Tuesday, January 13, 2015

Fez Hamadcha Sufis at the Sydney Festival - Photo Essay


The Fez Hamadcha Brotherhood wrapped up their tour in Australia on a high note with three successful performances in Sydney at three very different venues

Being chosen to perform on the opening night of the prestigious Sydney Festival was an honour for the group and the Brotherhood gave a the capacity audience at the Grand Masonic Lodge a night to remember. 

The venue, in the heart of Sydney, was sold out well in advance which was a disappointment for many who had travelled from Queensland and Victoria hoping for a chance to see the performance.

His Excellency Mohamad Mael-Ainin, Morocco's Ambassador to Australia, made the journey from Canberra for the opening night and after the performance came back stage to thank the group and congratulate them on their Australian tour.

CLICK ON IMAGES TO ENLARGE

Hamadcha leader Abderrahim Amrani Marrakchi in fine form in Sydney
The nfir (long horns) get a work out at the sound check
Dancer and singer, Rachida El Jokh was a crowd favourite
Morocco’s Ambassador to Australia Mohamad Mael-Ainin (in the Fez) and his wife came backstage to thank the group
The following day the Hamadcha made the journey out to Parramatta where they found (to their surprise) that they were to perform on a tiny stage on top of a food stall. 

The Hamadcha soundcheck 
A section of the large crowd
Hamadcha Musical Director, Frederic Calmes drumming up a storm
As the stage was too small for the trance dance, Rachida danced below the stage
Melhoun singer, Mohammed Essoussi with a music fan
The final day saw a deterioration in the weather, but that was not enough to stop the Hamadcha exploring Sydney ahead of an evening performance on a bandstand in Hyde Park

Morocco meets Australia
The tiny bandstand - in the rain
Noureddine Bachira didn't allow the weather to dampen his enthusiasm
Trancing in the rain - before saying goodbye to Australia
Also read our earlier story about the Hamadcha performances at the Woodford Festival

SHARE THIS!
{"cc_re__cc_re__cc_by_sa_2_5": [">\n</span>\n</span>\n<div class='clear'></div>\n</div><div class='widget HTML' data-version='1' id='HTML2'>\n<div class='widget-content'>\n<a href=\"http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1759/1777/1600/vis_2.jpg\" onblur=\"try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}\"><img border=\"0\" style=\"margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1759/1777/400/vis_2.jpg\" /></a>\n<b>Copyright</b> - <!--Creative Commons License--><a href=\"http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5/\" rel=\"license\"><img border=\"0\" alt=\"Creative Commons License\" src=\"http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png\" /></a> - \nThis blog is licensed under a <a href=\"http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5/\" rel=\"license\">Creative Commons License</a>.<!--/Creative Commons License--><!-- <rdf:rdf xmlns=\"http://web.resource.org/cc/\" dc=\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\" rdf=\"http://www.w3.org/1999/02/22-rdf-syntax-ns#\"><br /><work about=\"\"><br /><license resource=\"http://creativecommons.org/licens", ".deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}\"><img border=\"0\" style=\"margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1759/1777/400/vis_2.jpg\" /></a>\n<b>Copyright</b> - <!--Creative Commons License--><a href=\"http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5/\" rel=\"license\"><img border=\"0\" alt=\"Creative Commons License\" src=\"http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png\" /></a> - \nThis blog is licensed under a <a href=\"http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5/\" rel=\"license\">Creative Commons License</a>.<!--/Creative Commons License--><!-- <rdf:rdf xmlns=\"http://web.resource.org/cc/\" dc=\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\" rdf=\"http://www.w3.org/1999/02/22-rdf-syntax-ns#\"><br /><work about=\"\"><br /><license resource=\"http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5/\"><br /></work><br /><license about=\"http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5/\"><permits resource=\"http://web.resource.org/cc/Reproduction\"><permits resource=\"http://web.resource.org/cc/Distribution\"><req"], "copyright__copyright__copyright": ["un singer, Mohammed Essoussi with a music fan\nThe final day saw a deterioration in the weather, but that was not enough to stop the Hamadcha exploring Sydney ahead of an evening performance on a bandstand in Hyde Park\n\nMorocco meets Australia\nThe tiny bandstand - in the rain\nNoureddine Bachira didn't allow the weather to dampen his enthusiasm\nTrancing in the rain - before saying goodbye to Australia\nAlso read our earlier story about the Hamadcha performances at the Woodford Festival\n\nSHARE THIS!", "un singer, Mohammed Essoussi with a music fan\nThe final day saw a deterioration in the weather, but that was not enough to stop the Hamadcha exploring Sydney ahead of an evening performance on a bandstand in Hyde Park\n\nMorocco meets Australia\nThe tiny bandstand - in the rain\nNoureddine Bachira didn't allow the weather to dampen his enthusiasm\nTrancing in the rain - before saying goodbye to Australia\nAlso read our earlier story about the Hamadcha performances at the Woodford Festival\n\nSHARE THIS!", "un singer, Mohammed Essoussi with a music fan\nThe final day saw a deterioration in the weather, but that was not enough to stop the Hamadcha exploring Sydney ahead of an evening performance on a bandstand in Hyde Park\n\nMorocco meets Australia\nThe tiny bandstand - in the rain\nNoureddine Bachira didn't allow the weather to dampen his enthusiasm\nTrancing in the rain - before saying goodbye to Australia\nAlso read our earlier story about the Hamadcha performances at the Woodford Festival\n\nSHARE THIS!"]}