Sounds Of Omar Souleyman

Syrian musician Omar Souleyman is playing three Australian shows in early March.

For the past 15 years, he and his group have emerged as a staple of folk-pop, his sounds reflecting Syrian street culture casio-craziness strained through the timeless folk world of the Middle East.

The musical traditions of the region are evident in the music of Souleyman and his band, who intertwine sounds of Syria, Iraq, Turkey and the sizable Kurdish population.

Expect the ultimate party music!

Souleyman's superb and varied vocal stylings feature over high-octane Syrian Dabke (the regional folkloric dance music), frantic keyboard solos, reeds, stringed instruments and percussion.

This is a rare opportunity to glimpse into Syrian street-level folk-pop, a phenomenon seldom heard in the West in this form.

Omar Souleyman will play at the Northcote Social Club on Sunday March 6. Tickets are $25+bf and are available now from northcotesocialclub.com.

He will also perform at the Hi-Fi in Brisbane on Wednesday March 9, and Sydney's Annandale Hotel on Saturday March 12.