he New Year is no longer new. In the second month of 2024, we’re still listening to TALISMAN by Zeerak Ahmed, who is better known as Slowspin in musical circles. Her LP that was released in 2023 is still as beautiful and original as it was when we first heard it.

Though Slowspin currently lives in New York and has played several gigs in the USA with one NY show that was completely sold out, she has not forgotten her roots or her fanbase in Pakistan. To that end, she will be performing at an upcoming event that we hope everyone in the city by the sea is able to catch.

This collaborative event is an amalgamation of storytelling, poetry reading and a musical performance. To be precise, it is an evening where Zambeel Dramatic Readings will be performing two classic Urdu Short Stories by Ismat Chughtai and Quratulain Hyder, preceded by a musical performance by Zeerak Ahmed (Slowspin) and poetry reading by Samiya Mumtaz. Sponsored by Mashmool, in collaboration with the National Academy of Performing Arts (NAPA), it is scheduled to take place on February 25 at Zia Mohyeddin Theatre (NAPA) and will begin at 6.00 pm. With tickets priced at PKR 2,000, it may sound like an expensive investment but given the unique nature of the collaboration, it will be worth every penny.

With several events being held in the city in the month of February, this is one event that we’re endorsing ahead of many others. Be there or you will miss a rare and beautiful effort that will take you away from all of life’s troubles for an evening of glorious sound, storytelling and poetic recitation. –Slowspin image by Alyse Nelson