Upcoming Events

May 26, 2011: Shakira performs in Beirut, but more importantly, Sima takes the stage to deliver some of her new songs. An opportunity not to be missed, unless, of course, one is a certified idiot - present company excepted.

September 11, 12: Attention: This is the first time in a while we've posted a date in advance (I hope I remember how to do it). Saturday we'll take the stage as Walid Itayim and friends, Sunday as Munir Khauli and same friends. One concert in English, another in Arabic; something for everyone. Not to be missed; I know I'll be there.

June 26, on Hamra Street, we did (yes, I was too busy to give advance notice) a concert to mark the annual Arabic Language Day. I addressed the throng in classial Arabic, to the dismay of all concerned. But the performances were terrific.

A week earlier we had performed as Walid Itayim and Friends, at Sporting Club, to a less than sporting crowd, and we managed to keep from getting blown off by the gusts of ferocious winds to give a fearsome recital. Our best to date, perhaps.

April 18, 2010. My, how time flies. The Unesco Palace will again see us traipsing onto the stage for another history-making concert, this time in honor and recognition of Omar Z'inni, father of all modern Lebanese songwriters, and supreme social critic and humorist. Omar has gained previous mention on our pages, and for good reason: he is The Man, fullstop.

Along with three other artists, I have been approached to arrange three of Omar's texts into popular song form and perform them on stage. Ahmad Kaabour, Tanya Saleh and Mashrooh Leila round out the line-up.

Hopefully we'll do justice to the genius of Omar Z'inni.

May 28, a return to the airwaves on Orbit's Oyoun Beirut, with Walid Itayim as backing band. If we get the same interviewers as we did the last time around, expect an indoor Waterloo. We'll be performing my biggest hit: Xtra.

May 23, 2009. A concert by Ziad Rahbani closed the day's program, after a speech from the General ( Electric, ha! Decidedly not), which explains why we posted this after the event. Enough said.

October 25. This comes well after the fact, again. We participated in a music festival back in September and put on a manic show. Details are now redundant, of course, but we make mention of this for lack of other news. At least we've posted some new photos in the gallery, of the aforementioned concert and some more of that inimitable Bob Shenkleesh - probably the highest paid actor of his generation (they pay me to stay off the set while they get some shooting done). And the Diary, that miserable, forlorn Diary ? Call it a premature Sabbatical that I've taken in mid year, for want of a more plausible explanation at the moment. In fifty years, when the information is no more classified, the truth shall come out, and the truth shall set me free - six feet under though I may be.

2007 now. This comes well after the fact, I'm afraid: July 15th, 8 A.M. (but you don't have to get up early for it, as we are already a few days into August), Future Television's Akhbar el Sabah broadcast a live interview with Bob Shenkleesh; a candid face-to-face-to-face meeting (2 hosts for the show, my reputation seems to have preceeded me) during which I aired a lot of clean laundry (the dryer at home was not spinning) and spoke of my leap into the silver screen. You may have missed it, but don't jump off that balcony just yet. We will include the interview in a 4th DVD, which will be on store shelves soon after the release of the first three. For a glimpse of what has been hailed as the new face of cinema, check out the photos in the Gallery section.

December 15th, evening, we'll be at Virgin Megastore, downtown, launching the Banadoura CD, a compilation of songs by various artists, including a few of mine. It is customary at such events to sing a song or two, and I will try to do that, if nothing gets in the way of preparation.

The CD introduces MEEN, a new band with a very interesting songwriting direction, comprising Tony and Fuad Yamine. Big things are ahead for those two. Also on the compilation are songs by Nadim Abu Khalil, sung by the comedienne Zeina Dakash; and some of The Quiminboo's Vintage work, a group whose work I've enjoyed since the 80's of the last century. P.S. Mention Myspace and receive a free gift.

September 15th, 2 P.M. Orbit's "Oyoun Beirut" will host me for my first post-war interview. I'll be sure to ask them, "War, what war?", and raise other real issues that everyone else has evaded. You can't miss it. Well, you could, but you really shouldn't. This is the most anticipated television event since Get Smart went off the air. Brace yourselves.

July. NEW THIS MONTH - Ground-breaking commentary on OPERATION SOUR GRAPES. Scroll down and take a right at DIARY. Plus, after a mere two year delay, we finally present photos from the rained out concert in Gemmayze. It took a lot of air brushing to render me human like, and still the net result is in doubt. Also, in the CLIPPINGS section, you'll find a review of a compilation disc featuring several artists. Tony Yamine and brother Fuad comprise Meen, a new band driven by the vigor of youth and armed with technological know-how. Their songs reflect the ideas of a new generation and are graced by the angelic voice of Fuad, while Tony, a computer wiz and insightful businessman, shrewdly engineers the band's path to success. A bright future awaits the pair, despite the delay in launching the CD, which features some of their songs, along with a few of mine, and others by original but noncommercial artists. Everything else is old, so don't get your hopes up. But we're working on it. Soon we'll proudly present a fabulous makeover, and you'll be pleased, or my money back.

January 5th, 2006. Shortly after 10:00 A.M. I will once again be peeking at you through the television screen, this time at the national television station, Tele Liban. I shall proceed by giving my state-of-the-nation address, followed by my mailing address (for donations). Then I hope to sing a couple of songs, bolstered by my right hand guitarist, Walid, of "World of the Dragon" fame, he being the crafty webmaster who brings you this site. The timing should coincide with your morning cup of coffee - assuming you are out of work, like us. Sit back and enjoy, you can always look through the classified ads later.

December 31st, 10:00 A.M. Bid the rotten year farewell in style, tune in to Future Television, where I'll be chatting with Rima and Ghida, singing a few tunes, cracking a few jokes; the standard menu of cheerful, enlightening fun. Walid will be there to help along with the music.

December 31st, 10:00 P.M. If you miss the morning interview and are so desolate you're contemplating ending it all, don't! Not yet. You can still catch me on Future, heralding in the New Year with unbridled optimism, to last at least 24 hours, before reality sinks in again. (After the show you will be more justified in doing yourself in.)

November 7th. A Monday night and what better way to kick off a week in high gear than curl up in front of the television and enjoy an intense musical performance with the ravishing diva, Pascale Michaalani, UNPLUGGED. Yes, you heard right! Rotana 'music' channel shot the historic event and will air it at 9 P.M., under the title "Aal watar". My role in this? I helped bring up the rear (the band's) with fellow guitarists Samir and Michel. We put the Gypsy Kings to shame with our frenzied chords and light-speed riffs. Truly an event not to be missed.

November 11th. For those (lucky ones) who missed glimpses of me serving a sentence with the house band of 'Akher Khabriyeh', on Future TV, here's some good news: the show, conceived for and broadcast daily during the Holy Month, will live on as a weekly show. Friday nights at 10:30 on the satellite channel, and Sunday evenings at 6:30 on the local channel. Tune in for an hour-and-a-half of pure fun-filled entertainment, with charismatic host Micho.

I will NOT be staging my first proper concert this year on July 28th, on Hamra street. And I apologise for the false alarm. The fact is that I was eager to participate in the Arabic Music Festival but a number of impediments arose. Firstly, our night was pushed to the 29th, and that eliminated the presence of our keyboard player, Mazen Siblini, who will be away on that date. Secondly, the band's budget was slashed in half, making it impossible to compensate our band members in an adequate manner. Then the festival was adjourned till mid-August, a time when other members of the group are otherwise engaged. So forgive me for not appearing, but I opt to wait for a better occasion. Until then don't hang out in the streets too long.

July 28th. I will be staging my first proper concert this year on July 28th, on Hamra street. That falls on a Thursday, part of a week-long festival entitled "The Arabic Music Week". I understand it will be free of charge and will feature a few worthy names, like Omar Bashir, to name just one. If you're anywhere in the area do come by - we'll be right there, carving musical history.

June 25th, 11:00 A.M. I will be appearing on Aalam el Sabah, Future Television, and grilled by Ghida and Rima. To help me come out a winner (or at least alive) the dependable Walid, composer/guitarist/webmaster will accompany me and help out on guitar. We'll sing a couple of songs, crack a few jokes, and we'll plug the upcoming concert on July 28th. Check us out - better than the Playboy channel, and no silicone.

January 20th, 2005, 2:00 P.M. To help kick off Adha ceremonies, ORBIT television will be hosting me on the program 'Oyoun Beirut' ( Eyes of Beirut- great name, right?). I'll be talking about my stellar success in the field of advertising, namely as that mysterious gravel-and-sand voice behind the popular Xtra campaign. Don't look at me! The show's producer loves those ads. And the show is broadcast LIVE, so, with my propensity for shoving as much foot in my mouth as I can chew at one sitting, I'd better think before I speak (little chance of that).

May 15th, 9:00 P.M. La Semaine De L'europe festival on the Gemmayzeh stairs will include a performance by yours truly. I have no idea what Europe has to do with me but I'm eager to play to an audience on stairs - that will be a first. So, if you feel like you need some exercise, climb up and watch me do my thing.

March 31st, 8:30 P.M. I'll be performing in ZICO HOUSE, accompanied by a small band. It should be a close encounter of some kind, and I enjoy those the most. If you have nothing better to do, come over and join in the fun.

January 11th, 1:15 P.M. NBN television will host me as a guest on their morning show. I anticipate to have lost a lot of sleep by then, owing to a temporary job that keeps me up later than my usual bedtime. For that reason, it is difficult to predict whether I'll be groggy and incoherent or - by some miracle - sharp and focused. In the former event don't try to adjust your television screen, that'll only make my interviewer look fuzzy.

January 7th, 2004, 6:00 P.M. Future television (Local) will air the episode of "Yawmiyyat" featuring alternative music. I cracked some funny jokes that night and my fellow musicians Zico, Suzy Abu Samra and Rana Eid said some very poignant things about the business. An excellent way to spend an hour.

December 30th, 5.00 P.M., Future Television International (Satellite) will air an episode of "Yawmiyyat", featuring myself and a couple of colleagues who work in the music business. The show turned out a bit comical and should be fun to watch.

December 16th, I'll be on Sawt El Shaab (Voice of the People), 103.7 FM, starting 10:30 A.M. Should the day turn out to be a rainy one and you are at a loss as to how to spend the morning, I'll be right there, chattering away and taking calls from our esteemed listeners.

December 6th, 1.00 P.M., Radio Monte Carlo will air an interview I recently taped. Should you find yourself near a radio, or stuck in traffic and going nowhere, tune to Monte Carlo, somewhere in the 12 hundreds AM, and have a few laughs.

November 16th, 2:30 P.M. and 10:30 P.M., tune to Heya TV and check out an interview they recently did with me.

November 13th 2003, I will be appearing with my band at the Ya Salam Music Festival, at the UNESCO Palace in Beirut. Sponsoring the event is Memoire pour L'avenir, a commitee dedicated to promoting Peace. Other artists appearing are Charbel Rouhana, Tania Saleh, Soap Kills, Prince K, and Aks El Sayr.