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"Finger" from Centerstage: Artists From Abroad in American Communities
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Bio

More About Poor Rich Boy

Poor Rich Boy

Lahore, Pakistan

On tour as part of Center StageSM

Shehzad ‘Shezy’ Noor singer/songwriter

Zain Ahsan rhythm and lead guitarist/producer

Danish ‘Danny’ Khawaja lead guitarist

Zain Moulvi aka ‘Molly’ bass guitarist

Raavail ‘Buddy’ Sattar drummer and percussionist

Umer ‘Duck’ Khan singer/songwriter

About the Band

Discreetly subversive, Poor Rich Boy, hails from Lahore, the centuries old cultural nexus of South Asia. At the vanguard of Pakistan’s underground indie-art rock phenomenon, Poor Rich Boy conjures the strangeness of everyday life in a society where expressing one’s inner world can be both a cathartic and subtly rebellious act. Enigmatic and layered, the band’s striking vocals, atmospheric sounds, and percussive edges create a crystalline sound that suggests but rarely reveals.

Making their U.S. debut here under the auspices of Center Stage, Poor Rich Boy travels from Washington, DC, to Rhode Island, North Carolina and New York from June 1-24 on a tour that will include appearances and collaborations with Plume Giant, The Mast, The Boston Boys, the Bob Kendall Band and DakhaBrakha.

A short note about the band’s English language lyrics…. “While a lot of people wonder why we don’t sing in Urdu, since it’s the national language, we wonder why the national anthem is in Persian and not in Urdu. But anyhow, if you walk around anywhere in Lahore or Islamabad – which is where the band members are from – you’ll find that all the road signs, billboards, advertisements, shop signs and public messages are written in Urdu as well as English. And it’s the same for every major city. Some people read these signs in Urdu, some in English, and some in both. If art is thus an abstract manifestation of culture and culture that of society then we’re the English instructions on a road sign that has instructions written on it in both English and Urdu.” – from an interview with the Qatar Peninsula

Shehzad ‘Shezy’ Noor (singer/songwriter) was born with a passion for music of all sorts—from heavy metal to R&B—and has managed to keep that passion alive over the years by performing in various musical/stage productions, and fronting Poor Rich Boy as the lead vocalist, In real life, he draws his thoughts on paper and teaches children to sing. He teaches music and drama to primary and middle year students at one of Beaconhouse’s Lahore campuses, and has future plans to build arts programs for underprivileged schools.

Zain Ahsan (rhythm and lead guitarist/producer) A man of subtle tastes, Zain is very particular about the sound of the band, holding tracks hostage for months while he burnishes their ferocious edges. A full time musician and self-proclaimed purist, he is a frequent guest speaker at workshops aimed at honing the talent of budding musicians.

Danish ‘Danny’ Khawaja (lead guitarist) is known for his incredible ear, uncanny musical structures and strident self-criticism. The reality is he can do just about anything. Apart from Poor Rich Boy, Danny is currently producing an album of Sindhi folk songs. He dreams of making his mark on the international music scene before his twenty-second birthday.

Zain Moulvi aka ‘Molly’(bass guitarist) has been a practicing lawyer, a sociology teacher, a debate coach, an independent researcher, as well as a seriously bizarre bassist (simultaneously) for many years now. Though he will pursue PhD studies at the University of Virginia this autumn, it is expected that he will ultimately find a way to be on two continents at the same time and keep playing his crazy bass.

Raavail ‘Buddy’ Sattar (drummer and percussionist) is a veteran of Lahore’s music world despite his young age. Blessed with an innate penchant for all instruments percussive, he is a groovy exponent of the drums, the dumbak, the cajon, and on and on. A self-taught carpenter with a flair for all manner of design work and home repair, Raavail is also an upcoming producer and composer who intends to devote his creative energies to helping young musicians record their music.

Umer ‘Duck’ Khan (singer/songwriter) hails from the northern parts of Pakistan. He is a writer, poet, artist, songwriter, vocalist, but above all a true story teller and a philosopher of the comical and the sad. Best known for soulful compositions as the solo artist ‘Duck,’ Umer also puts his mellifluous voice into service as a lecturer of English Literature at one of Lahore’s leading universities.

About Center Stage

Now in its second season, Center Stage introduces performing artists from abroad to American communities. Seven outstanding contemporary dance and music ensembles from Morocco, Pakistan, and Vietnam will perform, interact, and begin meaningful dialogues with Americans during independent month-long tours scheduled from June through November 2014. Artists touring as part of Center Stage help build mutual understanding via cultural expressions and people to people exchanges. From coast to coast, many performances and off-stage activities are free and open to the public.

Center Stage is a public diplomacy initiative of the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. It is produced by the New England Foundation for the Arts in cooperation with the U.S. Regional Arts Organizations, and supported by the Robert Sterling Clark Foundation and the Asian Cultural Council. General management for Center Stage is provided by Lisa Booth Management, Inc.

Keep up with Center Stage and find additional information about Poor Rich Boy at www.CenterStageUS.org, on Facebook (www.facebook.com/CenterStagePage), and Twitter (@CenterStageUS).

Poor Rich Boy’s Center Stage Staff

Theresa L. Teague Company Manager

Robert W. Henderson, Jr. Technical & Production Supervisor