Lebanese band Adonis brought their pop-rock sound to a packed El-Genaina Theatre Wednesday, 28 September. Taking the stage for two hours, the five-member band performed a selection from their two albums to date: Daw L Baladyyi (Light of the Street, 2011) and Men Shou Bteshki Beirut (What Is There to Complain About, Beirut? 2013), to the cheers of their ardent fans. Founded in January 2011, Adonis is a five-member Lebanese band that draws musical inspiration from Lebanese and Arabic music. The band's line-up includes Anthony Khoury (vocals and keys), Joey Abou Jawdeh (guitar), Gio Fikany (bass guitar), and Nicola Hakim (drums). The band's enigmatic name has left many asking what it means. Khoury, the band's lead singer, says the name means different things to the band as they continue to grow over the years. The name Adonis comes from Greek mythology, referring to Aphrodite's love. It is also the name of the town north of Beirut where Khoury grew up. On the other hand, Khoury also says that the band enjoys the poetic nature of the name, which was a penname for Syrian poet Ali Saeed Esber, known as Adunis. The name Adonis was decided on after the release of band's first song titled Stouh Adonis (Adonis' Rooftops), where the band talks about the Lebanese town. “The song grew and [became] a big success when we launched it,” Khoury told Ahram Online in a recent interview. “We found the concept fascinating [and] very poetic; Adonis represents the god of beauty [in Ancient Greek mythology]. It was a very mythological and romantic [connection] between the town that is very industrial and not related to anything poetic. It was a very interesting contradiction to build on.” Since the band's beginning in 2011 and the release of their two albums, Adonis' fan base has grown significantly in Lebanon and beyond. The band's identity has been challenged as it navigates the music industry and its growing success. Their third album, done in collaboration with Lebanese producer and musician Jean-Marie Riachi, will be released later this year. Adonis band perform at Cairo's El-Genaina Theatre on 28 September 2016. (Photo: Ahram Online) Anthony Khoury, Adonis' vocalist and keyboardist, performs at Cairo's El-Genaina Theatre on 28 September 2016. (Photo: Ahram Online) Adonis band perform at Cairo's El-Genaina Theatre on 28 September 2016. (Photo: Ahram Online) Adonis band perform at Cairo's El-Genaina Theatre on 28 September 2016. (Photo: Ahram Online) For more arts and culture news and updates, follow Ahram Online Arts and Culture on Twitter at @AhramOnlineArts and on Facebook at Ahram Online: Arts & Culture
