Doors 7pm Yemen Blues 8pm set - 10pm set -
Nublu 151151 Avenue C, New York 10009
Yemen Blues plays two sets at Nublu 151, with the late program billed as “onlyloveremains,” the title of the group’s 2024 album Only Love Remains. The event listing names Yemen Blues alone and gives no additional performers or a confirmed onstage lineup, but the band’s own concert page lists two New York sets at Nublu 151 on this date.
Founded by Israeli singer Ravid Kahalani, who was born to Yemeni parents, Yemen Blues is an international group associated with Tel Aviv, Helsinki, and members across several continents. Its current materials describe a quartet built around Kahalani’s voice, guembri and percussion, with bass and oud, percussion, and drums. The music draws together Yemeni and Bedouin traditions, West African rhythms, Arabic music, funk, blues, rock and jazz. Early work involved composer and bassist Omer Avital, while Insaniya was produced by Bill Laswell; the group has also been associated with Oxmo Puccino and Zion Golan. Their live album is described as capturing the “groove, electricity and fire” of a Yemen Blues concert. One reviewer called the music “too unusual and creative,” adding, “I can’t explain what it was, but it was too good.”
A second-floor club in the East Village, Nublu 151 is a compact space with a center stage and a balcony that overlooks the performers. The room is dark and grungy with solid acoustics and a disco ball, mostly standing room with a few stools that disappear quickly. The atmosphere is intimate and focused on music, with live sets and DJs spanning jazz, funk, Latin grooves, electronic, and world music. The building's layout supports diverse live performances, and the venue has its own record label. It's a place where musicians gather to play, attracting a crowd of music lovers and creatives. The vibe is laid-back, with a good attitude and openness to different styles going a long way.