Headbanging For Peace

I don’t know what the big deal is, we’re all brothers (and sisters), we all have assholes.

Kobi Fahri

Attending a heavy metal concert was a first for me. I’m more of an easy lstening and classical music lover as opposed to the harsh sound of heavy metal. Yet, when the Irsarli band Orphaned Land and Palestinanian band Khalas extended an invitation for Liz and me to attend one of their concerts, we felt both honored and obliged.

My idea of heavy metal music was loud and aggressive. The audenance, in my mind, would be tattooed, angry, unbathed, drug addicts. Not the kind of people I would typically associate with.

Not knowing what to expect I turned to Google and found a Heavy Metal Guide for Dummies. The first rule in the guide is “If someone falls down at a concert, pick him or her up.” Wait a minute, why would someone fall down? As I read on I found out that people could fall down while “Moshing.” Google, what is moshing? “Moshing is a style of dance in which participants push or slam into each other. Moshing usually happens in the center of the crowd, generally closer to the stage, in an area called the ‘pit’”. I had no idea why someone would want to mosh but each to their own, I would just stay away from the pit.

Now, Google, what should I wear? “You want concert clothing that’s sturdy and won’t object to a little blood, sweat, and beer.” Ok, now I’m starting to wonder if I’ve made a mistake. Blood?

I read on. “Every decent concert outfit begins with the choice of a black t-shirt, metal band t-shirt or skull inspired fashion. Pair your chosen top with jeans, cargo pants or shorts, sturdy boots, and a leather belt.” My nun clothes are black, but probably not appropriate for the concert. My Sass shoes are sturdy but would probably look dorky at a metal concert, they look dorky anyway. I reached out to the young adult children of a friend of mine who helped outfit me in a pair of jeans, a black Metallica t-shirt, and sneakers.

While Liz and I were waiting in line at the theater a 6-foot, bearded man with a Mohawk, black leather jacket and black work boots and a shorter man with hair 3-ft long, dressed in all black, and a chain hanging off his belt approached us. They looked a little tough so I avoided eye contact with them. It wasn’t long before the one with the Mohawk spoke to me and cracked a joke. I guess they weren't going to mug us after all.

We chatted with Jered and his long haired friend, Derek, while waiting to enter the venue. As we talked with them my stereotypes of metalheads were being crushed one by one. Derek is a dentist, married with two children and Jared teaches guitar lessons and volunteers with struggling teenagers. I had to ask, “why heavy metal?” In my mind it didn’t seem to fit their “daytime” lifestyle.

Derek said, “I find the music to enhance positive emotions. As a teenager I experienced a lot of anger, I liked to listen to music that matched my anger and it allowed me to explore the full gamut of my emotions, and left me feeling happier and uplifted. Now I listen to it to relieve stress and I always leave a concert feeling inspired.” It came as a surprise to me that music that contained themes of anger or aggression could enhance well-being.

After entering the theater I received some stares from the young “headbangers” who were not expecting to see their “grandmother” at a metal concert. They watched for me to be shocked by their profanity-laced statements and the general crush of people around me but in general everyone was very respectful toward me. I think they were the ones surprised when I started clapping and dancing right along to the intense music and smiling. I’ll admit, I did wear a set of earplugs!

On top of the headbanging, facial hair and ripped jeans, the Israeli and Palestinian rockers in both bands were kind, soft spoken, and gracious. The music was a bit too loud for me...the ear plugs helped tremendously. I couldn’t understand the lyrics at first but when I learned the words to the first song played by Orphaned Land called “All Is One,” I cried.

Who cares if you’re a Muslim or a Jew

The awakened ones are nothing but a few

And the one to make the difference now is you

ALL IS ONE

I had expected goat sacrificing, drunk, devil worshiping young people using excessive amounts of drugs, carrying chains. Instead I met people like Derek, Jared and members of the bands. So often we judge without knowing or understanding…and that’s what I had done and that’s why I was crying.

I had always considered myself open-minded and non-judgmental but I realized that had been easy to do since I had spent very little time around people who weren’t like me, white and Catholic. I grew up in a predominantly white and Catholic town, attended a Catholic elementary school, graduated from an all-girls Catholic boarding school, then spent the next 50 years in a Catholic monastery among women like me. These loving tattooed rockers opened my eyes!

The bands were united by their love of heavy metal and a belief that music is above politics, religion, and conflict. Through heavy metal, they take a message of coexistence. During our conversation after the concert, the lead vocalist for Orphaned Land, Kobi Fahri, said, “Abed Halthot (Khalas) and I share the same religion, even though I’m from a Jewish background and he is Muslim, and that’s music. We just get along… I literally feel like he’s my brother because even historically he was my brother. We are both descendants of Abraham.”

These rockers share a firm belief in peace and coexistence - and they want to spread that message to the world. For two years, the bands toured together, taking their positive message to dozens of cities across Europe and the Middle East. And they shared more than just the stage, the band members lived together in a cramped bus throughout the tour.

Their mission wasn’t to change the world, but to give an example of how coexistence is possible. “Sharing a stage and sharing a bus is stronger than a thousand words. We'll show how people from different backgrounds who live in a conflict zone can perform together.”

The passionate musicians use their music to show that when it comes down to it, we’re all people. “The purpose of art is to represent harmony in places of disharmony, to bring hope,” says Farhi. “I don’t care about nations flag or religion. I care that I don't want my child to fight his child and I don’t want them to kill each other.”

Abed grew up in Acre, a mixed Arab-Jewish city in Galilee, and he says that as a child he played with both Arabs and Jews without thinking about such distinctions. Farhi, who was raised in similarly diverse Jaffa, did as well. But, as adults they tell of running for their lives from missile strikes.

The reason their friendship works, both say, is because no conversation is off-limits. They discuss everything, from politics to hummus to their love of their childhood homes. And if there is one thing they can definitely agree on, it’s their distaste for the current state of politics in both Israel and the Palestinian territories. “We share the same side, which is the third side,” said Hathut. “It’s the side that says, just stop this bullshit; it doesn’t work for anything.”

When Orphaned Land accepted a Metal Hammer award they shared it with Khalas and they all joked that the only conflict between them was over “who will pay for the beer.”

I have always found comfort with music; however, I never thought I would find that spark of light in heavy metal music but I was wrong. Their music has a message of peace and unity regardless of the issues that divide.

Every stage that Orphaned Land and Khalas play together not only unites them but it unites the audience to come together. I experienced that at the concert. Even with my white hair and wrinkles, I was accepted as one of them. Despite the sweat and packed bodies, it was amazing to see people from different places and backgrounds sing the same lyrics and enjoy the same bands. For those four hours, every person in that venue had at least one thing in common.

Rock on.