"Omar is probably one of the greatest song writers in a generation any where in any genre; a self described Anarchist his lyrics cover a range of topics from racism, immigration, slaving away in corporate America, and of course anti conformity. Think of him as a Sufi Tom Gabel with a completely different perspective, his writing is poetic and gripping and his delivery of the lyrics is smoother than melted butter mixed with heavy cream frozen and flattened with a Zamboni." ...." Omar plays the guitar, sitar, and ofcourse sings in his amazing voice his timely and important message."
FCH - The interthrashional
“Omar Waqar, A Pakistani-American rock artist, is not just a singer-songwriter but also a lyrical activist whose music is engaging underground DC audiences like wild fire. His songs reflect diversity, originality, independence and expression of free thought. Omar says that people are the same all around the world, but what makes us different is how we think and treat one another.”
Imran Siddique - GlobalCrossover VOA
“Omar Waqar, a Washington D.C.-based artist performing ...belted out a song about the partition of India, its lyrics scrawled in a black composition notebook set next to the stage. Omar cites his Sufi mysticism as inspiration, calling one song “qawwali,” a type of devotional music from Pakistan and Northern India. The crowd, most in their mid-20s, chants along, “They call it partition, it’s more like separation!,” singing out against an event that took place decades before any of them were even born.”
Kate Shellnutt - northwestern.news21.com
“and eventually the police shut the bands' amplifiers off, but not before several of the conservative young girls in head scarves in the audience have chanted "Stop the Hate!" with Sufi punk Omar Waqar.”
Josh Rosenblatt - The Austin Chronicle
“Omar Waqar with an acoustic guitar. Up-tempo, a little dark. I don’t usually go for a singer-songwriter unless there’s surprise in something—the chords? the voice? In this case, the lyrics are strong enough to pull.”
Marisa Demarco - Alibi.com
“The stop sign, with the word “lies” stenciled in blue, was part of the school bus they drove for their first tour. “The sign really captured, I thought, the essence of the ...movement — a tangible suggestion of anger at ethnic and religious profiling (the sign was bent and gnarled and ripped off its tour bus),” Daniel Cavicchi, Grammy Museum guest curator wrote in an e-mail. {referencing a stop sign painted by omar waqar}”
LAT-WP - The New Indian Express
"It's been less about the music than about who we are and how we're dressed," said Omar Waqar, 28, vocalist and guitarist for Sarmust. It would be hard not to note that while touring the Grammy Museum, Waqar was dressed in a black South Asian salwar kameez and a jacket that was hand-painted and stitched with colorful, fraying fabric.
Raja Abdulrahim - LA Times
"...served as a secular response to political injustice..." "labeling of Washington DC based Diacritical as an "Islamic band" in 2007 despite it only having one muslim member, created tensions within the group that lead to its break up. A classically trained sitar player Diacritical's Omar Waqar later perused a solo project Sarmust to combine his backgrounds of punk rock and sufi qawwali music.
Edward E. Curtis - Encyclopedia of Muslim-American History
“...was never about proselytizing a religious message, nor was it ‘look at us, we’re brown people with Mohawks.’ We were having a legitimate reaction to the climate, to things that were happening around us.” “People would ask me, ‘Being from Pakistan, what’s it like to be Arab-American and play music?’ Waqar says. When people can’t even get past the difference between South Asian and the Middle East, you don’t want to answer questions.””
Siddhartha Mitter - MTV Iggy
“Sarmust is a twisted splicing of anarchist sufism and indie-punk, masterminded by award winning sitar player Omar Waqar. A longtime stalwart of the DC hardcore scene, his music has become the bridge between dischord and simple harmony. The band Omar took on tour with him in 2007, Diacritical, was recorded and co-produced by Don Z at inner ear studios, where legendary records by Bad Brains, Q and Not U and Fugazi were cut. Determined to disembowel Ravi Shankar with a chipped cooking spoon, Omar Waqar’s take on sufism is unapologetic”
Ross - The Bridge progressive arts initiative Charlottesville
"OMAR WAQAR first discovered his passion for Sufism and South Asian music when he visited Pakistan His first band was a Washington, D.C. punk-influenced group called Diacritical. Through his songs, Omar explored racism, intolerance and Sufi philosophy. His latest project, Sarmust, brings together punk, rock, qawwali and classical Indian music."
EYESTEELE FILMS - EYESTEELE FILMS
“In the documentary, young women in hijabs are shown staring open-mouthed at first, then rocking out and yelling, "Stop the hate!" The concert then comes to an abrupt halt when the meeting's organizers, backed by Chicago police, step in, deeming it "not Islamically appropriate." Afterward, the punks smash their guitars and begin an ironic, anti-authority chant outside: "Music is haram [forbidden]!" (referencing a song written and performed by omar waqar)”
Carla Power - Time Magazine
"It's near midnight in a small Fairfax, Va., bar, and Omar Waqar stands on a makeshift stage, brooding in a black tunic and brown cap. He stops playing his electric guitar long enough to survey the crowd—an odd mix of local punks and collared preps—before screaming into the microphone: "Stop the hate! Stop the hate!" Stopping hate is a fairly easy concept to get behind at a punk-rock show, and the crowd yells and pumps its fists right on cue. "
Matthew Philips - Newsweek
"There's that stigma, 'Oh, he's from Pakistan, he's a fuckin' terrorist,' "... "I was at a point where I was just fucking depressed, man -- just like, 'Fuck, how am I ever going to make it as a musician in America?' "... "It feels good to be around a bunch of other people you can relate to who are dealing with the same sort of identity crises of coming from all these different countries. And trying to deal with that in America." - Omar Waqar
Evan Serpick - Rolling stone
“What are your songs about and what's your favorite drink? OMAR: I write about all aspects of being human. From love to war, to political issues and race relations. Outrage, protest, alienation, hope, fear, spirituality—I'm heavily influenced by Eastern philosophy. I just think there should be some content to lyrics. I just hate hearing the same lame song over and over again, so I try a little harder. I think we are all beer drinkers. I like Guinness myself—who cares what the other guys like, it's all about Guinness!”
POP QUIZ - Washington City Paper
"...speaks to young South Asian Muslims who identify with both their faith and American culture, and yet feel welcomed by neither..." "...There’s also the DC-based Fugazi sounding Diacritical..." "...in addition to creating a space for angst-y rebellion they are giving a space for political and religious unity as well."
Taz - Sepia Mutiny
"Omar Waqar was the fauxmohawked anti-Mullah with the sufi skills of a dervish manifested in music. After all these years, he’s still got musical magic in his fingers."
mutinousmindstate - Mishthi Music
““Omar Waqar (of Sarmust and Diacritical) played a solo set pouring forth radiant love from his Sufi-inspired lyrical outcry.””
Wendy Hsu - Yellow Buzz
"I want to make music that is intellectual, philosophical, and asks questions but doesn't tell people what to think." - Omar Waqar
Ryan Wasoba - Alt Press
““Omar’s belief in music as the source of the most cohesive bond between different cultures is deep and reflects in his work.””
Shadab Zeest Hashmi - Averroes Press