BAM presents the US premiere of The Long Goodbye, a bracing and emotional live music show from musician, storyteller, actor, and activist Riz Ahmed. The show will feature new music from Ahmed's recently announced new album of the same name, which uses eastern influences to meld rap, spoken word, and R&B. An electrifying journey into here and now, the live performance will take a close look at the end of a toxic relationship with the country you call home.
Ahmed, in his BAM debut, will perform The Long Goodbye for two nights only (April 3 and 4) at a secret location in Brooklyn as a part of Yours Theirs Ours-a season of engagements by artists sharing bold ideas and giving voice. Written and performed by Ahmed, the live performance redefines the traditional definition of music performance. It is directed by writer, director, and dramaturg Kirsty Housley with creative direction from Andrea Gelardin.
The Long Goodbye LP and its accompanying short film is set to release on March 6 via Ahmed's label, Mongrel Records. Produced by longtime collaborator Redinho and featuring Jay Sean.
Prior to the BAM performance, The Long Goodbye will have its world premiere as part of Manchester International Festival's series of pre-Factory events, from March 26-28.
Riz Ahmed has starred in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Venom, Four Lions, Nightcrawler, and the final season of the hit HBO show Girls as Lena Dunham's love interest. He took the spotlight as the first South Asian actor to win an acting Emmy for his lead role in HBO's The Night Of.
As a musician, Ahmed came up in the London music scene as a rap battle champion, going on to write and perform both as a solo artist and with Swet Shop Boys. His provocative solo release, "Post 9/11 Blues," was banned before a viral groundswell forced it onto radio. The Swet Shop Boys album, Cashmere, toured to sold-out crowds from Coachella to NYC's Webster Hall. In a nod to their cultural impact, protestors against Trump's "muslim ban" at Los Angeles International Airport were heard chanting its lyrics. Also released in 2018 was "Mogambo," a swaggering survival anthem for our fraught times, followed by a series of incendiary, sold-out live shows in the US and UK.
Videos