See You On The Other Side

I’ve been in Lebanon for the past few days now and its been really fun and exciting so far, I am having a great time.

Yesterday was the Paul Van Dyke concert at Biel in Downtow Beirut. My sister and her bestfriend who both work part time for Red Bull got given VIP tickets and I ended up going with them. The place was packed, beyond packed, there were over 13,000 people! We managed to cut our way through the crowd and got up to the VIP lounge where our table was. As soon as we got there, Paul Van Dyke came on stage and started playing his music. It was incredible, people were going crazy. I couldn’t see the stage well since our table was the last table in the back of The VIP lounge but it was OK since they had many big screens all over the place broadcasting the concert. It was actually a good location since not alot of people were in the back and we weren’t getting stepped on. I really had alot of fun but the heat was a major problem. They had some fans running in the hall or maybe was it was AC’s but it was still too damn hot as if the damn things were off.

By the time it was 3:30 in the morning I felt I couldn’t breath as if the air had run out of oxygen and I had to rush out for some fresh air. My sis and her friends soon followed and we ended up hanging outside for 30 more minutes before we decided we didn’t want to go back in and walked back to the car. I really enjoyed the whole experience though even if the heat was too much to bear. I definitly needed this for a change and I’d definitly do it again.

Jul 9, 2006

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19 Comments, add your own...

1. SWOS | July 10th, 2006 at 12:21 am

screw me then give me some paul van d tickets :P

lebanon rocks :P
2. nibaq | July 10th, 2006 at 12:22 am

Shorty.
3. Marzouq | July 10th, 2006 at 12:41 am

Nice!!! I want to go to lebanon damn it! hehehe!

I will go to Italy too right now!
4. TweeZ | July 10th, 2006 at 1:32 am

uh-huh huh huh, you said dyke! Eh hehe hehe!
5. Kleio | July 10th, 2006 at 1:34 am

Hey I was there last night too. I was really looking forward to it because I’d heard great things about the last PVD event in Lebanon. However, I have to say that overall I was quite disappointed. As far as the venue went, you’re right. The heat was absolutely unbearable. I’ve never felt so hot before in my life - and that includes all the outdoor summer raves I’ve been to! It was stagnant air, like a sauna. Also, the sound set up and distribution wasn’t great. We walked to different spots in the venue and the sound wasn’t even - the bass was too heavy at certain periods. Also, the crowd was not at all what I was expecting. I’ve been going to raves since the mid- to late-nineties so maybe I was expecting too much, but I have to say that out of the 12,000 or so people there, I only saw like two or three other people who I would classify as fellow ravers. It seemed like the majority of people were there for the sake of the party and the drugs and were trying too hard to be cool. Very few seemed to be there because they really appreciate the music and the whole scene. And what was with the sunglasses? Did you notice that? Having said all that, though, it’s nice to see Lebanon taking the lead in the Middle East with these kinds of events. At least they’re making an effort. Plus, it felt good to dance really hard like that again. But as far as PVD goes, I was a bit disappointed in his set as well. I’ve seen/heard him spin about 6 times or so before, and he has always been my favourite DJ since around 1997. But he was jumping around too much last night. He didn’t play the kind of deep trance that I’m used to from him. I think he was playing for the crowd because whenever he’d go into deep melodic trance they would lose interest so he had to change. Oh well! Glad you had a good time. :) Enjoy the rest of your trip!
6. holla | July 10th, 2006 at 1:56 am

oh man i miss going to concerts in general. last one i went to was Ministry/KMFDM and i had a hell of a time.
7. moocherx | July 10th, 2006 at 4:15 am

go watch the local (mutant) kids dancing like masai warriors on ADD medication at Kuwait Magic, looking like kuwaiti Mini-Me’s in pint-sized dishdashas. it’s disturbing, and i don’t just mean the impressive inch-thick monobrow and frankenstein gelled-up hair-do which makes them look exactly like THIS:

http://utter.chaos.org.uk/~markt/screaming-org.jpg

it’s the closest we’ll get to seeing Shakira live in Kuwait.
8. Greenwhite | July 10th, 2006 at 6:02 am

Who ever said lebanon was leading the trend in the middle east in bringing world famous DJs? Egypt has been doin that for over 10 years, bringing tiesto when he was number 1, PVD, oakenfold when he was number 1, hernan catttaneo and many many more. Again the most famous club chains in the world Pacha opened in sharm 2 years ago. But still nuthin beats Egypt and lebanon in our arabian zone.
9. Mark | July 10th, 2006 at 8:07 am

I have only been to 3 concerts ever, first one was Scorpions, last one was “House of Usher” and “Dreadful Shadows”.
10. Fallen Angel | July 10th, 2006 at 8:13 am

Does Lebanon still host “mahrajan bait el deen”? My aunt went there like some years ago and she wouldn’t stop talking about Fawrooz concert and CATS LOL :D
11. fractal00 | July 10th, 2006 at 9:50 am

Oh man …this is the only thing i miss in Lebanon right now, the concerts, truly it is annoying when you know that someone you like is spinning in your country and you can’t be there… ah well i guess i am gonna have to spend some time in Amesterdam sometime soon :D
12. Annie | July 10th, 2006 at 1:03 pm

Fallen Angel, yes they still host the beiteddine festival. check out their website
http://www.beiteddine.org/main.html

If you want to see Fairouz, she has a musical play in baalbeck
http://www.baalbeck.org.lb/
13. Patrick | July 10th, 2006 at 1:13 pm

I was there. It was fucking rocking. Paul Van Dyk really deserves to be the best DJ in the world. I was right infront of his platform and there wasn’t one boring moment of the night. He started at 1.30 and finished at 6.30. I really didn’t care about who was around me, I was just there with my girlfriend and that’s all that really mattered, who cares whose there and who is trying too hard to be cool. Who cares who is really a raver and who is just trying too hard. It was a great night and everyone was happy and that’s all that mattered.
14. Mark | July 10th, 2006 at 3:46 pm

did you take pics??
15. Greenwhite | July 10th, 2006 at 4:35 pm

Yo mark, i went to the scorpions acoustica tour in cairo by the pyramids during their middle east tour, which also included lebanon. i heard there are now DVDs of the tour, did u hear abt that?
16. Patrick | July 10th, 2006 at 9:31 pm

I think I have a few pics from my phone. I was too busy with the music :P
17. Kleio | July 12th, 2006 at 2:44 pm

Greenwhite - I’ve never been to Egypt but based on what I’ve heard, you’re right about the scene there. I’ve heard it’s amazing and the events are really well done.

Patrick, true about what you said…it doesn’t really matter who’s around you if you’re having a good time. I was just expecting something totally different. And when it’s as crowded and stuffy as it was, the people around you are hard to ignore. But the one thing I felt really ruined the night was the heat.
18. Mounir | August 23rd, 2006 at 5:43 am

Hi all.. I was there too.. it was amazing except for the heat, it was really really hot in Biel, after 3 hours i had to go outside to breath fresh air. After the PVD concert went to Bliss Street to eat where it was packed with ppl at 4:30 a.m. 2nd day went to South Lebanon for a drive (very scenic route). then 3rd day went to the Beach in Jbeil.4th day went to North Lebanon to Ehden…(also scenic route) I’ll never forget this summer, I was having a blast in Lebanon until war errupted and I got stuck in the middle of it, I wasn’t suppose 2 come back till Aug 25 :| I feel with the ppl I hope everything goes back to normal life. now I’m back in Canada, very boring here nothing new ever happens.. but I’m hopping next summer going 2 Lebanon :)).. By the way I have pics that I took in the PVD concert, email me 2 send u them, my email melkadri@hotmail.com , yalla take care,,byebye
19. Dado | September 30th, 2006 at 1:25 pm

I know whatcha mean about the heat an laaack of O2. At Tietso’s Forum Concert, I couldn’t seem to stay standin’. Sober, too, I might add. I love the music, but didn’t make it out for Okenfold, though I love his music…

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