SKULL Session Station Beirut - September 8

Since 2012, the Metal scene has started to pick up and get back on track, and bit by bit, things are looking great. I will not expand a lot on this subject (maybe in another article), but what makes up the Scene? It is definitely not only the bands, it is also the organizers, media, managers, and behind-the-scene people, but most importantly the FANS.

“The fans are the cornerstone of any scene” – Bassem Deaibess.

In an exclusive talk with Blaakyum’s frontman Bassem, we asked him a few questions to understand the concept behind the event and why the event was set up this way. He explained: “[The fans] have been dwindling for many reasons; half of those reasons got to do with the country’s situation economically and politically. The other got to do with the not so entertaining events that have been happening lately. What I mean by not so entertaining is that despite sometimes having a great organization, the events lack the punch. The sound is usually too tamed or loud but painful and it is rarely pleasurable. All in all, the few metalheads we still have are being alienated from the scene itself. Add also the poor band choices.”

(Continue below …)

So in order to come up with an event that will give a positive picture of the Lebanese Metal scene to the fans and give them a taste that will keep them interested in investing in their local bands, and in order to give a push for the already growing scene, Blaakyum decided to put up a free event with high standard production:

“So we want fans to come, for a free event, with 4 bands from different styles, with a very thought-through production. Add to that the fact that we have people willing to sacrifice.

I never did this before because I was not able and was not focusing on organizing events but rather focusing on the band.

Now I pulled some strings, the sound provider [Wicked Solutions] is a Metalhead, and willing to chip in, and we have Bach Music Institute that wants to invest in the idea of creating a market.

These two main players in this event made it possible as a free event.”

Mr. Deaibess didn’t forget to mention how important the role of the bands and their performance on stage are. He stressed that music, “even if [a band] wants to be ‘grim’ and ‘Kvlt’, is in fact entertainment”.

“Let us not forget that when a band plays on stage, it should be entertaining, even if it has a socio-political message.

The hope is to show a few other key players in the “entertainment” business that Metal is also a place they can invest in.

If we lose the entertainment part of the Metal Culture, then the scene cannot be sustained in any way.”

SKULL Session

Date: September 8, 2016
Bands: Blaakyum, Phenomy, Turbulence, Qantara
Venue: Station Beirut
Entrance: Free of charge

EVENT DESCRIPTION:

A FREE event for all Heavy Metal enthusiasts featuring a selection of some of the best bands in the Lebanese Metal Society today:

Blaakyum (As part of “Line Of Fear Tour” – bit.ly/2bXTlmv)