Members of Gatto, a Lebanese band that fuses dabkeh, shaabi, and punk energy. (Credit: Courtesy of the band)
The name began as a joke that said everything about the band. “Gatto” comes from “gâteau,” the French word for cake. But in Lebanon, the pronunciation takes on a local inflection: “gâteau” becomes “gatto,” then slips a little further into “ghetto,” with all its evocations of streets and neighborhoods — the very ones the band sings about.“We called it ‘Gatto’ because, first of all, cake means celebration,” the band’s singer, Noor Aboud, tells L’Orient-Le Jour. “There’s always cake at a party, and we play festive music. At the same time, a lot of people hear ‘ghetto,’ and that works too.” ICYMI Bent nails and brains, Chinatown flashback, and Zahle at 4 a.m. This double meaning follows the band everywhere. Its music is both festive and furious: Wedding tunes collide with punk energy, while dabkeh and shaabi rhythms run through...
The name began as a joke that said everything about the band. “Gatto” comes from “gâteau,” the French word for cake. But in Lebanon, the pronunciation takes on a local inflection: “gâteau” becomes “gatto,” then slips a little further into “ghetto,” with all its evocations of streets and neighborhoods — the very ones the band sings about.“We called it ‘Gatto’ because, first of all, cake means celebration,” the band’s singer, Noor Aboud, tells L’Orient-Le Jour. “There’s always cake at a party, and we play festive music. At the same time, a lot of people hear ‘ghetto,’ and that works too.” ICYMI Bent nails and brains, Chinatown flashback, and Zahle at 4 a.m. This double meaning follows the band everywhere. Its music is both festive and furious: Wedding tunes collide with punk energy, while...