Back to the music festival, starting with the Bat’ha. Another baroque ensemble, the Concerto di Arianna from Italy. They were cold, frigid, didn’t communicate well with the audience, and I got to spend around two hours catching up on some sleep:
They were playing Vivaldi. I’m sorry, I’m not big on classical music. Snooooooooze:
At Bab Al-Makina, the legendary Youssou Ndour:
Collaborating with the sufi Tijāniyyah Brotherhood of Morocco:
Some African (Senegalese?) dancer:
At the Dar Tazi, the Sufi Nights continued. The Medina Group of Russia:
These chicks were God awful. Not only were they singing along to recorded music, but they were singing in ARABIC. Awful.
Thank God they weren’t the highlight, and with good reason! Next up were the Khalwatiyya Brotherhood of Meknes, directed by Abdellah El Makhtoubi:
They were AMAZING. Their voices, their performance, their energy. But I left halfway through, thanks to the bastard audience. They would not shut the fuck up, even when I shouted at a few idiots, gave some idiots evil stares, nothing worked, nothing. By the time I left people were Moroccan-dabka dancing (what do you call a Moroccan dabka? Madry…)… I was scared for my life honestly. It was a stampede. You can hear how annoying it was in the video:
I wanted to go see a voodoo/black magic/white magic/whatever shop to take some pictures coz I’d read somewhere that they were a real photographic treat. Hassan said there was one in Sefrou, so we took the long, scenic route out there:
Finally at Sefrou, we went to see a synagogue:
Inscription on the light thing. If anyone knows Hebrew, lemme know what it says:
Jewish architecture. Balconies and big windows:
We didn’t find the place I had in mind (Hassan probably did it on purpose to stop me from going there. People have a real, intense fear of those places), but we did end up having some good grub:
This day was spent further exploring Fez’s Medina. You discover something new every time you come here. A real treasure trove, full of weird and wonderful delights:
I’m obsessed with that camel head:
There were plenty of sheep and goat heads lined up too, but I couldn’t get a shot in the hustle and bustle.
Renovations in the Medina. Apparently this area was won in an international selling bid, and was bought by some folks who plan on turning it into some big touristy project thingamajig:
Beautiful garden in the Bat’ha:
Read the sign ya 7awash ya ’3ajar ya beeeeee2a :
Some funky old snake whisperer at Bab Boujloud. I think he put a curse on me coz I refused to give him a smoke, even though I did give him 70 dirhams :
At the Bat’ha, another high-energy performance. This time the artist was Urbain Philéas from the French Reunion:
The crowd went nuts:
One of the performances from the previous nights that had to be delayed due to the rain was on at a venue right across the street from the Bat’ha museum, and since there wasn’t anything til 8 at Bab Al-Makina, it was a good opportunity to catch up with the events. The Paraguay Barroco Ensemble:
At the Bab Al-Makina, French rapper Abd Al Malik:
I left half-way through. He gave me a massive headache, plus his performance was dry and stiff and blekh:
There was no event at Dar Tazi, but the Sufi Nights was moved to the Bat’ha for this evening. No doubt due to the massive crowd that showed up:
Andalusian music by the Moroccan Haj Tazi Massano:
Another shit-tastic day, where the rain wouldn’t ease up. I decided to give myself another break, and slept in. No morning adventure.
I went to Bat’ha, and obviously, due to the bad weather, the venue had to be changed. The new venue was the Palais Jenan, in the New Fez, and let me tell you, that venue BLOWS!!! I am EXTREMELY disappointed with the festival, for one reason, and one reason only: IT IS ONE DISORGANIZED MESS!!!
The Gundecha Brothers were set to perform on June 7th. The new venue was just one big ass hall, where they had about 50 rows of seats, all on the same level, facing the almost-ground-level stage. It was a nightmare trying to get a glimpse of the performance, let alone try to get a picture. UGH! I HATED THIS SHOW!!! It was supposed to be a highlight of the festival, and was highly anticipated. The festival organizers RUINED IT!!
Then, like the previous day, there was supposed to be 6 events going on at approximately the same time and you had to pick two or three. I only got to see one, yet again, at the same Palais Jenan. IT BLEW!!!! I COULDN’T SEE JACK SHIT!!!
It was a silent film, The Light of Asia, by Franz Osten, 1925, accompanied by a live concert, in which musicians of the Manghaniyar caste of Rajasthan, recreate the original music for the film:
And finally, back at Dar Tazi, respite from the disorganization of the day at the Sufi Nights. Tonight, we were treated to an extremely entertaining, high-energy performance by the Divana Ensemble, also from Rajasthan:
Since we were in Ifrane earlier in the day, and because it was a sopping wet day at that, I didn’t get to see the concert at the Bat’ha at 4. Mainly because I was late, and also because, as luck would have it, the event started at Bat’ha, but the rain caused the event to be moved to another venue, where all madness and chaos ensued, from what I heard. Oh well.
So we wandered around the Medina, while waiting for the events of the night. Snails struck my fancy:
Mmmmmmmm, yummyyyyyyyyyyyy:
I’ve discovered that Moroccan women loathe me. But I don’t mind, the men LOVE me, and that’s what counts :
I’ve never had more fun being in a “shopping” place <3 :
Notice something about this café? I’ll give you a minute to think about it:
Figured it out? Alllllllllllllllll ALLLLLLLLLLLL the seats are facing the same direction. It’s a Moroccan pastime for folks to sit in cafés from dawn ’til dusk people-watching. There were many packed cafés full of men just sitting there, idly gazing. Unfortunately I couldn’t get a picture of that sight, as I’m sure I would’ve gotten a beating if I’d dared to take a shot But yeah, typical Arab hobby I guess
Back to the music. There were six events going on at approximately the same time on this night, which was very annoying. I hated the fact that I had to pick two or three events, and miss out on the rest. But the weather avenged me. It was raining goats and sheep, and since most events and concerts were in outdoor venues, they had to be cancelled or postponed to another day. I made a choice and decided to go to Dar Mokri, which, as luck would have it, was an indoor venue. I’m so glad I picked this event:
Jesús Corbacho was absolutely PAINFUL. AGONIZING. And not in a bad way, oh no. You could feel his pain in his voice, in his songs, his performance. Sure, it was Spanish Flamenco and I couldn’t understand a damn word, but I felt like someone, something, was ripping ME apart. It was absolutely stunning, that someone’s vulnerability would be put up on stage for all to see. Admirable, senor Jesús:
I was too busy enjoying being serenaded to film, so I only managed to do so when they were given a standing ovation, and they were generous enough to grace us with an encore:
So yeah, out of six events, I made a lucky choice and got to attend the one most worth going to. I think, after opening night’s “Majnun and Layla”, the Jesús and co event was the best performance of the entire festival.
After Dar Mokri, it was back to Dar Tazi for the Sufi Nights.
Laying out the carpets, since the rain had finally stopped pouring:
Sheikh Taha, a Sufi munshid from Luxor:
I loved this performance. I’ve always wanted to see Egyptian Sufi munshideen. Riveting stuff:
And of course, it was my birthday. A surprise birthday party was waiting for me at my Riad:
Thank you Mohamed, Hassan, and Hamza for the gifts and a super special day :* :
Slightly recovered from the flu from hell, Hassan decided to take me to the town of Ifrane on June 6th.
طبيعة خلابة :
Ifrane is the king’s “ski resort” town:
Super clean. Super green:
Are you sure we’re in Morocco, and not Switzerland? PS that SUV had an Abu Dhabi license plate, which I was interested in more than the architecture of the place :
I think storks are competing with white metal flowers for dominance of territory over Morocco’s rooftops:
Ifrane’s domesticated monkeys:
The ringleader:
And by domesticated, I mean domesticated. Those boys on the horses would whistle at the monkeys, and the little buggers would walk along with!:
I found this tree very spooky. It was the only bare tree amongst a vast forest of greenery. Freaky. And the graffiti and carvings didn’t help it’s cause either:
I got the flu and sore throat from HELL on this day, so I slept in and didn’t go on an adventure. I did however wake up just early enough to attend the 4pm concert at the Bat’ha, and I’m glad I didn’t miss it. June 5th’s event was the Hevra David Hamelech Chorale, Jewish and Muslim Moroccans uniting in music and song:
Since I wasn’t with Hassan that day, I’d met a kid the night before, 7amza, who I saw when I came out of Bat’ha. He offered to walk with me at Bab Boujloud square, which is right next to Bab Al-Makina. Perfect!:
Oh Fez, how I love you so
Entertainment for the locals:
I wonder what this game is called… hmmmm:
The market side of Bab Boujloud:
A seriously overcast day :/ :
There were free events for the locals, at Bab Boujloud, amongst other places. Folks waiting for the event to start:
Bab Al-Makina time came round. I thoroughly DISLIKED Julia Boutrous’ concert. It was very… morbid? :
Even her outfit was very stern and angry and just all in your face and whoa back off :/ :
And after the Bab Al-Makina, the Fez Sufi Nights were held at Dar Tazi, in the Bat’ha area. This night’s performance was by the Derkaouia Brotherhood, from the Moroccan town of Essaouira:
I love you Fez :’( :
More of my Morocco trip posts coming your way soon.
Remember, the main reason I was in Morocco, or Fez for that matter, was to attend the Fez Festival of World Sacred Music. My mornings were spent checking out Fez’s Medina or the neighboring towns and cities, and my afternoons and nights were spent attending the concerts.
The 4 pm concerts were held at the Bat’ha Museum, an absolutely stunning venue. Featured were some works by Moroccan artists, and these are my two absolute favorites:
Our first stop in the Medina was the Bou Inania Madrasa:
Very pretty:
The very busy entrance:
Then we hit the Maison Du Bronze:
And had a look inside a restaurant. Shame it was closed for siesta:
A zenga where they specialise in Moroccan wedding kosha:
A museum that used to be a tavern for merchants. Bad with names, sorry I forgot:
Inside:
Another mosque/shrine… yes I forgot it’s name:
Po-po:
Waiting for someone to come talk to us about Moroccan Sufism… :
That didn’t happen though, coz I got the verbal lashing of a lifetime soon after I took this gorgeous picture:
I ran for my life, and we ended up at yet another mosque, whose name has disappeared from my memory too :
You can pray AND compose your shopping list at the same time Look, the market almost overlaps the mosque:
Us unveiled chicks were given cloaks with hexe hoods :
After the mosque, we hit a rooftop to get a good view of the tannery. It wasn’t a hot day, so there wasn’t that foreboding smell of death that I was expecting, and I didn’t get to stuff mint in my nostrils. I don’t know if that’s a good thing, or if I missed out on an experience.
Can you count the number of white metal flowers covering the rooftops in the background? :
Directly below me:
Curious fella:
Closer look:
Better shot of those insane rooftops:
Then, a hop and a skip to a herbalist/beauty shop, where I got a demonstration of how Argan oil is produced:
Even the simplest shops are stunning with their stonework (can you call it mosaic?) and colorfulness:
All under the King’s ever-watchful all-seeing eye *shudder*:
July 1, 2011
Dodo
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