Miami, Sept. 19, 2018 – Miami Dade College’s (MDC) acclaimed performing arts series, MDC Live Arts, and The Rhythm Foundation will co-present a boisterous night of unexpected dance music with Omar Souleyman at 8 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 5, at the North Beach Bandshell.
Who could have foreseen that a wedding singer from Syria would become a cult hero among club goers? Omar Souleyman generated nearly 500 live recordings in his native country before civil war broke out in 2011. But it was after going into exile in Turkey and releasing a Western-produced album (Wenu Wenu), that he solidified the growing interest of musicians, producers and fans across the globe. Now, with albums released on Diplo’s Mad Decent record label and years collaborating with artists such as Björk, Four Tet, Modeselektor, and Giles Peterson— Souleyman has become one of the world’s most sought-after electronic music artists.
Souleyman plays a synthesized version of dabke—the Arab folk music popular at weddings across Lebanon, Palestine, Jordan and Syria; it’s corresponding circle- and line- dances boast viral sensation status online. Parallels can be easily drawn between his genre and modern electronic dance music— the extended tracks, driving techno beats, themes of love and unity, ability to dissolve us in space and time—so much so that Pitchfork has proclaimed that Souleyman’s music “can compete against any kind of dance music being made right now, and succeed.”
After touring worldwide and performing at major festivals including Glastonbury, Bonnaroo, Moogfest, and Roskilde, Souleyman comes to Miami to perform his latest album, To Syria With Love. Somewhat of a departure musically and lyrically from his previous material, he focuses on more elaborate keyboard and techno elements, and (setting politics aside), consciously shares a very personal ode to his homeland. Emphasizing his emotional connection to the land and people, but not without heartache in view of the nation’s current state.
“It’s been six years I’ve been away, and I’m tired of looking for home and asking about my loved ones. My soul is wounded and it’s like having dust in my eyes…We are in exile, and our nights are long. Our homeland is our only comfort,” Souleyman sings.
Over medium to high-speed dabke and baladi styles, Souleyman expresses his overarching longing for collective peace. Whether Ultra-goers, EDM fans, world music lovers or Arab Americans and expats—this concert promises to be one for the books.
WHAT: MDC Live Arts & Rhythm Foundation Present Omar Souleyman
WHEN: Saturday, Oct. 5, at 8 p.m.
WHERE: North Beach Bandshell
7275 Collins Ave Miami Beach.
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Tickets are $30 advance/ $35 day of show. Purchase tickets, please visit http://www.rhythmfoundation.com.
About MDC Live Arts
MDC Live Arts is Miami’s most eclectic performing arts series. Created in 1990 as Cultura del Lobo, MDC Live Arts has a celebrated history of bringing extraordinary national and international performing artists to Miami. The annual series presents today’s most exciting artists and designs meaningful engagement between these artists, the students of MDC, and the greater community. MDC Live Arts seeks artists from across the globe who push boundaries and honor traditions relevant to Miami’s diverse community, and aims to offer audiences opportunities to discover new ideas, perspectives and forms of expression. For more information, please visit www.mdclivearts.org.
The programs of MDC Live Arts are made possible with the generous support of: Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Cultural Affairs Council; the Miami-Dade County Mayor and Board of County Commissioners; City of Miami Beach, Cultural Affairs Program, Cultural Arts Council; the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture; the National Endowment for the Arts; National Performance Network (NPN); the New England Foundation for the Arts’ National Theater Project, with lead funding from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation; the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation; and the Doris Duke Foundation for Islamic Art’s Building Bridges Program. For more information, please visit DDCF.ORG.
MDC Live Arts is a Partner of the National Performance Network (NPN). Major NPN contributors include the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, Ford Foundation, and the National Endowment for the Arts. Amal is a National Performance Network/Visual Artists Network (NPN/VAN) Creation & Development Fund Project co-commissioned by MDC Live Arts in partnership with Su Teatro, MACLA and NPN/ VAN. For more information: NPNWEB.ORG.
About The Rhythm Foundation
The Rhythm Foundation, a Miami Beach-based non-profit cultural organization, is a leading presenter of world music in the US. It was founded in 1988 with the goal of increasing international awareness through live music – concerts, events and festivals by established and innovative artists from around the world. Special focus is given to those cultures connecting to South Florida audiences – music from Brazil, Latin America, Africa, the Caribbean, Asia and Europe. In 2015 the City of Miami Beach awarded management of the North Beach Bandshell to the Rhythm Foundation, who are now creating exciting year-round programming at this architectural gem. For more information, please visit RhythmFoundation.com.
The programs of The Rhythm Foundation are made possible with the generous support from the City of Miami Beach, the Department of Tourism and Cultural Development; the City of Miami Beach, Cultural Affairs Program, Cultural Arts Council; Miami Beach Mayor and City Commissioners; Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Cultural Affairs Council; the Miami-Dade County Mayor and Board of County Commissioners; the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture.
MDC Live Arts Contacts: Alexa Burneikis, Marketing Manager, 305-237-7733, aburneik@mdc.edu
The Rhythm Foundation Contacts: Karla Arguello, Communications Director, 305-672-5202, karla@rhythmfoundation.org.