Haysa brings Arab alternative music to Abu Dhabi

Some of the most exciting alternative Arab bands will be performing at the Cultural Foundation's Haysa concert series this weekend

El Morabba3 is a Jordanian-Palestinian music collective based in Jordan. Courtesy Cultural Foundation 
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If you’re a fan of alternative and fusion Arabic music, then you have two exceptional concerts in Abu Dhabi to look forward to this weekend. Some of the most exciting Arab alternative bands will be performing in the Haysa concert series at the Cultural Foundation, bringing everything from acoustic rap and electro-rock to more experimental soundscapes and beats.

El Far3i, El Morabba3 and Harget Kart will bring their biggest hits and electric stage presence to the capital on Thursday, February 20, at 7pm. On Friday, February 21, Lebanese band Adonis – with special guest Aziz Maraka – and Ens O Jam will take the stage for a night of experimental beats and melodies.

El Far3i, El Morabba3 and Harget Kart on stage 

El Far3i, whose real name is Tareq Abu Kwaik, will be on stage on Thursday, February 20. Courtesy Cultural Foundation 
El Far3i, whose real name is Tareq Abu Kwaik, will be on stage on Thursday, February 20. Courtesy Cultural Foundation 

El Far3i, whose real name is Tareq Abu Kwaik, is a Palestinian songwriter, percussionist and vocalist from Amman, Jordan. He is the founder of Arabic folk and acoustic rap solo act El Far3i and Hip-Hop MC Far3 El Madakhil. He has a massive following on social media, particularly on Soundcloud, and has released four studio albums, the latest of which is El Rajol El Khashabi.

El Morabba3 is a Jordanian-Palestinian music collective based in Jordan, and known for their unique electro-rock, indie-tronic sound. Founded in 2009, they went on to win Best Indie Track at the Anma (Arab Nation Music Awards) in 2016. El Morabba3 is one of the musical projects leading the revival of the Arab independent music scene. Most recently they appeared in front of thousands as part of the Soundclash music competition.

Jordanian band Harget Kart. Courtesy Cultural Foundation
Jordanian band Harget Kart. Courtesy Cultural Foundation

Harget Kart is a Jordanian band consisting of four members who, while having very different backgrounds and experiences, became fast friends prior to collaborating musically. They formed the band in 2011 and started working in media, audio and video production, and have pioneered East/West music fusion through a unique and special flavour of their own.

Adonis performing with Aziz Maraka 

Adonis and Ens O Jam are two bands known for their unique take on fusion-style music, combining to bring an interesting line-up to the Cultural Foundation on Friday.

Lebanese band Adonis formed in 2011. Courtesy Cultural Foundation 
Lebanese band Adonis formed in 2011. Courtesy Cultural Foundation 

Established in 2011, Lebanese band Adonis has performed at major venues and independent festivals across the Arab world such as the Jounieh International Festival, Beirut Holidays Festival, Amman’s BAB Festival and Dubai’s Step Music Festival. They have released four studio albums and written music for Netflix, Pepsi, Lipton, Brazil’s Globo TV and the Lebanese Ministry of Tourism.

Ens O Jam is a Palestinian band founded in 2016. Its members chose the band’s name based on the way they create its melodic and musical phrase sound. According to the band's website, ‘Ens’ represents the human source of music and the people who create it, while ‘Jam’ is derived from jam sessions, a term used to express musical brainstorming.

Inspired by their different musical backgrounds in jazz, blues and Eastern music, the group creates a free-flowing style of music, which is completely improvised and unplanned. So we’re sure to be hearing some fresh and interesting tunes by the band this Friday.

Tickets for each of the concerts start at Dh150 and are available at www.culturalfoundation.ae