Author: David Sedley

A few months ago, Dream Theater played to 100,000 fans at Rock in Rio. On Saturday night in Tel Aviv they played to fewer than a tenth of that number. But what the fans lacked in quantity they more than made up for in quality. People were wearing t-shirts running the gamut of Dream Theater’s previous four trips to Israel.

When vocalist James LaBrie addressed the crowd, it felt almost like a family reunion. “It is so nice to be back,” he said. “How long has it been? Four years? But now we’re back together. It is so nice to be back together.”

The unspoken message throughout the evening was that we’re all back together, and Dream Theater has a new album, despite COVID-19 (or perhaps because of the pandemic). A year ago, it would have been unthinkable to have thousands of people crammed together into Hangar 11 for a concert. And without the pandemic, Dream Theater would have continued touring their previous album, and would not have written and recorded “A View from the Top of the World.”

The concert kicked off with the band’s Emmy-winning song, “The Alien.” The song as a 17/8 time signature, and guitarist John Petrucci said in his award acceptance speech that it was impossible to dance to, but that did not deter a few young men standing behind me from stomping around (and crashing into quite a few others around them). An almost 10-minute song is an ambitious way to start a show, but that is what this crowd was here for.

Each song was accompanied by an epic video presentation, shown on the giant screen behind the band. This gave the impression that they were playing on alien landscapes, or above a hot air balloon, or in the depths of the sea.

The band launched immediately into “Six O’Clock” accompanied to a backdrop of clocks — most, but not all, going clockwise. Then came the live debut of “Sleeping Giant” off the new album, followed by “Bridges in the Sky.”

They played “Caught in a Web for the first time since 2015, accompanied by images of crawling spiders and webs (not ideal for anyone in the audience suffering from arachnophobia).

They performed four of the seven songs off the new album, including “Answering the Call,” followed by “Solitary Shell,” which they haven’t played live since 2010. Digging even deeper into their back catalog, they brought out two songs that haven’t been on stage since 2006, “About to Crash” and “Losing Time/Grand Finale.”

Finally, they got to a song that everyone knew and could sing along with — “Pull Me Under.” The lyrics seemed very poignant for a band and audience recovering from the trauma of lockdowns:

This world is spinning around me
This world is spinning without me and
Every day sends future to past
Every breath leaves me one less to my last
…
Pull me under
Pull me under
Pull me under, I’m not afraid
All that I feel is honor and spite
All I can do is to set it right

As LaBrie said, “Music is magic because it brings everyone together.”

Finally, they ended the set with the epic, 20-minute “A View From the Top of the World” — the final song on the new album.

After leaving the stage, they then came back for a 20-minute encore with “The Count of Tuscany.”

Almost two and a half hours of show, 12 songs, great show.

Nick Johnston, the Canadian guitar master, gave a masterclass in Tel Aviv on Friday afternoon.

The even was sponsored by Wild Guitars and it was a packed full house.

Johnston came on, asked everyone to first cheer and then boo him which he recorded for a mini-documentary he is making. He asked what we think of his mustache. The answer was not the resounding positivity perhaps he had been hoping for.

He played a couple of songs on a red signature Schecter Nick Johnston Traditional HSS (basically a Strat shape but with a humbucker in the bridge position).

Then he answered questions. He even offered a sweaty, used pick to the person who asked the first question.

We learned about his biggest inspiration — the boy who moved in to the house next door when Johnston was 13 and the neighbor was 14. We learned about the order he creates album titles, song titles and album art (in that order).

The question answer of the day was to the question, “Can I jam with you?” (“No!”).

The longest answer was about chromatics. The tl:dr version is that it is either all about intervals or just chucking in some extra notes to fill up the space between notes.

Who does Johnston consider is the best chromatic guitar player in the world? Brett Garsed (an Australian guitarist I had never heard of before).

What does Johnston like best about Israel? He thinks we have the best beach in the world.

Nick grew up on all the Shrapnel bands I heard back in the 80s, but he was listening to them in the 90s (because he is only 35). This allowed him to develop his “orchestral” style with beautiful sonic lines interspersed with lightning fast runs.

How does he compose music? It all starts at the piano. He locks the guitar up in a cage until the melodic outline of the song is composed. Because if he would compose on the guitar, it would be all shred and no music.

Why did he stop using the whammy bar a few years ago? Because he became too reliant on it (also because he beat up his hands on it a lot). Why did he start using it again recently? Because it is so much fun. Also, the Schechter non-locking tremolo that stays in tune is just amazing.

How does he do the legato runs but make them sound so percussive? Partly because he is left-handed. Partly because he practiced eight hours a day for 20 years. Also, by resting the fleshy part of his right hand lightly on the strings.

It was a great afternoon of music and conversation from Nick Johnston. And the main comment I heard afterwards was, “He is such a nice guy.”

If you ever get the chance to join him in a master class you totally should.

Follow Nick Johnston on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/nickjohnstonguitar

Follow Nick Johnston on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NickJohnstonOfficial

Follow Nick Johnston on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nickjohnstonmusic/

Follow Nick Johnston on Twitter: https://twitter.com/nickjmusic

The band Foreigner will perform at the Raanana Park Amphitheater in Israel on September 29th, 2022. Discount tickets are currently on sale through Max credit cards and American Express with prices starting at NIS 174.

Foreigner is best known for their string of 1970s and 1980s hits, including “I want to know what love is,” “Feels like the first time,” “I don’t want to leave without you,” “Urgent,” “Hotblooded” and “Cold as ice.”

Formed in New York in 1976 by British guitarists Mick Jones, and Ian McDonald (formerly of King Crimson) along with three Americans — vocalist Lou Gramm, Al Greenwood and Ed Gagliardi. Jones came up with the name Foreigner because he and McDonald were from the UK. They had immediate success with their top four albums certified as at least 5x platinum in the US. Foreigner is one of the best-selling bands of all time, having sold more than 80 million albums worldwide.

Mick Jones is the only original member of the band still touring. He will be joined in Israel by Kelly Hansen (vocals), Jeff Pilson (guitar), Michael Bluestein (keyboards), Bruce Watson (guitar), Chris Frazier (drums) and Luis Maldonado (guitar).

The last time the band performed in Israel, in 2018, Mick Jones was unable to play due to illness.

The maestro returns to Israel with his trio for a mind-blowing acoustic guitar spectacular

Al Di Meola. His concert in Jerusalem last night showed his genius. His technical proficiency is unequalled. He accomplishes things on the guitar that others wouldn’t even attempt. And on an acoustic guitar with no distortion or effects to hide behind.

Sure, he occasionally hit a note with the side of his finger and missed the tone, but flying at that crazy speed the odd flub is inevitable. When you shoot for the moon you may not quite make it but you are still flying further and pushing harder than anyone who doesn’t aim past the ceiling.

He was accompanied by Richie Morales on drums and Amit Kavthekar on tabla who would take their cues from him — a wave of his hand or a nod of his head and they would switch tempo in a heartbeat.

Jazz is not my normal cup of tea, but I’ve been a fan of Di Meola since the 80s when they published a transcription of one of his songs in Guitar Player Magazine. He has played with some of the greatest — Chick Corea obviously, who came him his first big break when he invited Al to join Return to Forever (and according to the story Al told last night, only gave him three days to rehearse for his first big show at Carnegie Hall), Stanley Clarke, Jaco Pastorius, John McLaughlin, Paco de Lucia, Jan Hammer, Tony Levine and Bill Bruford to name just a few. 

My daughter asked me how people chose names for songs if there are no lyrics, and the answer is I don’t know. I also could not recognize or name the songs from last night (but then again, neither did Google, so I’m in good company). He told us he opened with Fandango, I definitely recognized Norwegian Wood, and Señor Mouse which he dedicated to the late Chick Corea who passed away less than a year ago. And his final song was Mediterranean Sundance, which he said started it all for him.

More than that, how does one know when the song is finished and it is time to clap? Like in a symphony where only a fool would clap between movements of a symphony, there was a nervous hush every time the music paused for a moment. Luckily, almost every song ended with a thurrrum of a chord and his right hand flying up in the air.

After he played his last song and said goodnight (at 11 pm on the dot) everyone started leaving. I guess nobody in the crowd had heard of an encore, because Di Meola had to hurry back onstage quickly to play one last song before the place was totally empty.

Acoustic guitar sometimes sounds dull, colorless, bland. Di Meola put his heart and soul into every note. There were colors, there was texture, there were crazy sweet string bends. All the right-hand action was in his wrist — his forearm never seemed to move. He would sometimes get so into the music that he would tap both feet alternately, as if he was running to keep up with himself.

This was a masterclass in guitar performance. It is impossible to watch him perform and not be blown away.

The Al Di Meola Trio performed in Jerusalem on June 16th. They will play the Haifa Auditorium on June 17th, Kav Rakia at Ariel Sharon Park on June 18th and the Performing Arts Center in Beersheba on June 20th.

Swedish prog-rockers end Imperial European Tour 2022 with phenomenal Israel gig

Soen, the Swedish supergroup, ended the first leg of their 2022 European tour on May 29 at the Havana Club in Tel Aviv. The band ended in style with a phenomenal show playing to a packed crowd who were clearly hungry for music after a two-year covid drought.

As the lights dimmed, the band walked onstage. Lead guitarist Cody Lee Ford looked like everything Russel Brand dreamed of being; rhythm guitarist, keyboardist and backing vocalist Lars Åhlund looked like Thor wielding a Gibson Firebird (except when he switched it for a Flying V); bassist Oleksii Kobel is new to the band, but he fit right in, trading jokes and licks with the others while whipping his incredible dreadlocks. Drummer (and founding member) Martín López began beating out his polyrhythms and the band kicked off with “Monarch.” Vocalist Joel Ekelöf then came onstage looking not unlike Rob Halford (though later he switched the leather jacket for his more traditional dark blazer).

In terms of musical ability there is no question that the five band members are all at the top of their game. The musicians all come from extreme metal backgrounds but their sound is far from being merely fast riffs and growls. Lopez once described their heavy prog-rock sound as, “melodic, heavy, intricate and very different than everything else” and it is difficult to come up with a better description. They appear to have outgrown and evolved from their earlier days when they were dismissed as clones of Tool (in the past, Soen said that, they consider Tool, “not only a band, but a genre.”

This tour is in support of Soen’s latest album, “Imperial” which was released way back in January, 2021. The songs move effortlessly from heavy riffs to hammond keyboard block chords, to shimmering, echo-laden arpeggios to a sound verging on Southern blues rock. There is no screaming from Ekelöf, but rather his vocal style is controlled, versatile, and his range is quite impressive.

“Israel is a land of mystery,” Ekelöf said. “And the biggest mystery is how do you make that hummus so f&@#ing great.”

The hundreds of fans who ventured out on a hot and steamy Tel Aviv night joined in with every line of every song. Almost every song title is a single word, but the lyrics are complex, long and meaningful.

For me, one of the highlights was the opening of “Savia” when Kobel’s bass took the lead. The band as a whole were incredibly tight, the harmonies were perfect, and Åhlund moved seamlessly from the front of the stage to the back as he switched from guitar to keyboards (with a little bit of bongos for good measure).

Even after the encores of Lascivious, Sectarian and Lotus, and even though it was well past midnight, the crowd did not want to leave.

“This is such a wonderful end to our tour,” Ekelöf told the crowd. “There’s going to be more visits in the future. I promise you that.”

And it was clear that Tel Aviv looks forward to seeing the band on their next time through the city.

Before Soen took to the stage, Israeli band Artland kicked things off with their multimedia, melodic shredfest. The three guitarists, bassist and drummer, all originally from the former Soviet Union, showed off their phenomenal technical skills which were the equal of any international band. I look forward to one day seeing them share their melodies and textures, over complex rhythmic structures as a headline act.

The concert was put on by Progstage Productions. Since 2012, Progstage have brought over 120 international artists to Israel. Over the next few months, Progstage will also bring Alestorm, Arch Enemy and Three Days Grace to the Holy Land.

Simon McBride replaces Steve Morse on guitar for this tour. Huge discount on tickets through the Yerushalmi website

I’m currently sitting in the Jerusalem Payis Arena watching a basketball game. But in a few days I’ll be back here for a Deep Purple concert.

I’ve seen Purple twice before in Israel. Once on September 28, 1991 in Tel Aviv’s HaYarkon Park, with Richie Blackmore on guitar, the late Jon Lord on keyboard and Joe Lynn Turner on vocals. And of course, Ian Paice on drums (Ian has always been in the band, from the time they first formed in 1968, and Roger Glover, who was in the band from 1969-73, and then again since 1984). That was the fulfilment of a lifetime dream (and the only time I saw Mr Lord) but objectively, it was not a great show.

Then, in 2016, I saw them again. Deep Purple were touring in support of their album, “Now What?” which at the time I thought might be their last. This time, Turner was gone, replaced by Ian Gillan, who was the vocalist during the band’s halcyon days, as was Richie Blackmore. In his place was Steve Morse, an American guitarist who has now been in the band almost twice as long as Richie was, but will always be considered the “new guitarist” and the veteran Englishman, Don Airey on keyboards. That was a great show — the band looked as though they were actually having fun.

On Monday, May 23rd, Deep Purple are back. This will be the band’s sixth time in Israel. But it will be their first time performing in Jerusalem. The lineup is almost unchanged since last time they were here. Except that Steve Morse is sitting out this tour to care for his wife who is ill. He has been (temporarily) replaced by Irish virtuoso Simon McBride. To be honest, McBride is the main reason I want to go and hear the band this time. Sure, they will play all their greatest hits — the same hits I listened to as a teenager decades ago. But Simon will bring a new voice to the group. I hear hints of Gary Moore in his own music and I love his tone.

Simon McBride has actually played with various individual Deep Purple members over the years, and shares a record label with the band, so he was the natural choice to substitute for this tour.

If you live in Jerusalem and haven’t yet bought your ticket, you can get a massive discount if you go to the Yerushalmi website.

See you there.