Salonaz Sami viewed an artistic demonstration in support of the occupied territories Just a few days after the ceasefire which had brought the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip to an end, a group of artists of various nationalities decided to show their support for Gaza by getting together at an impromptu art festival dedicated to the cause. At the Townhouse Gallery in Downtown Cairo, top Egyptian underground bands such as West Al-Balad, Massar Egbari, Ressala, and Eskenderella took part in the three-day festival of harmony and solidarity. "Artists are surely an essential part of our society," said Salma Shukrallah, one of the organisers. "They wanted to show their solidarity and support in both word and action." In that spirit, she added, 12 bands had graced the stage with their presence, each for a 30-minute set, and the entire proceeds had been donated to Gaza. The festival kicked off with a performance by Ressala, who got the crowds off their feet as they sang their famous hit track Abu Galabiya, which was featured in the 2008 film Ehna Etaabelna Abla Keda (Have we Met Before?). "Since we can't pick up a gun and go fight by their side, this is the least we could do," Nour Ashour, the band's star saxophonist, told Al-Ahram Weekly. Ashour, who played behind "the king", Mohamed Mounir, in the hit song from his latest album, Mesh Mehtag Atoub (No Need to Repent), emphasised the role of artists in responding to what is happening in Gaza. "What happened to the besieged people of Gaza is simply horrific," he added. "This is not a war between two enemies," commented Peter Alfred, an artist. "This is a superpower cowardly attacking children and civilians. And it is not about Hamas, as they claim. It is rather an attempt to annihilate an entire population." The second day of the festival opened with an astounding performance by 7ala (which translates as Mood Band. The "7", however, is the transliteration of the sound "h" in Arabic), who appeared suddenly from among the crowd wearing their pyjamas. "They have this amazing vibe which keeps me smiling while I listen to their somewhat depressing lyrics," Mohamed Ayoub, a student, told the Weekly. The band's lively performance, which took place amongst the crowd rather than on stage where all the other bands performed, captured the admiration of the audience, and according to Ayoub, the eight-member band was "defiantly one of the highlights of the festival". Next in line was Massar Egbari (The Compulsory Track Band) with its unique sound, a mix of different styles of music such as rock, jazz and blues with oriental Egyptian music. The band's members came up with its ironic name, explained Ayoub, to mirror the way society forces its powerful authority over people from childhood until the day they die. "This bizarre kind of control covers everything in our lives, including the way we think and feel, and leaves no room for creativity," he explained. The band presents a different kind of music, one that does not revolve around love and emotions, but rather society and its issues. No wonder the band has been invited to take part in several international festivals and competitions, winning the Bibliotheca Alexandria's first International Occidental Music Competition prize of the Best Band Performing Original Songs in Arabic in 2006. The festival was not just about playing music, however. Just a few metres from the stage volunteers sold T-shirts, bags, stickers and traditional Palestinian scarves, all for low prices. "Personally I think such artistic events are more effective than protests and sit-ins, because art has always assumed a historical role in crisis situations," said 24-year-old Dina El-Sheikh. "That is, speaking the truth and spreading the word about what is really going on." The Townhouse audience, which was less than a sell-out the first day but completely sold out on the next two, was a respectful mix of foreigners, journalists, human rights activists alongside curious average Egyptians who were just passing by the narrow passage where the Townhouse is located and were intrigued by the music and Palestinian flags hanging up outside. Even the little boy who served tables at the traditional café round the corner had a large sticker on the back of his scruffy black shirt that read, " Kolona Palestine," ("We're all Palestine"). When the Townhouse and its exciting compound of show spaces first opened in the middle of the busy Downtown area, its novel concept "took the art scene by storm", El-Sheikh commented. Concerts at the Townhouse are usually free of charge, but this time tickets priced at a modest LE20 were available at the door and were valid for all the festival's concerts. The event's activities concluded with a performance by the amazing West Al-Balad, who at the insistence of their fans remained on stage for about an hour. The band was joined by singer Laila Sami for the evening. The art festival, which was organised by the Popular Committee in Support of the Palestinian People (PCSPP), also included a three-day exhibition at the Townhouse Gallery which featured top Egyptian artists alongside famous Palestinian photographer Randa Shaath and her husband, American photojournalist Tom Hartwell. About 50 artists contributed in the exhibition, by donating some of their original pieces to the people of Gaza. A black and white photograph of a young girl in a Canadian Refugee Camp in Rafah was Shaath's contribution to the exhibition. In addition to the festival, the PCSPP has been organising all sorts of activities since the war on Gaza began. Such activities have included demonstrations and sit-ins in various parts of Cairo, and making sure that Palestinian victims admitted in Egyptian hospitals are receiving constant visits.
