Aref Ghorbani Debuts ‘No More Shadows’, Live at Drygate

Last week, Aref Ghorbani delivered an unforgettable live show which marked the launch of his first EP, No More Shadows. Ghorbani shared the stage with close collaborators, Mehrdad Esmaili, Daniel Giff, Jose Rojas, Iain Mackechnie and Gerardo Ernesto Rodriguez Cruz, to deliver a remarkable performance of new and classic songs.

The evening was punctuated by a Q&A, where he shed light on the EP’s formation, the fear and censorship that constrains artistic expression for many Iranian musicians, and the difficulties and newfound freedoms that come with being a musician in exile.

To mark the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, we took up Ashtar Theatre’s call for a global reading of The Gaza Monologues. Zahra Khosroshahi who moderated the discussion, participated in a reading of the 5th monologue. We encourage you to explore the rest here.

The EP and it’s launch event were a testament to unity and Aref’s remarkable talent as a multi-genre musician. As the melodies from No More Shadows continue to reverberate, we want to extend our gratitude to all who made the evening possible, including the wonderful moderator Dr. Zahra Khosroshahi, the supportive venue staff at Drygate, and, most importantly, the attendees.

Ghorbani’s No More Shadows is now available to listen to and purchase on BandCamp.

Photo: Erika Stevenson