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MEMBERS of an all-male Bahraini musical troupe are set to join their Kuwaiti counterparts to showcase a blast from the past ... a traditional folk music genre called ‘Sout’, writes Anasuya Kesavan.
It is part of the Ministry of Culture’s Bahrain Summer Festival 2011, which runs throughout the month at different locations around the kingdom.
The Mohamed bin Faris band from Muharraq will be collaborating with Kuwait-based folklorists Fan Al Sout to entertain crowds with a popular form of music traditionally performed at night gatherings of men.
The group of 22 musicians will unite and set the stage alight on Monday at the Cultural Hall at 8pm.
Sout meaning ‘voice’ is a complex form of urban music that was originally accompanied by oud and mirwas drums and a violin. Aref Bucheery, leader of the Bahrain band, said that the troupe now perform a ‘slightly modified version’ where the ensemble includes one or more flautists, violinists and qanun - a descendent of the old Egyptian harp and drummers along with male dancers who perform a dance called Zaffan.
The local band features 12 musicians who despite holding down full-time jobs, gather twice a week to pursue their passion for music. Mr Bucheery said: “Al Sout has a special place for us because it is one of the oldest art forms made famous by Bahraini composer Mohammed bin Faris. Kuwait and Qatar share some of these traditions. We sing songs of love that were often performed during long journeys, when men were travelling or during moments of leisure.”
The festival will also feature a range of international acts including a bubble performer, music concerts from New York, a theatrical adaptation of Alice in Wonderland, plus music and dance shows from Georgia and Bollywood.
A variety of competitions and activities are also being organised daily at the Nakhool Tent at Arad Fort, where festival mascot Nakhool plays an obliging host every evening from 5pm to 10pm. In addition, the tent plays hosts to a weekly Atyaf Musical Group event every Thursday and Friday from 7pm to 10pm.
Children’s favourite Barney the Dinosaur returns again this year to perform his Space Adventures show twice daily from today until Sunday at 11am and 5pm at the Bahrain International Exhibition and Convention Centre (BIECC).
Tickets are on sale at the festival kiosk in Bahrain City Centre and at the venues on the day of the performances. Events held at the Cultural Hall are free, while tickets for shows held at the BIECC start from BD 1 up to BD 10.
Event details are available on www.bahrancummer.bh and in GulfWeekly’s Leisure Guide on Page 8.
