Today: Life and Death

[Sahand Sahebdivani]

Hi everyone,

We all have a different image of death. In many spiritual traditions it is a portal. That which is us discards the mortal shell and moves on to a better place, or the source. I personally see it as an absence of warmth, a silence where the heart used to dance. Let's say an April day which looks bright from your window, but walking into the street you feel a chill kiss your face. The inevitable hug of entropy. 

Humans have been endlessly fascinated by the journey without a return, and we as the Mezrab, in our humble way, would like to contribute to the fascination with not one but two different events today!

The first is the music session of two brilliant musicians forming under the name Hamraaz! They mix spiritual and earthly melodies on oriental instruments such as the Tambour, Tar and Duduk. If the heartbeat is the testament to life, music created from dead wood, skin and mineral is a full on party of life. One you get to share with them, listen to the tracks here and buy your tickets.

While today's concert takes place in Mezrab you are also welcome in the abandoned funeral home of the Tot Zover funeral museum. A finely picked selection of Mezrab tellers are invited to tell stories there on life and loss. Through the personal and the mythological. The event is in English. We welcome you to step into a different world with us!

Now, I'm sure if this mail reaches you today you will immediately grab a ticket to either of two events. But just in case I see you tomorrow (which is your today), then I guess here's some future events for you to prepare for:

Tuesdays of course are the days in which we push the envelope of storytelling. Coming Tuesday Fer hosts his Off the Page night, which looks at the meeting between storytelling and literature. The week after, Raffi hosts another edition of Samizdat, the night when the personal and the political flow into one and other. 

Music:

Coming Sunday (April 28) we have another free jam session, this one under the delicious guidance of Orchestre Partout! Entrance is free and you are welcome to listen or to join with an instrument!

Thursday (May 02) is the folktronica disco night of the Mèraque band and DJ Mozes Meijer. If you any ailment that needs to be cured with Energetic Percussion, Electronics and Melancholy Clarinets, they have the exact remedy for you. Listen to tracks here and get your tickets.

On Sunday May 05 we bring two free birds of the Iranian underground scene together to give us their alternative/indy sound: Peyman Salimi and Sanam Maroufkhani. Peyman you might know from creating some of the best songs of Ali Azimi. Tell all your friends, especially the Iranian ones, and grab your tickets! (This concert has a student discount option!)

Saturday May 11 is the night for which we have to stock up on our Ouzo and Mastiha. Because we welcome back the mad Greeks of the Gidiki Band! Because honestly, there's an amount of Hoppa you need to have in this short life on earth, and you are not hitting your targets. Luckily we got you covered. 

That's it dear friend, see you at the events!

Sahand & Team

www.mezrab.nl

PS. Did you see our new website? Doesn't it look neat? Thanks Karl!

PPS. Speaking of life and death, is it time to kill our X (former Twitter) account? We haven't tweeted, or X-ed or whatever it's called these days, and whenever we boot up the app the vitriol and anger just makes us depressed. Let me know. Does the account live or die?

PPPS. I know I am writing to you from the perspective of a living person. "journey without a return" blablabla. If you are reading my mails in heaven first of all, well done on installing wifi there. The costs must be astronomical. But also, you get to listen to our music without paying for tickets, so sorry that I only address the living in our mails. Also, say hi to grandpa Shapour and Mama Mezrab.