It’s All Happening: The Taqwacores Debuts in Los Angeles
Sundance Festival Pick The Taqwacores officially premiered in Los Angeles at the Laemmle Sunset 5 Theater to a modestly sized crowd on November 12. Friday night’s screening marked the fifth time I had seen the film, almost two years after hearing of a movie in pre-production about “Muslim Punks.” Though it’s a phrase I try to … Read more
Hollywood-ification
It was another Taqwacore road trip, from Oakland to Los Angeles. This was strange considering that Los Angeles was home turf, I just happened to move to Oakland rather recently. It seemed like all my Taqwacore adventures revolved around a trip of some sort – there was never a semblance of “home,” which is ironic … Read more
Composing Master Mind of Omar Fadel
It’s hard to believe that The Taqwacores feature film Sundance Film Festival debut was back in January. So much has happened since the adventures in the Taqx punk house in the snowy valley of Park City. It was in the house that I first met the illustrious Omar Fadel. Poised and soft spoken, it was … Read more
Oaklandistan
Blue skies, potholed streets in Oaklandistan – I was craving halal hot links as I drove by the halal market. It was Friday, and I was stealing some “me” time away from my job on the campaign trail. In my head though I was still working, thoughts preoccupied, stressed about finances and wondering if we … Read more
And So Taqx at Sundance Ends
Crossposted from Taqx at Sundance. Read the entire adventure of Taz’s personal experience there – for full effect, start at the start. It was my last day at Sundance, and the last screening of The Taqwacores. The bands had all left, most of cast had left, the punk rock house was clean again, and really … Read more
The Niche
Heavens they say are the dwelling place Of light that pours out the merciful Breath in the hour of “Allah is the Light of the Heavens and the Earth” at That moment in the presence, the Her cheek calling out to the Taqwacores. The meaning Unity glimpsed at the Turning curls of nonexistence, making It … Read more
The Nest
The Nest Nested in the abode of never-ending happiness, in the resting place of coming to the place of no existence, They had no form. Beginning from end to start, they are the limitless ending mirage, calling out from a place of nowhere. Some have called them infidels, others have called them the faithful, but … Read more
Rasika Mathur Skates Into the Moshpit
Crossposted from Sepia Mutiny. Kick, kick, push…. went our Sector 9 skateboards along the coast of the beach of Santa Barbara; my board was painted with surf waves, and hers was appropriately painted with an image of Ganesh. I was skating with Rasika Mathur, comedian, actress, and funny person extraordinaire. When I found out that … Read more
Punk on a Prayer Mat
Australian/Indonesian. Vegan. Muslim. Left-Wing. Punk. Hijabi. These words seem so disjointed when you isolate them but collectively these words describe, basically, who I am. Strange, huh? It wasn’t long ago when I’d look at these words and feel a great sense of loneliness in my gut. A little over a year ago, I Googled the … Read more
Wild Nights Album Review by YAM BOY (AKA Nikesh Shukla)
The Kominas – ‘Wild Nights in Guantanemo Bay’ (2009) It’s two thousand and fucking nine people… Iran is imploding, the BNP is exploding and we’re all still doing the running man like it’s 1988. Who the fuck is Lady Gaga? Who the fuck are the Kominas? Cos they’ll poke—her——face… Anger, destruction, energy, synergy, polemic, ire, … Read more
