Tin Cans. Pots. Dog bowls. Tin foil. Chains. A guitar…or is it a cello? National Sawdust in Williamsburg, Brooklyn lived up to its name in the most literal way possible, as they hosted the Yemeni “found sounds” band El Khat this past Saturday evening. Led by Eyal El Wahab on lead vocals and string based hand crafted instruments, El Khat brought a full, engaging and jubilant sound that had an all ages crowd absolutely mesmerized.

The drummer remarked endearingly early on, “Whatever needs to be yours in our music I hope you find it”.  This being the 2nd to last date of their first U.S. tour, the band presented itself as a well oiled machine. The crowd was dancing along from the very beginning of  El Wahab’s first bow driven melody. Both traditional and original Yemeni songs were played from this group based in Tel Aviv, Israel. The familiar middle eastern sound rings through on the bassline of mini organ Korg synthesizer and galloping drums on the aforementioned pots and cans drum kit. Obscure time signatures were ever present, as the three band members exchanged warm glaces with each other, careening effortlessly through each song.

Highlights included the catchy “Djaja”, and a song that had an eerily similar baseline to Jefferson Airplane's “White Rabbit.” To the great joy of the crowd, the synthesizer player was beckoned down to the floor and taught the audience a traditional Yemeni step. Attendees aged 7-87 were stepping right along with unadulterated glee.

El Khat did a wonderful job dictating the energy of the night. Inviting the audience in by performing call and responses numbers, impressive attention to detail, and impeccable sound. Covered in intricate white painted soundproofing, The artistic yet unassuming setting of National Sawdust was an audiophile's dream. No earplugs necessary to enjoy this well-mixed presentation from the non-profit, World Music Institute. 

The drummer put a single key on the top of his dog bowl hi-hat, which seemed to indicate the final number of the hour-long set. With a thunderous and primal drum duet to wrap the night, El Khat left the crowd wanting more. All three members were generous enough to stick around and meet their adoring fans.. It is rare to find such an overwhelming joyous and welcoming atmosphere as El Khat was able to manifest in such a short span of time. The ingenuity of this band is something special. Check out a short compilation of El Khat’s 2023 Spring Tour for a taste of their live offerings, or find El Khat on all major streaming platforms.

Review & Photos by: Jay Bartell

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