Information
About the Concert
You can call this a comeback: The legendary Ethiopian keyboarder Hailu Mergia hadn't performed in public since almost 20 years and blew everyone away on his first ever full scale European tour at the end of last year. Though having never met them before he hit it right away with his excellent Berlin-based All-Aussie rhythm section, Mike Majkowski on double bass and drummer extraordinaire Tony Buck of The Necks fame.
Hailu Mergia spends six days a week driving a cab to and from Dulles Airport in the US' capitol Washington - he’s been driving a taxi for more than 10 years. Little of his customers are aware of the fact that the cabbie once was Ethiopia's most popular keyboard player and leader of the legendary Walias Band (which, at times, also featured Mulatu Astatke). The Walias Band's much sought-after LP 'Tche Belew' goes for thousands of dollars on Ebay and features the original version of the monstrous Muziqawi Silt - arguably the best known Ethiopian tune worldwide.
In the early 1980es, some Walias Band members used an US-tour to escape the dictatorial Mengistu-regime; Mergia has been living in the DC area ever since then. In 2013 Awesome Tapes From Africa re-issued a lesser known solo album, 'Hailu Mergia & His Classical Instrument': The 1985 recording is a fantastic effort featuring a host of old school synths, ghostly accordions and a lovely bit of cheap drum computers.
After the mindblowing show at Monarch in December we are stoked to have Hailu & Co. back!
Before and after the concert Berlin's SpatzHabibi DJ team will play a special selection of Celestial Afro Rhythms, Asian Funk, Cumbia and Turkish Delights!
Upcoming concert
Concerts
Snapped Ankles - Berlin - Urban Spree
- Apr 11, 2025
- 20:00
- 22.00€
Concerts
The Vices • Berlin • Urban Spree
- Apr 02, 2025
- 20:00
- 26.60€
Concerts
THUS LOVE
- Mar 19, 2025
- 19:00
- 22.70€
Concerts
ALPHAWHORES | Berlin, Urban Spree
- Mar 06, 2025
- 19:00
- 21.20€
Concerts
Being Dead • Urban Spree
- Feb 15, 2025
- 20:00
- 23.00€
Concerts
MADELINE GOLDSTEIN + DANCING PLAGUE | URBAN…
- Feb 12, 2025
- 20:00
- 17.90€
Concerts
KLUBB DÖD: AUSGANG + EAT MY TEETH + CATAPHILES
- Feb 01, 2025
- 20:00
- 20.00€
Concerts
Famous · Berlin
- Jan 29, 2025
- 20:00
- 20.80€
Concerts
HAVEN + DEATH CULT 69 | Double Album release…
- Jan 25, 2025
- 20:00
- 20.00€
Concerts
Lambrini Girls: 'Who Let The Dogs Out' Release…
- Jan 16, 2025
- 20:00
- 40.00€
Concerts
HANDS LABEL NIGHT BERLIN 2025
- Jan 04, 2025
- 19:00
- 28.00€
Concerts
Brutal Forms X HARSH VOICES
- Dec 14, 2024
- 22:00
- 15.00€
Concerts
Leæther Strip - exclusive club show - ( +…
- Dec 13, 2024
- 20:00
- 25.00€
Concerts
MØAA (US) + Special Guests: KITTY SOLARIS…
- Dec 10, 2024
- 20:00
- 16.00€
Concerts
House of Harm · Berlin
- Dec 07, 2024
- 20:00
- 20.20€
Concerts
OH HIROSHIMA (SWE) + Guest: AUSKLANG | Berlin…
- Dec 05, 2024
- 20:00
- 15.00€
Concerts
New Date: The Cassandra Complex - CX40 Tour…
- Dec 04, 2024
- 20:00
- 28.00€
Concerts
Deaf Radio | Berlin
- Dec 03, 2024
- 20:00
- 21.25€
Concerts
Shybits · Berlin
- Nov 29, 2024
- 20:00
- 17.90€
Concerts
Molly Donnery, James Cicero, FIEP - Indie…
- Nov 28, 2024
- 20:00
- 15.00€
Concerts
Habibi (Brooklyn) - Urban Spree, Berlin
- Nov 26, 2024
- 20:00
- 22.00€
Concerts
Vision Video · Berlin
- Nov 25, 2024
- 20:00
- 20.00€
Concerts
DIMITRIS MYSTAKIDIS · Berlin
- Nov 24, 2024
- 20:00
- 26.90€
Concerts
K-Three Session 1
- Nov 23, 2024
- 21:00
- 8.00€
Concerts
WARMDUSCHER - Berlin, Urban Spree
- Nov 22, 2024
- 20:00
- 20.00€
Concerts
Aunt / Daniel Shots / Ultrabonus live at…
- Nov 21, 2024
- 20:00
- 10.00€
Concerts
BATTLE OF THE MACHINES: Episode 2
- Nov 20, 2024
- 19:00
- 10.00€
Concerts
HYPNODRONE ENSEMBLE + Guests: GLOW POOLS…
- Nov 17, 2024
- 20:00
- 15.00€
Concerts
Dopelord w/ Special Guest: Red Sun Atacama…
- Nov 15, 2024
- 20:00
- 22.05€
Concerts
CROCODILES (US) + Guest: 250CC | Berlin Show…
- Nov 14, 2024
- 20:00
- 17.00€
Concerts
Dury Dava + The Bonnie Nettles | Urban Spree…
- Nov 10, 2024
- 20:00
- 28.00€
Concerts
BLIND DELON · Berlin
- Nov 08, 2024
- 20:00
- 22.40€
Concerts
MIZMOR W/ INSECT ARK ◥◣ Urban Spree, Berlin
- Nov 07, 2024
- 20:00
- 23.10€
Concerts
SKEMER live + Santacrvz live + Aux Animaux…
- Nov 06, 2024
- 20:00
- 15.00€
Concerts
untitled (halo)
- Nov 05, 2024
- 20:00
- 22.70€
Concerts
PINK MARIO | Album Release Show at Urban…
- Nov 03, 2024
- 20:00
- 16.00€
Concerts
Black Pope - White Smoke album launch at…
- Nov 02, 2024
- 20:00
- 12.00€
Concerts
Crows | Berlin
- Nov 01, 2024
- 20:00
- 23.06€
Concerts
USU.: Møster! + Sticks in the Casino | Urban…
- Oct 31, 2024
- 20:00
- 19.93€
Concerts
DZ Deathrays · Berlin · Urban Spree
- Oct 30, 2024
- 19:00
- 22.70€
Concerts
Living Gate · Berlin · Urban Spree
- Oct 29, 2024
- 20:00
- 24.90€
Concerts
BLVTH "YIN YING Tour 2024" | Berlin
- Oct 28, 2024
- 20:00
- 28.00€
Concerts
Cemetery Planet Fest III - day 2
- Oct 27, 2024
- 15:00
- 55.00€
Concerts
Cemetery Planet Fest III - day 1
- Oct 26, 2024
- 18:00
- 55.00€
Concerts
MAMORÉ · Berlin
- Oct 25, 2024
- 20:00
- 17.90€
Concerts
Sasami - Berlin - Urban Spree
- Oct 22, 2024
- 20:00
- 18.00€
Concerts
PANKOW + STATIQBLOOM \\ Urban Spree, Berlin
- Oct 20, 2024
- 20:00
- 20.00€
Concerts
ASCENDING + GORGYRA at Urban Spree
- Oct 19, 2024
- 20:00
- 15.00€
Concerts
-SOLD OUT- Fat Dog - Berlin - Urban Spree
- Oct 16, 2024
- 20:00
- 22.00€
Concerts
-SOLD OUT- Ulcerate (New Zealand) + Abduction…
- Oct 15, 2024
- 19:00
- 28.00€
