Dubai: The encore was over. Metallica had wrapped up the final track, Seek & Destroy, at their Abu Dhabi gig on that historic Tuesday night of October 25, 2011, but the metal army of the region was in no mood to leave the arena yet. Many had come from as far away as Jordan, Iran, Syria, Lebanon and Egypt.
As James Hetfield, Kirk Hammett, Lars Ulrich and Robert Trujillo stood on the edge of the stage bowing, waving goodbyes, throwing guitar plectrums and drumsticks to the roaring sea of metal-drenched fans, one thing was clear: it was the biggest rock act the Middle East had witnessed.
The crowd chanted for more, but their wish remained unfulfilled even as Lars promised Metallica would be back in the region soon. Among the crowd were members of Empty Yard Experiment (EYE) – a Dubai-based rock band. Imagine their joy when barely 16 months later the band, made up of three Iranians, one Serbian and one Indian, were picked to open for Metallica’s second gig in Abu Dhabi on April 19 – at the same venue.
Here the band tell XPRESS how they are gearing up for the show and also give us a peek into their music and the local rock scene:
Did you see Metallica at their first Abu Dhabi gig?
Absolutely. It was one of the most memorable shows we’ve ever seen in the Middle East. That concert was obviously the first time that Metallica play around here, so they treated the fans with a set list that was nothing short of classic. Naturally, for us, just like everyone else there, it was a breathtaking experience.
What was your first reaction when you learnt you were opening for them?
Disbelief, followed by euphoria laced with profanities, followed by more profanities… as an expression of joy, of course.
How are you guys preparing for the show?
We’ve been practising every day of the week after work and all through the weekend. We are doing a six-song 45-minute set.
How would you describe your music in terms of genre and style? And what’s the stuff you mostly write about?
Like all creations channeled through art, our music is basically our own interpretation of our surroundings, experiences and ideas about human existence. True to our cultural roots and influences, the matters addressed in our songs are very much inspired by the history, current affairs and politics in the Middle East, intertwined with a visual approach to experiencing this form of expression. That’s why each of our performances features projected visuals that aid the audience in contriving their own understanding of what we’re trying to say. Each of the songs we compose is basically a delicate combination of styles – from post-rock to progressive metal, and touches of general alternative rock.
Who are your influences?
Each member certainly has their own musical preferences and specific tastes, but our influences include a wide variety of genres, from progressive to post-rock, to alternative and indie rock, to metal and classic rock. For example, Mehdi is a huge King Crimson fan, Gorgin is a Nine Inch Nails disciple, while Bojan has Seattle and indie rock pretty much encoded in his DNA. Kaveh listens to pretty much anything.
How well was your first album received? How would you rate its success?
We thought that it did pretty well, considering our collective level of experience both in terms of songwriting and recording/production at the time. We track the album’s online sales, and while we’re obviously not making millions, it’s refreshing and encouraging to see that there are people in North America in Europe buying and listening to it. That’s probably the finest indicator of its success, especially since we’ve never actually toured in any of these parts of the world.
What’s the latest on your second album? How much have you completed and when is it likely to come out?
We have already performed some of our new songs live several times throughout the past two years. Since the release of our debut album though, the songwriting process has been a lot more collaborative, and we’ve most definitely advanced in the process of cementing our own sound. You can really hear that in our new single, ‘GHHR’, which was our way of reconnecting with the fans of our music ahead of the release of the second LP. We’re scheduled to hit the studio shortly after the Metallica show. In terms of depth and diversity, it will without a doubt be a notable departure from the first one.
Give us a description of the current local rock music scene from the musicians’ perspective? Are you happy with it?
The development of the local scene has been very exciting in the past couple of years, and we feel fortunate to be an integral cog in the process of driving its evolution. Unfortunately, however, the overall level of support and resources for local musicians is still unsatisfactory, to say the least. We have been extremely privileged in being able to establish a relationship with Red Bull, who are really committed to backing and growing regional artistic talent. Other local artists are not so fortunate, though, and struggle to produce their own material and gain exposure because of the many constraints that they face, both financial and otherwise.
Do you think there’s enough audience support for homegrown rock talent? Can a local gig ever fill up a 5000-people venue?
Sadly, no. The short answer to that question is that if local rock bands want to make anything of themselves and avoid eventually hitting a dead end, they have to break out beyond the borders of both the UAE and the Middle East and work on generating exposure for their work to an international audience. It’s as simple as that. There are only a couple of good venues around town that provide bands with decent equipment to perform with – and they have been doing their best to support local bands at times – but this is far from enough to sustain a healthy and blossoming scene.
Details
EYE Opener for Metallica
When: April 19
Where: du Arena, Yas Island
