Velshodegan live ★ Salón Sonoro

The Tehran-based musicians of Velshodegan visiting us for the first time at the docks of Amsterdam! Dedicated to reviving and reinterpreting Persian traditional music they are rooted in the vibrant and theatrical Roo-Houzi tradition—a form of folk performance that blends humor, poetry, and music—their sound is both deeply traditional and refreshingly contemporary. Velshodegan’s songs fall in the category of tasnif, metrical songs in classical Iranian vocal music but their lyrics – unlike those of most contemporary tasnifs – do not follow the general socio-ethical norms of the official language. The lyrics are colloquial, oftentimes humorous and crude, and relate social experiences prosaically. The humour in their songs is derived from the contrast the audience feels between classical Iranian music and vernacular street language, quotes from pop songs and prosaic lyrics, and the informality of their videos. The term ‘velshodegan’ literally refers to vagrants, drifters – rolling stones. The name was chosen to highlight the conditions of the band’s members in society, and their music in the classical Iranian music scene.