played some awesome tunes to entertain the crowds while the next band set up, but I did not recognize the tracks; so I went to ask him who these where and it was to my amazement to discover that all the music being played all through the night was music from local and middle Eastern bands – find the full list below- I honestly thought this was an amazing initiative to spread awareness to underground local bands and just added so much more meaning to the whole night. It truly was metal Eastern night…

Anyway, after a 20 minute break the second band came on stage at 9:20 and not a minute late. Next up was Tartarus, a black metal band also from the U.A.E.

They started their set with a playback intro that was very creepy and melancholic called ‘Seshot’ followed by ‘Axes of Hatred’. They had sort of a rocky start where the drummer did a couple of minor mistakes and one of the guitarists lost track of where he was in the song but they still carried on brilliantly and very professionally overcame this to the extent that I think only actual musicians could have noticed these mistakes – that we later found out after talking to the band members was due to technical problems with sound on stage – They played another original called ‘Cosmic Storms’ and followed it by a perfectly covered track for the emperors of black metal Emperor ‘I am the black wizard’. The crowd went nuts and started gathering around the stage and banging their heads. They played one last original after that called ‘Grimness and Atrocity’ and were about to close the set but due to overwhelming chants from the crowd screaming “ONE MORE TRACK!” They played an impromptu cover for another black metal legendary band Satryicon ‘Mother North’. They greeted the crowd, got off stage and once again local underground music started blasting through the sound system as Muahmed Jaber – the superhero of the night who worked from 10:00 am till after 2:00 am – went on stage and put up the banner for *drum roll please* Arrivl.

Listen, I was so blown away with this band’s performance that I know that whatever I write in this review would not do them justice. You just had to be there, but I’ll do my best to paint you a picture with words. This blackened death metal band hailing all the way from Tehran, Iran were as good as any headliners in the world. The energy, performance, crowd interaction, accuracy, and tightness were beyond belief. They started off with a very catchy playback intro and then went straight down to business with ‘Deceptions in the Shadows’. The entire band were insanely talented and incredibly technical music wise. Throughout their set they must have played more than 5 or 6 different time signatures, with face melting solos, HEAVY HEAVY HEAVYY HEAVY riffs and drum beats that were out of this world. They played a 45 minute set which was 8 original tracks and no I can not possibly pick a favorite because YES they were THAT good. Half way through their set and the entire music room is just empty chairs and everyone was in front of the stage going mental, there was even a small mosh pit that got started, and the crowd started shouting as loud as they possibly can the name of the band which I could tell made them very happy because guess what, that was their first live performance ever, I found that out after they finished playing and my jaw dropped to the floor like a cartoon character. They went on to play ‘As The Eternal Winter’, ‘Sacrifice in Blood’ and ‘Exile’s Silents’. When the crowd, the words “This is it for tonight” come out of the vocal’s mouth they started chanting one more track and banging on tables and even on the stage itself, and you guessed it, the band complied this time covering one of my favorite tracks for one of my favorite bands Moonspell ‘Everything Invaded’ once the guitarist started playing the intro the crowd went nuts – personally, I put down my pen and paper, took off my pass and ran to the middle of the crowd, sang along and banged my head till it almost got knocked off my shoulders. Even after playing an extra track, the crowd could not get enough of them but at this point the vocal politely apologized and said that their time was up for tonight, thanked the crowd and asked the band members to come together to take a picture with the rest of crowd.

Last but certainly not least, it was time for the headliners, the stars of the show, the internationally recognized band that played many international festivals. It was time for Kimaera *Bringing doom upon us*. Hailing from Lebanon, this band delivered one of the most professional, well rehearsed, musically intense and lively performances I have ever seen in my entire life –and believe me I’ve seen a lot both local and international.

It all started with a very dark, evil and sinister playback intro, which they merged into their first track, entitled ‘Ancient Serpents’. They were true to their word and brought doom upon Dubai. Their originals were creative, inspired, dark, and hit you right in the core of your existence. I’m pretty sure their drummer was from another planet, or was an octopus in another life because his playing was just simply inhumane. The bassist’s performance was mesmerizing and you can see how much he was in love with his music, – I haven’t seen fingers play that fast and that accurate since I saw Opeth last year- the lead guitarist was very talented but was not a show off, playing melodies in most of their songs which portrays the essence of doom metal and only shredding insane licks where it was appropriate. The vocal had an impressive vocal range and a growl that would knock your hat straight off your head from a mile away. They also had a 45-minute set that was 8 tracks including 1 very different rendition of another favorite of mine Anathema’s ‘Lost Control’ which they brought on the incredible Ishtar Inanna to the stage to add her beautiful voice to the mix. It was her first time on stage and you could tell she was nervous but she had a lot of support from the crowd and once she started singing the entire music room was singing along. She has a beautiful voice, which gave a different flavor to the song, she did miss the last word of the last verse but the crowd sang it instead and clapped and cheered her on. But this was not the only surprise Kimaera had in store; the very energetic extremely talented guitarist JM Ellias from the band Svengali joined the band for a track, which the crowd really loved. The band took a break in the middle and their alien drummer played a 5-minute drum solo, which proved my theory beyond the shadow of the doubt, this guy was not human.

They finished strong with ‘God’s Wrath’ with the crowd chanting and cheering and banging their heads as hard as they can – me included. It was a perfect ending to a perfect night. Oh, one last thing, Muhammed Jaber went on stage to thank the bands and the organizers and the amazing crowd and announced that Metal Eastern Night 3 will be on September 27th and will be featuring Svengali and Perversion from the U.A.E as well as Benevolent from Lebanon and Kahtmayan from Iran. So stay, keep your eyes pealed for our next review and if you are in the U.A.E this is one show you DO NOT want to miss.

Reviewed by: Ahmed S. Khalil
Photography brought to you by: Alexandre Antozzi

Edited by: NJ Bakr

• Check the rest of the photos here.
• For bands full set-lists check it out from here.  

This was my first concert to review since, forever! Till now I do have the chills of getting dressed in my black t-shirt, setting up my little blue notebook and black pen, and most importantly the well-known and my personal trademark: The grey vest.

First, let me tell you why it deserved the name “The wicked Friday”:

Our one and only Lina El-Gohary was exposed to bad news as her father passed away two weeks before the concert. We had to ask for a substitute: FotoLigia’s help leaded by the well known concert photographer Tootee Faied, to be stunned by the hurtful news of losing her mother just less than a week before the gig along with my own uncle passing away!

Still not convinced?

Prior to that vocalist Sayed Ragai of Sinprophecy is set to have a knee surgery on the background of a really old moshpit injury.

So simply, put it: Concert VS. Fate!

For those who didn’t realize, the only band that was non-melodic death or doom was Devour. Still they packed in a huge punch to the sleepy, yet music hungry crowd of the day. Electricity was in the air as it’s the summer season opener; it started a bit late as usual along with some organizing issues – thanks for the professionalism, Sawy Culturewheel! – Which made many people even more fed up with this atmosphere.

Stepped in to find Metamorphia finishing up ‘Clouds of Agony’ growled by Zander of Destiny in Chains – tell you what? Chit chats around the arena said there wasn’t a fixed vocalist, that’s why the first track was featuring a new star Ahmed Derbawy or as many of you remember him as “The guy from the audience who sang with Sinprophecy last time they did a concert” or simply “Mokka” again with Zander. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to build a complete judgment for the reasons above, but those are my pointers:

– Sayed Ragai of Sinprophecy featured a track called ‘Roads to perdition’ and ‘Maestro of destruction.’ By: Yory Hatem.

– Derbawi was amazing as he was the dark horse for the whole crowd. Kudos, my boy!

– Zander also was the throat behind ‘Purified’ as well.

– The band – excluding the bassist – are former members in other bands at the same gig.

– Youssef ‘Joe’ the drummer was a real blast machine! And he is the first drummer bigger than his drum set as well.

Up next was the joyful and stunning Devour those who are a mixture of good ol’ bands like Wyvern, Karma, and T.H.E – led by Ragi Akram, they played a set of alternative metal tracks some of them are now well known like ‘Twinkle Twinkle Little Scars’ and ‘Freak’ which is mainly dedicated to those who stereotype others and in this state: Metalheads VS. Society. You can check “Freak” through here.

Continuing with their music you feel the same anger vibe you get listening to Breaking Benjamin or Three Days Grace; those old tongues of the youth, people fell in love with each and every second of Devour‘s act, powered up by Omar Assem’s progressive bass lines and Omar Damien’s skilful solos throughout the rest of the orgasmic set:

– Worthless.
– Patronize.
– Ablaze.
– Reflections.

And boys…? We think you should record those tracks.

Familiar growls gathered scattered fans to the arena to attend a feast of melodic death/doom delivered by Sinprophecy opened by an intro linked to ‘Tears of a sinner’… and necks started to fire up. By: Yory Hatem.

Doom-ish atmosphere ruled starting with the next track, which was ‘Farewell bird of prey’, personally I call this track the most spectacular track ever played live by the band EVER! The same grief and power over and over translated in brutal breakdowns back-grounded with well-conducted keyboard tunes, sailing in a neck breaking cloud of doom/death song. I just love it!

The surprise-fanatic band after that play a brand new single ‘The Midnight Walker’, an atmospheric doom track most people didn’t really like as Sayed Ragai literally “sings” in this track which was a bit weird. ‘Roots of Bleak’ came next to treat doom lovers to the limit, once it ended the crowd screamed asking for ‘The Summoning’ and they have got it with a little surprise; Mishmish of Metamorphia was back-vocaling this time! Like –the band- had an agreement to never do the track without outer cooperation. Giving closure to the gloomy night played ‘Spectrum Illusion’ and last but not least ‘You’re The One Who’ll Smile At My Funeral’. And YES, it was intentional to make the set list doom oriented as per the band themselves after the gig.

Speaking of surprises, do you know what does Segadoras mean?
It actually means “Grim Reapers” in Spanish! That will give you an indicator why they looked that way on-stage.

All dressed up in grim reaper’s hood and cloak, the night’s modern melodic death act ruled the stage, jump starting by ‘My existence’ then ‘The ultimate sacrifice’. To stop here and point out some headlines is necessary, as it was plain to who has eyes that the little guy with long hair holding the bass guitar is where he belongs – regardless of lack of movement caused by really tight cloak he wore – this really young guy will go places for him loving his music that much. To the other side of him we had a fresh face called “Leo”, the very silent new live keyboardist of the band.

And of course behind them and leading the band through the track list was Michael Khater one of the oldest drummers in Egypt playing with Karma, Beyond East, and Varden along the road. And by the way Michael had his share of bad luck as he fell off the back of the stage when he was settling over his throne of drums to hurt his knee and having to spray it with spray anesthetic between tracks.

Female vocals are always valuable gems in any band, so we had the chance to behold Lady Rose with the band in a couple of tracks – she was a bit shaky from stage fright; however, she did okay but not to the point that grabs attention.

Along with their signature track ‘The Rise’ joined Gasser, the new oriental voice in the band, glowing better than last time with Segadoras that was a bit unlucky for him. This time he owned the Arabic lines and made it harmonized inside the song. Well done!

Remember the screamer who came side by side with Gasser? All the vocalists acknowledge this monster in this day as “A designated grinde core vocalist”. The name is Scott Tyler, await him

Will the band take my advised and lose the makeup as it looks like corpse paint? No? A’ight!

The main fault – yet power house – that the band plays really complicated and multi-layered melodies but yet they seize to master it onstage, that’s why the audience agreed that for them to really judge they will need to have this music on CD’s. And it was my lucky day to overhear Bahaa’ the band’s vocalist telling someone that they will enter the studio in one month, so here is the news ladies and gentlemen!

Their track list was as follows:

– Ultimate sacrifice.
– The reaping.
– Undefeated.
– The Rise.

Stay very tuned for other gigs this season as we still have more to come and more to review, until we meet folks.

Reviewed by: Ahmed A. Atteya
Photography brought to you by: Lina El Gohary

Edited by: NJ Bakr