A sword in the shape of Palestine. Here’s what catches the eye right away, in addition to the Arabian-inspired living room that decorates the National’s stage. With red-patterned cushions, a few books and some coffee, it really feels like an evening with friends, featuring art in all its forms.
First, Omar Offendum takes the stage, while Narcy sits in the living room with his guests, including two members of the iconic Montreal hip-hop group Nomadic Massive, Tali and Meryem Saci.
Under a spotlight, cane in hand (his signature), dressed in traditional attire and his black Fez hat, Offendum wields the Arabic and English languages, juggling these two worlds, sometimes mixing them. Narcy serves him coffee from time to time, exchanging anecdotes and teasing each other about Syrian and Iraqi rivalries. An excellent storyteller, he alternates between poetry, storytelling and rapping, all with incredible ease. Building on a twenty-year friendship, Narcy contributes to some of Offendum’s songs, sometimes in English, sometimes in Arabic, and vice-versa. “It’s rare to have an artist friend who still challenges you, even after 20 years,” he says, addressing Narcy. Indeed, you could feel their complicity on stage.
Omar got the room involved with his track I love you, a hymn to love, with old romantic films in the background. The transitions were sometimes rough, juxtaposing classical Arab songs with modern beats. Palestine was in the spotlight during both parts of the show, but also Lebanon, which has been in the headlines in recent weeks. We also learned about important figures in Middle Eastern history such as Nizar Qabbani, a Syrian poet, and Mahmoud Darwish, a Palestinian poet and author who passed away in 2008. He ended with his biggest hit, God is Love, which my neighbors seemed to particularly enjoy, but my favorite was Close My Eyes , a tribute to his father. “I dedicate this song to all those who have lost a loved one,” he shared with us as the video was playing in the background.
After a short intermission, Narcy took Omar’s place and took over, opening with one of his greatest hits, P.H.A.T.W.A, with Al-Jazeera footage and personal archives in the background. Dressed entirely in black leather and a white shirt, he performed other highlights of his 20-year career, including Hamdulillah, featured on the 2009 album The Narcicyst , a collaboration with Shadia Mansour. He invited a number of female collaborators on stage, those he calls “sisters” such as Meryem Saci, with whom he recorded the track 7araga, the Palestian poet Farah, who shared a poem in homage to her native land, and Tali, who opted for a poignant text for the occasion.
To close, he offered us Free, a tribute to children from the World War Free Now album , in collaboration with Ian Kamau, as well as Time, written as a tribute to his grandfather. And what better way to end than with the most recent track, Sword, the proceeds from which will go to Palestinian children. As well as having a strong sense of friendship, family is equally important to Narcy. He invited his family on stage at the end of the concert to greet the audience, inviting them to visit his Maktaba bookshop/library in Montreal’s Old Port.
