Al-Bara'em (in English: The Blooms) were Palestine's first original rock n … Read Full Bio ↴Al-Bara'em (in English: The Blooms) were Palestine's first original rock n roll band, active from 1966 - 1976.
The band was formed in Jerusalem, Palestine in 1966 by siblings of the Ashrawi family. They began as a cover band, performing songs by The Who, The Kinks, Jimi Hendrix, The Beatles, and Cliff Richard & The Shadows.

After the 1967 War and the illegal Israeli military occuaption of Jerusalem and the events of Black September of 1977, siblings Emile and Samir felt playing dance-friendly covers wouldn't suffice. The band stopped billing themselves as The Blooms, changing their name to Al-Bara'em) and transitioned to writing original music in Arabic.

Al-Bara'em became the first band to write and perform original Arabic rock and roll music in Palestine.
They were also the first to feature women front and center on stage as their sisters, backed by the band, would perform songs by Lebanese singer Fairuz.
Quickly becoming a sensation, the band played sold-out shows around Palestine for crowds that numbered in the hundreds.