La Bombe

The Great Departed (فرقة الراحل الكبير) is a Beirut-based band founded in 2013, built around composer Khaled Soubeih, solo singers Naim El Asmar and Sandy Chamoun, oud player Imad Hashisho, buzuq player Abed Kobaissy, and percussionist Ali El Hout. The band set out to offer something new, distinct from the members' previous projects which had largely focused on reinterpreting musical heritage — whether in traditional form or with fresh arrangements. They began performing in the summer of 2013 and immediately drew strong audiences at Metro Al Madina in Beirut, prompting an expansion of their originally planned shows.

Their debut album La Bombe is driven by sharp political and social satire. The La Bombe shows were such a success that they were extended over several months and various occasions, from August to December 2014, in direct response to audience demand. In 2015 the band performed in Jordan, and in 2017 they toured Europe as part of the Beirut and Beyond Music Festival.