Along with the tastes of Middle Eastern food and flavored tobaccos, customers at the Shisha Cafe are able to treat their ears to the sounds of the Middle East. Before the addition of flat screens and satellite television, the indoor and outdoor establishment provided traditional Middle Eastern music to complete the atmosphere. With a wide variety of customers - from college students playing acoustic guitars outside, to families - the Shisha Cafe is an escape from the usual restaurant and bar scene; a chance for San Antonians to experience something foreign.
"People like to see something different," owner Majeed Alobaidi said. The traditional music, involving Middle Eastern instruments such as the 'ud and the tablah, came straight out of Alobaidi's CD collection; but since the addition of flat screen televisions, the music is provided by Dandana America's Middle Eastern satellite programming. An example of the traditional music would be Kadhem Alsaher, Alobaidi's favorite Arabian artist.
Most of the music that is played is Arabian, Alobaidi explained, but there is also some Lebanese and Kuwaiti music as well. From the satellite, contemporary Middle Eastern music videos are similar to modern hip-hop videos; the artists are often dressed much like rappers of today, surrounded by beautiful women and expensive cars. The music follows suit, with common beats and tunes, but the presence of Middle Eastern instruments and musical scales is hard to miss.
Like all establishments, the atmosphere is dictated by the sounds and smells - you wouldn't hear rock'n'roll in a romantic jazz lounge, just as you wouldn't hear classical music in a pool hall. At the Shisha Cafe, with the scent of fruit-flavored tobaccos and the sounds of Arabian music, you can escape the common bar scene in San Antonio. Why not add a little culture to your life while doing so?
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