Beirut at Paramount Theatre Seattle

The brainchild of singer songwriter Zach Condon, Beirut is an American folk band that fuses indie rock with world music. Inspired by travels around Europe and by Balkan music in particular, Condon began his project in 2005, when he recorded his critically acclaimed debut album Gulag Orkestar. This led to Condon signing to Ba Da Bing! Records in 2006, with whom he released three 2007 EPs, and Beirut's second studio album, The Flying Cup Club, later that year. The band's fifth studio album, Gallipoli, was released in 2018, preceded by the singles "Gallipoli" and "Corfu". As part of the band, Condon plays a rotary valve flugelhorn and the ukulele, as well as trumpet, euphonium, mandolin, accordion, various keyboard instruments, and a modified conchshell that appears on The Flying Club Cup. He is supported by several other multi-instrumentalists who make up the group's live outfit.