Balkans to the Middle East Festival – Day 1

Sunday, April 20 2025 at 6:30 PM

Doors: 6:30 PM

Balkans to the Middle East Festival – Day 1: Mona Miari & NEESAN

The Balkans to the Middle East Festival begins with two captivating sets exploring the depth and beauty of Middle Eastern music.

Mona Miari : 7PM

✨ Mona Miari opens the night with her heartfelt voice and poetic songwriting, blending modern and traditional Palestinian influences into a soul-stirring performance.

NEESAN : 9PM

✨ ✨ Next, NEESAN, the brainchild of multi-instrumentalist April Centrone, takes the stage with their evocative blend of Arabic psych rock and cinematic textures. Described as the new “Arabic Khruangbin,” NEESAN crafts a nostalgic soundscape of Levant Noir, channeling the spirit of 1970s Lebanon through hypnotic rhythms, timeless melodies, and deep emotional resonance.

Balkans to the Middle East Festival – Day 2

Tuesday, April 22 2025 at 6:30 PM

Doors: 6:30 PM

Balkans to the Middle East Festival – Day 2: Barakka & Yallah Yallah

Get ready for an electrifying night of rock, folk, and dance beats at Balkans to the Middle East!

Barakka : 7 PM

🔥 Barakka kicks off the evening with their high-energy fusion of Anatolian folk, Turkish rock, and Western influences, bringing a dynamic performance that bridges continents.

Yallah Yallah : 9 PM

🔥 Closing the night, guitarists Amit Peled of Habbina Habbina and Segev Harosh join forces to give us: Yallah Yallah, a homage to ’80s drum machine-based, Middle Eastern pop. The two guitarists capturing the harmonized guitar parts on those classic records and adding keyboards, live percussion, and an Alesis SR-16 drum machine, omnipresent in the original ’80s recordings.

Balkans to the Middle East Festival – Day 3

Wednesday, April 23 2025 at 6:30 PM
Doors: 6:30 PM

Balkans to the Middle East Festival – Day 3: Ahmed Moneka & NY Gypsy All Stars

Experience a night of passion, groove, and cross-cultural musical storytelling.

Ahmed Moneka: 7PM

🎶 Ahmed Moneka opens the night, blending Iraqi maqam, jazz, and Afro-Iraqi rhythms to deliver a powerful, emotionally rich performance that bridges cultures and histories.

NY Gypsy All-Stars : 9PM

🎶 Then, the world-class NY Gypsy All Stars take the stage with their signature blend of Balkan, Turkish, and jazz influences, turning tradition into an exhilarating jam session!

Balkans to the Middle East Festival – Day 4

Thursday, April 24 2025 at 6:30 PM

Doors: 6:30 PM

Balkans to the Middle East Festival – Day 4: Romashka & Zlatne Uste

The grand finale of Balkans to the Middle East is a high-energy celebration of Balkan and Eastern European sounds!

Romashka: 7PM

🎺 Romashka opens the evening with their infectious mix of Russian, Roma, and Eastern European folk, bringing a wild, dance-fueled performance.

Zlatne Uste : 9PM

🎺 Then, Zlatne Uste, one of the premier Balkan brass bands in the U.S., takes over with their fiery horns and electrifying rhythms, keeping the party going late into the night!