Gig: Mahmoud Ahmed

Mahmoud Ahmed

Grand Ballroom of Lithuanian Hall. Friday, December 25, 2009.

Yow! Usually when I hears about a gig I want to go to, there's a warm moment of feeling pleased about things, but not so often, at this stage of things, a full-out burst of palpable excitement. But when word got around that Mahmoud Ahmed was coming back to town, that was one of those times that had me feeling immediately eager. I'd been there for his last show, two years ago to the day, and it was a fairly mind-blowing experience. Not being particularly xmas-minded, I wasn't distracted from other things by this, and so, after some turkey and a nap, it was off for the show.

The venue was again the spacious digs at the Lithuanian Hall, just over from Bloor and Dundas West, a big facility with several different celebrations going on, none of them very Lithuanian looking. The ballroom is a nice space, with a three-story tall ceiling running down the centre of the room, with giant rafters overhead above a series of large, dangling chandeliers. A nice sort of banquet/church hall sort of feel, and with tables arranged along one long wall and the back of the room, on stepping in, one might think there was a wedding banquet or similar sort of event going on. And indeed, for many of those in attendance, this was a special night out, with a lot of well-turned-out couples as well as younger folk dressed to impress. There was even a booth taking portrait pictures to remember the night by. Overall, the vibe reminded me some of the country socials of my youth, where pretty much everyone in town would turn out for an event because, well — this was the event that was going on. And in the small-town-within-a-big-city of the local Ethiopian community, this was arguably a big event.

The "Showtime: 10PM Sharp" on the ticket was a bit optimistic, so I had a few minutes to settle in and watch the crowd build before things got well and truly going about quarter after eleven. Finally, the backing band took the stage. They were four deep — keyb, sax, bass and guitar, with drum-machine rhythms providing the beat.¹ The saxophone started a slow groove for a few bars before the drumbeat and bass came in to help establish the mood.² At the show two years ago, the band actually played two or three songs to start things off, but this time, they just settled into the groove for a couple minutes before Mahmoud Ahmed made his entrance.

A professional entertainer since the early '60's, Ahmed now has the bearing and gravitas of a respected elder. As he settled into the stage, with his crisp black charcoal suit and red tie he looked like he could be a diplomat about to discuss affairs of state instead of a singer. But when he launched into the song with his resonant voice and clear tone, still as solid an instrument as it was four decades ago, there was no doubt who was up there. Just like at the last show, the set began with a slow groover — a wedding song? — that was expansive in all directions, simmering along for more than fifteen minutes. And then, after that, every song was a little bit faster and the floor growing a little more crowded. The opening notes of "Erè Mèla Mèla" (a massive hit in its 1975 recording) got a cheer and got the crowd dancing. The next one had a punchier beat and one of those massive sing-along choruses that nearly everyone in the room knew.

Not a showy kind of showman, Ahmed held the stage with economical gestures, which meant that the roars of approval from the crowd as he busted out some dance moves were all the louder, always eliciting a big grin back from him in return. Musically, the band was very solid, although if someone came to this show with the original Éthiopiques-type recordings as their only reference, they might be taken aback by the more modern sheen to the sound. The rhythm tracks and synths might sound a bit tinny on their own, but when anchored to the groove of the rhythm section and saxophone, it sounded fine. And as a means of producing something you'd want to dance to it was top-notch. Even a Sir Nose like myself was pulled straight into it, and by the first set's end — a tune with a rockin' chick-a-boom beat and Fairlight synth stabs that might owe as much to "The Neutron Dance" as anything straight outta Addis³, ending with a ripping guitar solo — I was standing on the verge of funkentelechy.

And so, after five songs stretched out to forty-five minutes, time for a breather, grab a drink, relax. In the room off the main hall where the bar was located, there was a guy with a table full of DVD's and CD's that I cast my eye over, the sign indicating that it was four CD's for twenty bucks tempting me. I looked at a Tlahoun Gèssèssè disc, but was told that one wasn't available on the cheap, but once I managed to explain that I was looking for something "old school", I managed to find some things to take home with me.

The second set worked pretty much like the first, starting out with a slower song. But this time it was heavier, more hypnotic and groovy. And the room as a whole was feeling more intense and into it, like the difference between the first passionate embrace and the marathon grind. Along with the first song's droning tone, the lightshow kicked in with strobe effects and ziggling lasers on the floor, all lending to themselves to a sort of tripped-out stop-yr-thinking kind of vibe. So when the upbeat rhythm kicked in for the second song it was pretty much just a non-stop dance groove for the next half-hour or so. The floor was crowded with knots of people working themselves up towards the front to boogie for a spell and then duck out to rest a bit, with a constant stream of others taking their place. With only the occasional segue as the rhythm shifted from one song to the next, it was all in the zone, ending with another exhaustingly fab groover.

At the set's end, a bit of pomp as Ahmed was presented with a commemorative framed picture, an image of himself at the 2007 show superimposed against the CN Tower rising behind him. He looked pleased with the gift, even managing to make a little joke that was comprehensible even without speaking Amharic, pointing to his hair in the photo then patting the crown of his head and making a sad face.

And that was it for me. After all that excitement, I was feeling drained. Even though I read after the fact that there was a third set I dunno if I'd have enjoyed it so much as endured it. So, homeward. Great fun and just another one of those reasons I'm glad I live in this city.

Listen to a track from this set here.

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¹ I can't confirm this, but my impression was that these were local guys, a sort of pickup band from the local scene. Which would make a certain kind of sense — I bet that these are the songs that any Ethiopian band worth its salt would know inside and out.

² In one of those little cultural differences that you sometimes see when you go to different kinds of shows, it was amusing to note that most in attendance didn't exhibit the need to rush right up as soon as the band took the stage. When the music started, the majority on the floor were actually the tourists, like myself — and then, as the music built up in intensity, it got increasingly dense with people.

³ And, given that a lot of the music that the DJ was playing before and between sets sounded like a lot of school dances that I attended in the mid-80's, this might not be a totally crazy connection on my part. Actually, on reviewing the video, I think I'm kinda on to something here.