Beirut’s SANAM exploded onto the global music scene in 2023 with their debut album, Aykathani Malakon, a record hailed as a genre-defying masterpiece. The Guardian awarded it a coveted five stars, describing it as “a kosmische, post-punk, psych rock, free jazz, and Levantine folklore alchemical tour de force delivered with a defiant, DIY disposition.”
Amidst personal and political turmoil, the band embarked on a landmark European tour in November 2023, culminating in a mesmerizing performance at London’s Café Oto. The tour, which began with their fiery debut at Le Guess Who? Festival, swept through sold-out venues in Switzerland, Belgium, Germany, and the UK.
By the time SANAM arrived at Café Oto, anticipation was electric, and the show delivered on every level. Live at Café Oto, the resulting live album, captures the raw, transformative energy of their performances.
In this ritual, improvised rock, free jazz, and noise collide with the haunting power of traditional Egyptian songs and Arabic poetry.
The tour was not without its challenges, though.
“We were very anxious about leaving home,” reflects guitarist and vocalist Anthony Sahyoun. “The war on Gaza had taken the life out of our lungs. We were between a rock and a very hard place—cancel and lose everything we’d worked for, or leave and face the possibility of not being able to come back. But our voice and our music felt more urgent than ever.”
Drummer Pascal Semerdjian witnessed the band’s evolution on stage. “The album began as spontaneous, improvised tracks, but on this tour, those tracks grew into fully realized songs. Playing night after night, our chemistry deepened. Each show felt like another step in the band’s true genesis.”
The final show at Café Oto was the tour’s peak for many in the band. “There was magic in the air,” Semerdjian recalls. “Café Oto is iconic yet humble, warm yet radical—everything fell into place that night. It was my favorite performance by far, especially because we could openly speak about Palestine. That felt vital.”
Through Live at Café Oto, SANAM invites listeners to experience the catharsis, urgency, and unflinching defiance that marked their unforgettable tour. The album stands as both a testament to their journey and a declaration of their unyielding belief in the power of music to forge connection, resilience, and revolution.
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