Last week I joined the crowd celebrating the launch of The Bench’s new album, “Wet Dream” at a fabulous concert in Reading 3, in Tel Aviv. The atmosphere was electric and the band were euphoric.
The Bench (Lior Itzhaki – Drums, Matan Shatit – Lead Guitar, Guy Strier – Rhythm Guitar, Or Ben Itzhak – Bass and Raziel Mantzur – Vocals) was smoking hot. Their songwriting is phenomenal and their musicianship up there with the best. Their playing was so tight that you couldn’t separate them with a crowbar.
Maktazith (Guitar – Hadar “GAGI” Levi, Bass – Danny Shnaiderman and Drums – Dor Kelman) opened the evening with their unique blend of punk, rock and talk box. The trio’s mastery of their instruments was as sharp as their boot toe-caps.
Setlist
Mess
Spiders
Haze
Elvis Medley (with Ninmrod Shemesh and Sharon Sexton from Blues and Booze)
Mosquito
Hi Girl
Not a Morning Person
Tell Me (with Hadar Levi Gagi and Yali Sharon from Dazy’s Fasulia)
G-Spot — נקודת הג׳י (with Hadar Levi Gagi and Yali Sharon from Dazy’s Fasulia)
On October 22nd, 2024, Chol Hamoed Sukkot, six of Israel’s top cover bands will perform in a mammoth six-hour concert in Tel Aviv’s Ganei Yehoshua. In addition to the main stage, there will also be a second stage with Indie bands — so far Stellar Lane and Gali Givon are the only ones who have been announced.
Gates open at 4:00pn. Times and bands for the main stage:
5:00pm The Sultans Live (Dire Straits)
6:00 pm Ummagumma (Pink Floyd)
7:00pm Whiplash (Metallica)
8:00pm OasisIsrael (Oasis)
9:00pm Nirvana Experience (Nirvana)
10:00pm Guns n’ Moses (Guns n’ Roses)
I heard The Sultans Live last year at a similar event. They are excellent. I can’t vouch personally for the others, but based on these YouTube clips, it promises to be a spectacular event.
Don’t forget to use the “I’m With The Band” discount code kindly provided by Stellar Lane: 276310
The Spirit has the honor of being the first international band to confirm an Israel concert since the Gaza war began on October 7, 2023. The German four-piece death metal band confirmed on their Facebook page that they will perform in the Gagarin Club on Saturday, June 15, 2024. Yishai Sweartz of Raven Metal and Gal Gur-Ariehave worked miracles to bring an international metal concert to Israel, despite the emotional, physical and financial risks involved.
The Spirit formed in 2015 in Saarbrücken, Germany. They released their debut album “Sounds From the Vortex” on their own label Eternal Echoes. Word quickly spread of their chilling blend of black and death metal influences, drawing rave reviews from underground metal publications. Their haunting songs and live performances soon caught the attention of Nuclear Blast Records. Their 2020 album “Cosmic Terror” was well received but their touring plans were cut short by the COVID pandemic after only one month of shows. They were eager to get back on the road and conquer the world with their music.
Their third album “Of Clarity And Galactic Structures” pushed their progressive influences further. Lead singer and songwriter M.T. was more confident exploring these elements after challenging himself creatively. He took influence from classic progressive rock bands and discovered new artists in the genre through the pandemic. The band enjoyed experimenting with these progressive textures but ensured the songs still flowed well.
The band is currently working on their fourth album.
