Global Mashup: Middle Eastern Rock Meets Western Swing

Starting with two dance workshops, each band plays a set, then the two meet and jam for the third and final “Mashup” set!

Experience an unforgettable night of powerful music, cultural fusion, and storytelling as two groundbreaking artists take the stage: Mehrnam Rastegari, the internationally acclaimed Persian musician and composer, and Queen Esther, the genre-defying force in Americana and Black roots music.

Mehrnam Rastegari: Chogan blends Persian classical traditions with rock and modern fusion, reimagining the sound of the Kamancheh for global audiences. A master instrumentalist, film score composer, and founder of both her traditional Persian ensemble and Middle Eastern rock band Chogan, Rastegari brings centuries of sonic heritage into bold, contemporary conversation.