Nouveau rocks again
YOUNGSTOWN — Word around town is that Saturday’s Nouveau Rock Music and Arts Festival was a hit.
If you were among the 300-plus people at Cedars Saturday night, you’d know it’s true. Everything from drum-and-bass band Ten Cylinder Typewriter to the mature sound of The Deadbeat Poets were presented to a diverse audience eager to hear new things.
Event organizer and Zou frontman Khaled Tabbara says he has had nothing but positive feedback, even from his most jaded friends.
“It really was an amazing night,” Tabbara says. “I don’t want to sound weird, but it was like magical. It was a magical evening for downtown Youngstown.”
Tabbara says all of the bands played well, especially the acts on the B Stage, located in the side room between the Main Stage in the bar and the patio. He says the B-Stage area gave off very positive vibes and he was impressed by everything from the sound to the lighting.
“Everything about the B room was not B,” Tabbara says. “The room was smaller, but we made it cooler. There was never any intention of it being second string. I feel like that second room was much more like punk rock.”
He says what he loves about Nouveau is that it brings a positive vibe to downtown. It’s all done with this “leave your ego at the door type of mentality,” and from the beginning, everyone was pumped, everyone promoted and at the end of the night, everyone won.
Nouveau-virgin Sewing Machine War kicked off the evening on the B Stage, and may have been the best newer act of the night. Singer Cody Duma says he has been to Nouveau in the past, and was excited to play in this one. He says Nouveau in-and-of-itself is really great thing, especially since it’s in the heart of Youngstown.
Duma says even though none of the bands have major label support, Youngstown offers a lot of creativity and song writing talent. He says they pull inspiration from other bands, and it was a joy, not only to be a part of the entertainment, but to be a part of the audience as well.
“[Nouveau] brings in a different crowd, which is refreshing,” Duma says. “I think Youngstown has a very good music scene.”
Ten Cylinder Typewriter, The Devotees, The Deadbeat Poets and the Zou played on the Main Stage, while Sewing Machine War, along with Posture Coach, Third Class and the Realtime Digimob played on the B Stage. Duma says they’ve played at Cedars before, so the change in atmosphere was like playing at a new venue.
“It was like a whole new place,” Duma says. “It was fun in there and the energy in the room it was very retro, punk rock.”
Lee Boyle of Third Class is no stranger to Nouveau. He says they have played every Nouveau since the beginning, and he says this one was by far the best.
“The bands, I think this time, were a little more developed, a little better,” Boyle says. “I know it’s only been a few years sine the first Nouveau, but it seemed like the talent was fresher than normal.“
Boyle says this was their third time being kind of a co-headliner, and Nouveau has helped them a lot. He says their indie/punk style takes a few shows for the average fan to accept it, let alone like it, so Nouveau has been a great promoter for them.
Boyle says his absolute favorite moment of the night was during The Deadbeat Poets set because it made him think of ‘70s punk, which for Boyle, is incorporated into what Nouveau means to him.
“Ever since the beginning of the term, nouveau, in the early 1960s, people have done their best to define the term,” Boyle says. “I think this show is an example of that.“
Tabbara says that not only was Nouveau enjoyed by the people who went, but it was broadcast live on the Internet by ruKus radio. Tabbara says he has friends in California, New York, Texas and Florida listening, and he was happy to be able to share that experience with them.
“How fucking cool it was that my boys from ruKus radio were broadcasting the whole thing live,” Tabbara says. “Because of my boys and ruKus radio, the Nouveau Rock Fest went national.”
Another noteworthy mention is that after nearly 36 hours of separation, Zou bassist Murad Shorrab was reunited with his Palestinian flag at Nouveau.
Friday afternoon, The Zou played a set in Federal Plaza, and Shorrab, who is of Middle-Eastern descent, hung his flag on the vacant flagpole. After a few complaints by passers-by, Youngstown Defender and Downtown’s Special Events Director Phil Kidd did a super-hero like hurdle over the band to remove the flag.
The flag has been displayed at every Zou show since Shorrab joined, with the exception of their show in Kent Friday night. Kidd returned the flag before The Zou performed at Nouveau.
“I don’t want to play a show without it,” Shorrab says. “There’s so many negative stereotypes about Arabs and playing with the flag on-stage is a positive thing.”
In the end, Tabbara says the show is “for the artists, by the artists,” but also to bring people out to see bands they wouldn’t usually see.
“The mission was accomplished, everyone was amazed at the quality of the music, all the hard work was completely vindicated,” Tabbara says. “I feel like every ounce of energy I put into it I got back in positive energy.”
Comments
phil kidd apparently does not defend palestinian-youngstownians?
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actually in defense of phil kidd and palestinian-youngstownians, he was only doing what he was told to do. there were some very angry people that day. we have audio from the Zoutleg if you would like to hear it. and come on... have we all melted into one giant pot? whats the big deal about a flag?
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thank god phil saved the town from that evil flag
how dare anyone have to be reminded of anyone else's culture
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It was more or less a flag "save" in an effort to avoid a fight in the middle of Federal Plaza.
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good thing he was around to save people from ideas they were uncomfortable with
like other countries besides america existing and having flags
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This is going to stir the pot, but I’m going to say it anyway. I don’t think there was a problem with the Palestinian flag being displayed, the issue was more or less with the way it was displayed…by itself on a flagpole on Federal Plaza, a public area essentially owned by U.S. taxpayers. The appropriate thing to do would have been to display the American flag above the Palestinian flag on that pole. This isn’t to say, “America is superior to Palestine,” it’s simply a sign of respect for the country in which you live and freely play your music.
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God Bless America...The land of elitism, hypocrisy and excessive taxation
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It's not like they removed an American Flag to put the other one up. I don't understand, no one gets upset when they drive past an Italian restaurant and they have their flag hanging (we were at war with them too). With Nouveau, the Zou gave artists and musicians a place to freely express themselves. If Murad wants to express himself by hanging a flag of his heritage, more power to him.
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yeah, it's pure hypocrisy. we can eat your food and listen to your bass playing, but god forbid you hang up your piece of fabric in a public place. phil kidd is just enabling all of the retards that murad is trying to fight against by hanging his flag.
the only thing cosmopolitan about youngstown are the drinks white people order at imbibe.
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no one was up in arms that the american flag has not been proudly displayed on that particular pole for some time. no one was trying to put up an american flag last weekend at bdubs or last month for that matter. americans usually arent conscious of their own patriotism until its time for a dick-measuring contest with another country, and its usually just ignorant aholes going OMGTURRISTS. and we keep kowtowing to them.
murad is always wearing his defend youngstown shirt, phil kidds flag, but he cant return the favor? some defense. im sure if someone told murad to change his tshirt murad would tell them to stuff it.
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UPDATE: an american flag now flies on that same pole. looks like murad shook some foundations. nice job, fellas!
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Man, when did Youngstown become so white male?
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I don't know of a foreign country that you could do the same thing in, with an American flag, and not receive scrutiny.
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"I don't know of a foreign country that you could do the same thing in, with an American flag, and not receive scrutiny."
American flags have you hung in foreign countries?
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that should be "HOW MANY American flags have you hung in foreign countries?"
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i though thats why america was founded (albeit through eminent domain), to be some kind of melting pot for people of all religions and ethnicities to coexist without their flags being taken down because of ill-informed preconceived notions. were any of the naysayers offended because of anti-semitism or the conflict with israel, rather than middle-eastern generalizations? rukus supposedly has the whole thing on tape. enlighten us. id hate to think that we couldnt have some sort of middle-eastern day downtown, given the number of palestinian and other nationalies in this town, without idiots forcing them to hide their flags.
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sarah, ask and ye shall receive. tomorrow night on ruKus on the road. 7pm. roadcasting (and no, that's not a type-o) live from the royal oaks. i'm sure you know where that is. tune in. i'm sure you know where to do that, too. we'll roadcast the audio from the now-legendary flag day. we had to boost it, as it happened on the opposite end of the square as our mics (in the middle of traffic, construction and rain) so, needless to... it's a little rough. but we'll walk you through it. and if you want a copy of the whole Zoutleg, we'll have them at the oaks.
Synchroni-cerely,
the ruKus
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"I don't know of a foreign country that you could do the same thing in, with an American flag, and not receive scrutiny."
what does that have to do with anything?
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It has to do with something because America is the best. Are you not a patriot?
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"It has to do with something because America is the best. Are you not a patriot?"
Man, I think I just died inside.
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"Patriot: the person who can holler the loudest without knowing what he is hollering about." According to Twain's definition, it is more than likely you are a patriot.
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they could of put the flags closer to them, like behind the drums, then maybe people would of related it to them instead of just riding by downtown and seeing these 2 flags flying. Americans are dying now, in this war and although palistine is not involved with us its just alttle to close for comfort. Fly them both or move them closer to the band.
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i plan on storming my local olive garden tonight to ensure that every piece of harmful italian propaganda has a tiny american flag next to it. are they even aware how close italy is to iraq?
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hahahaha ruKus on the road RIGHT NOW!!! From Jim Traficant's brithday party at The Royal Oaks! The Flagleg is coming very soon. Tune in!
Synchroni-cerely,
the ruKus
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ya know I have no idea who this bobservo is but I can just say or should I say ask, why must you put negative comments back to everyone? The olive garden is as much Italian as you. You really keep people from commenting on here because everyone who does has to put up with your 2 cents. Imagonna smackayou upside the head someday!
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Imagonna smackayou upside the head someday!Imagonna smackayou upside the head someday!Imagonna smackayou upside the head someday!Imagonna smackayou upside the head someday!Imagonna smackayou upside the head someday!Imagonna smackayou upside the head someday!Imagonna smackayou upside the head someday!Imagonna smackayou upside the head someday!Imagonna smackayou upside the head someday!Imagonna smackayou upside the head someday!Imagonna smackayou upside the head someday!Imagonna smackayou upside the head someday!Imagonna smackayou upside the head someday!
LOL :-D
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i guess making fun of the misplaced patriotism of backwoods retards is too complex for some people to handle
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you'll never know when its coming Bob...and who ya calling a backwoods retard? Why does a retard have to be in the woods anyway Bob? Something tells me you are being mean on here to compensate for something else? Awwww, thats a shame
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