Kandjha Kouyate & Zeid Hamdan in concert in Lebanon

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In December 2006 under exceptional circumstances Kandjha Kouyate, a 17 year old singer and Kora player born in a family of famous musicians, met with Zeid Hamdan, one of the most active producers on the Lebanese underground scene.

After a visa problem,the singer that was supposed to perform with Zeid for a concert was unable to travel.

The French producer Marc Ambrogianni (“Nuits metis”) who was organizing the festival and the Kouyate family proposed to Zeid to create a show with Kandjha.

After 2 days of intense work, they presented their collaboration. It turned out to be a successful mix of raggae, hip hop, Guinean and electro music. The audience and the producers were impressed.

The duet was booked again for a dozen performances from 2006 to 2008 in Guinea, Algeria and finally France which allowed both artists to meet and record on the spot. An album made of 10 songs recorded between Guinea and Algeria was released early 2009.

The duet has toured with Ba Cissoko in fall 2010 and has performed before Alpha Blondy in Bretagne France in 2011. Kandjha has been touring with Tiken Jah Fakoly since 2010 as the main Kora player.

Kandjha and Zeid Hamdan will be in concert on Thursday, May 17, 2012 at DRM , Hamra. A Hip Hop and Reggae Mix with touches of acoustic Folk coupled with a transcendent voice.

Tickets are for LBP 25,000
For reservations call +961 1 752 202 or +961 70 030 032

Lebanese skaters to develop their own identity

The Lebanese Skateboarding Association (LSA) has partnered with Youngberry Agency, youth marketing agency, to engage Lebanese skateboarders of all ages in conceptualizing the association’s new brand identity.

LSA is a non-for-profit, community-based organization for skateboarding enthusiasts in Lebanon that lobbies for the creation of safe public skateboard parks as well as increases public awareness about skateboarding and action sports.

Youngberry, a leading youth marketing agency, has designed a grassroots “Branding Workshop” program to help creative members of the skateboarding community contribute to the formation of LSA’s new brand identity.

The workshop program consists of 3 sessions that place the skateboarders in the driver’s seat as designers to create a successful brand identity for the Lebanese Skateboarding Association.

Through a simplified process, the basics of logo design and branding in general are communicated through brainstorming, ideation, visual conceptualization, sketching, and lively discussions. All LSA members and the entire community of skateboarders from the region and elsewhere will vote on the final logo options produced during the workshop. The voting will take place on LSA’s Facebook page in early June 2012. (http://www.facebook.com/skate.lb)

After the completion of the first session, Ghassan Al-Salman, a pro-skater, said: “I’m excited that we’re designing a visual identity that represents us, and I’m glad to be a part of this change.”

Patil Tchilinguirian, Art Director at Youngberry and also the instructor of this workshop said: “We have designed the best environment to create and present highly-personalized interactive workshop for brand building among youngsters.” She added: “Now, the following sessions will lead us to a brand identity that best represents its members, audience and culture.”

LSA cofounder, Elias Fayad, said in a statement at the first session: “Since its inception, our organization has been run by its community and we thankfully have this program in place to allow young skateboarders to influence and play a major role in creating the next big thing.”

Lebanon Cypher – Red Bull BC ONE

For the first time since 2006, the most prestigious One-on-One B-Boy Championship, the Red Bull BC One, returns to Brazil. This year however, the event will be held in the beautiful city of over 7 million inhabitants – Rio de Janeiro. Just like last year, with qualification events across the globe, celebrated and unknown B-Boys have the chance to break their way into the Red Bull BC One World Final.

It is not the first time that the region welcomes such competitions, as they return in 2012 under the banner of Red Bull BC One, the ultimate breaking tournament around the globe, building on the tremendous success of Red Bull BreaKing last year. Lebanon B-Boys have a special rendezvous on May 12th at seven in the evening at Al-Madina Theatre, Hamra Street, as the best B-Boys in the country will compete for the local title.

A jury panel will assess the participants based on 3 criteria: technique, innovation and dance flow. It will include some of best breaking stars in the world such as B-Boy Cico, B-Boy Lamine, B-Boy Lil G. In every round, two B-Boys will have a one-on-one face-off before the Knock Out move and each participant has two chances to show off their slick, daring moves accompanied by the biggest of break beats.

It is happening on 12 May 2012 at the Al Madina theater in Hamra starting 7pm!

Update:

The event was awesome. I never imagined we had such a scene in Lebanon! quite remarkable!

Pictures are up! You can check them on Flickr! and Facebook.

For more information check:

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Pop-up skate park at Beirut new waterfront

Open till June 15th from 1pm till 7pm.

The need for a public permanent skate park is obvious. Skaters aren’t allowed to skate anywhere and it doesn’t make any sense. Let’s pop-up until it happens!

For more pictures check the Lebanese Skateboarding Association album on Facebook or Flickr.

Check Lebanese Skateboarding Association:

Italian Retrospective : Mastroianni and Gassman, Grands of Italian Cinema in cinema Metropolis Empire Sofil

On the occasion of its 11th retrospective, Metropolis is partnering once again this year with the Italian Institute in Beirut to pay tribute to the acclaimed actors Marcello Mastroianni and Vittorio Gassman : nine of their major films will be screened in cinema Metropolis Empire Sofil from 27 April to 5 May 2012.

Friday 27 April (OPENING) at 20h: DIVORCE ITALIAN STYLE, 1961, 105’
Saturday 28 April at 20h: THE EASY LIFE, 1966, 105’
Sunday 29 April at 20h: THE BIG FEAST, 1973, 135’
Monday 30 April at 20h: THE FAMILY, 1987, 122’
Tuesday 1 May at 20h: IL BELL’ANTONIO,1960, 105’
Wednesday 2 May at 20h: THE DESERT OF TARTARS, 1976, 140’
Thursday 3 May at 20h: WE ALL LOVED EACH OTHER SO MUCH, 1974, 124’
Friday 4 May at 20h: SCENT OF A WOMAN, 1974, 103’
Saturday 5 May at 20h: LET’S TALK ABOUT WOMEN, 1967, 108’

Ticket: 5,000 L.L | Pass Festival: 30,000 L.L | info: 01 20 40 80

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