Palestinian collective brings 'alternative' music festival to Amman

AMMAN — “Since music is one of the main sources people use for self-expression, alternative music has appeared as an answer to voice the daily problems and difficulties young adults face in the Arab community,” a statement by Palestine Alternative Music Festival (PAM Fest.) said.

The “first of its kind alternative Arab music festival” according to its organisers, PAM Fest. will take place on September 22 in Amman, as a culmination of its Arab tour which started in Palestine and will continue in Egypt and Dubai throughout 2018.

Working to promote the diversity of musical styles in the young Arab community, the festival seeks to “express a message beyond all barriers”, reachingout to all music fans across the Arab region, PAM Fest. said.

“We also want to raise awareness on the fact that the Palestinian scene has some great talent to show the world,” Mohammed Halman, one of the organisers, told The Jordan Times.

Organised for the second time by Bethlehem-based group “BUZZ”, the music festival makes its first entrance to the Kingdom after it gathered thousands of music aficionados in Palestine last year.

“Jordanian bands were not able to attend our event last year due to political restrictions, so, this year, we decided to bring the festival to Jordan so everyone can enjoy their favourite bands all gathered in one place,” Halman added.

In a bid to break the geopolitical barriers, the organisers seek to combine the performances of diverse Palestinian bands with the local Jordanian scene.

Participants will include various alternative bands from Palestine, such as Bethlehem band Mafar, the Continer Band, from Jerusalem and Ramallah, Hawa Dafi, from occupied Golan, Haifa-based Rasha Nahas and the Band and The Synaptic, according to the organisers. 

“The name ‘alternative’ comes from the will to develop an alternative to the common music genre people are used to hear. As a different kind of music, it seeks to go against the conventional ways of society and the negative effects it has on its youth whether social or political,” PAM Fest. statement said. 

“Alternative music is now considered the voice of the youth throughout the Arab world because it expresses their problems and speaks their language,” the statement noted.