Convening below an American flag turned upside down, Rostam Batmanglij and his live band delivered an evening of intimate artistry at the historic Aladdin Theater in Portland, Oregon. Hitting multiple cities in the PNW in support of his newest album, American Stories, the former Vampire Weekend musician also featured a special lineup of multi-instrumentalists to bring the release to life. Live collaborators include violinist Paul Cartwright, Daniel Aged, Gabe Noel, Hamilton Berry, Henry Solomon, Andrew Tachine, and Joey Messina-Doerning.
With American Stories, Rostam has cultivated a unique, soul-baring sound that blends his cultural roots as an Iranian American – “saz melodies over Western guitar chords”, according to the artist himself – and the musical result feels authentic and joyous – his heart is within his art. The songs are honest, full of love and yes, political, as evidenced by the aforementioned placement of the flag onstage. Though the sight of a flag in distress could convey certain impressions, the message was there for those who understood – there is no greater act of love for your country than to have the courage to admit the wrongs in order to believe a better one is possible.
Thank you Rostam, for pushing love & humanity into the world tonight.
