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Ahvaz: Dust, Dates, and a Drummer's Dilemma

@Tobias King2/14/2026blog

okay, so ahvaz. it’s…a lot. i landed with a kit bag full of sticks and a vague promise of a gig with some local musicians - a fusion thing, apparently. honestly, i’m still not entirely sure what kind of fusion. i just follow the money, you know?


first impressions? *heat. like, a thick, heavy heat that clings to you. i just checked and it's hovering around twenty-five degrees, but it feels like someone’s blowing a hairdryer in your face constantly. the humidity’s low, thankfully, around thirty-six percent, which means you sweat, but it mostly evaporates before you drown in it. the air pressure is a bit wonky, though - 1011, but the ground level’s down at 993. makes your ears pop a little.


finding a decent coffee spot has been…challenging. i’m a drummer, not a miracle worker. i stumbled into this little place near the market - “Cafe Narges” - and the coffee was…brown. let’s leave it at that. Yelp reviews are scarce, but someone told me the owner’s brother makes a killer falafel. haven’t braved that yet.

my hotel is…functional. it’s called the “Parsian Azadi Hotel” and it’s got air conditioning, which is basically a life-saver. https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g295608-d298649-Reviews-Parsian_Azadi_Hotel-Ahvaz_Khuzestan_Province.html i overheard a guy at the front desk complaining about the plumbing, so, yeah, be prepared for potential adventures.

“Don’t drink the tap water. Seriously. Just…don’t.”


that was a local musician, Ali, who’s supposed to be part of this “fusion” project. he seems nice enough, though he keeps trying to get me to try this local date wine. i’m politely declining. i need my hands coordinated, you know?


the streets are…busy. a constant flow of cars, scooters, and people. everyone seems to be rushing somewhere, but no one actually gets anywhere faster. it’s a beautiful chaos, honestly. if you get bored, the ancient city of Susa is just a short drive away - apparently, it’s got some seriously impressive ruins. https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1067/

i’ve been trying to find some good music shops, but it’s proving difficult. most places seem to sell either carpets or spices. not exactly a drummer’s paradise. i did find a guy who repairs instruments, though. he looked like he’d seen things. dark things. he quoted me a price for re-skinning my snare that seemed…optimistic.

someone warned me about the dust storms. apparently, they can roll in pretty quickly and turn everything orange. i’m hoping to avoid that. i’ve packed a bandana, just in case.


the gig? well, it’s tomorrow night. i have no idea what we’re playing. i’ve been given a few vaguely melodic phrases and told to “feel the rhythm.” i’m a drummer, feeling the rhythm is my job*. but this feels…different. it feels like i’m about to walk into something completely unexpected. and honestly? i’m kind of excited.

i’ve also been looking at local boards for events. https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=399119 it seems like there's a small art scene here, which is cool. maybe i can check that out if the gig doesn't completely destroy my eardrums.

i heard that the best dates in the world come from this region. i’m going to have to investigate that claim. for journalistic purposes, obviously. and maybe, just maybe, i’ll try that date wine. but only one sip. i promise.

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About the author: Tobias King

Student of life, taking notes for everyone else.

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