THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN F. & F.: Album Release Party Album Release Party & Poetry Concert with Shannon Sullivan, Simon Schmidt & Ali Hasan 18.09.24 in Berlin, Lettrétage in der Veteranenstr.

»THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN F. & F.« is a musical collaboration between Shannon Sullivan (poetry, performance), Simon Schmidt (guitar, chromatic kalimba, xaphoon, effects), and Ali Hasan (percussion). In the »DIFFERENCE BETWEEN F. & F.« the skyscraper recurs as a metaphor. The poems question: who jumps off, who falls off, and why? Which lives are sacrificed in the course of erecting such an imposing monument? The listener is taken on a whirlwind tour through a world off balance: excruciating work schedules, environmental destruction, isolation, violence, war. With a keen eye towards the interrelatedness of collective and personal histories, the texts shine light on hidden networks of entangled webs. The music is the heartbeat which propels the listener towards transformation.

Shannon Sullivan is known for the percussive power of her interdisciplinary poetic performances. 2022 she was nominated for the European-wide poetry network »Versopolis«. Her poetry confronts the dark spaces of the personal and collective psyches with an intent on transformation. With a keen eye, she penetrates the interrelatedness of microcosm and macrocosm. The images in her work range from deeply personal to global as she careens through an almost dizzying kaleidoscope of emotional landscapes. Interweaving music and poetry is a passion of Sullivan’s. Sound and rhythm provide the heartbeat which propels the listener towards metamorphosis. Her work has been shown in numerous festivals in Europe and beyond; her poems have been translated into German, French, Spanish, Armenian, Slovak, Dutch, and Italian. Her poetry collection »What the Sun Means« was published by Il Canneto Editore in a biligual version in June 2024. »THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN F. & F.«, a collaboration with the musicians Ali Hasan and Simon Schmidt, has now been recorded as her first full-length album.

Ali Hasan is a Berlin-based musician, percussionist, and healing artist with roots in Syria. Known for his vibrant rhythms, he performs both solo and with groups like Pulsar Collective and Dabke Community Dance by Sasha Waltz & Guests. Ali is also a recognized physical therapist from the Akademie der Gesundheit Berlin/Brandenburg e.V., blending his therapeutic skills with his art. As co-founder and Art Curator of BAYNATNA, the Arabic-German Library, he champions Arabic and international arts, The library has been awarded accolades such as »THE POWER OF THE ART 2020. transforming society.« At the Humboldt Forum, he performs and curates music with the Resident Music Collective. Ali has been also recognised with many international press online platforms and TV.

Simon Schmidt aka Blindsmyth - the Berlin-based musician is usually more known for his dreamy yet energetic electronic live sets under the moniker Blindsmyth. For this unique performance he will explore his experimental side, drawing influences from his study in Composition in the Netherlands and improvising in Berlin’s vibrant and eclectic music scene. He runs his prepared guitar, a self-built chromatic Kalimba and primitive reed Instruments through an arsenal of self- programmed effects; resulting in intricate soundscapes and eerie noises. 

The event will be held in english. But as its mostly about music, just come, whatever language you understand.