Live Review: IndiRegev @ Ozenbar, Tel Aviv [15th October 2015]

Ha Pussy Shel Lucy
Sagol 59
Skarate Kid
OSOG


Oh, Ozenbar! It's been a while. It's certainly been a while since any show vaguely punk related has happened here and tonight sees a show headlined by one of Israel's most legendary punk bands, despite having a name that implies it's purely reggae. It is actually an interestingly mixed bill tonight, with the crowd also being a mixture of street punks and reggae lovers.

OSOG

Starting tonight's proceedings off is On Shoulders Of Giants, more commonly known now as OSOG. I've been aware of the band and even know guitarist Shmida (HaPussy Shel Lucy) for quite some time but I still hadn't seen them. I checked out some acoustic videos online and didn't really know what to make of it.
   Live on stage, OSOG perform as a seven piece, including a fiddler, a ukelele player and someone doing the ol' slide guitar. I suddenly realise that they are not the ska band someone had once described them to me as being. Throughout their set, the gang play a mixture of blues, country and folk which still manage to get some punks in the room having a boogie.
  Personally, with the exception of the well crafted political number Government Is Organised Crime, it's all a bit "text book". Seeing as it's blues and country, they're of course sticking to the structure, meaning 8 bar blues, classic chord progressions etc.. Some songs even sound familiar. Keep Calm (He's Dead) is practically Johnny B Goode with different lyrics and Wake Up In A Jacuzzi takes its hook from the Everly Brothers hit Wake Up Little Susie.
  As old fashioned as their style of music is, all seven of them manage to have a great deal of fun on stage.  It could be said that they look like a pretty hipster folk band, but they somehow manage to add a bit of punk energy to the whole performance. Front man, Avital, seems to be a very natural leader and has a perfectly hairy presence.
   OSOG's songs, despite being a tad unoriginal at times, are still undeniably catchy and they certainly make some great bar music. I just imagine that even to dedicated country/blues fans this is going to seem like nothing and maybe even a bit gimmicky. Do they really need that many people?
3/5

Skarate Kid 

   I have been meaning to review this band for a while. Skarate Kid are a new name in ska. Actual ska. Not ska punk, but 2-Tone influenced ska. And reggae. They just happen to include a few members of punk bands, including Itay (saxophone) and Gofen (bass) of HaPussy Shel Lucy and Doh Doh (guitar) of Mad Choice/Beer7.

    The name already makes you smile, but seeing Itay arrive on stage in a "Karategi" is what really makes them special. The band's style of ska and reggae is something that this country, especially in this scene, hasn't really seen for a while. Their shows so far have already managed to get in a good crowd, but tonight they do the Ozenbar proud by getting a good amount of people into the main area to check them out and have a bit of a dance.
   The band have well crafted songs, taking influence from some of the darker sides of bands like The Specials and The English Beat as well the more reggae side of bands like The Clash. In the same way as old school 2-Tone, a number of their songs have political or at least socially aware context but there is generally an aura of positivity and good vibes. That comes through in the performances too, especially as Itay bounces about on stage and gets the crowd riled up at every opportunity. As great as the rest of the band are, Tal (guitar/lead vocals), Doh Doh, Gofen and Liri (drums) are unfortunately upstaged by Itay. They all get into the spirit of things, dancing about on stage and joining in on vocals, but in comparison, they all seem just a little too chilled and reserved. However, the music is generally laid back, so Itay's antics sometimes seem a little out of place yet undeniably entertaining.

   While watching Skarate Kid, especially tonight with Itay kitted out and Gofen dressed up a little bit, the band (in a similar way to OSOG) come off just a tad gimmicky. As well as playing saxophone, Itay does dancehall-style toasting and does it in a fairly strong Jamaican accent, using Jamaican colloquialisms. There's nothing wrong with dressing up and incorporating things into a stage performance to create a persona, but when you're essentially a serious band, putting on an accent can seem a little fake. Some people in this PC world of ours could describe Itay (a candidate for Hipster or Hasid) as almost mocking Jamaican toasting by putting it on in such a way. However, one could also say that the Israeli and Afro-Caribbean accents are not too different and that it's something that comes naturally to him, like with Matisyahu. They are playing reggae, after all. Either way, when he takes lead vocals on Sleng Leng, it's clear to see he's a born performer and the place goes crazy. Fake accent or not, man dem ga skillz.
  Skarate Kid are definitely a band worth seeing if you have any interest in reggae, ska or even dancehall and I'm looking forward to a full record soon.
3.5/5

Sagol 59

   I turned up tonight not having a clue about Sagol 59. I assumed it was a band. I was therefore a bit surprised to see a DJ and a rapper on stage. Not one to shy away from a mixed bill, I got myself a space near the stage to try and soak in the performance.
  Israeli rap and hip hop is still a bit of a new territory to me, really only relating to acts like Shabak Samech and Peled who have a punk/alternative music connection to them. While watching Sagol 59 tonight, his style doesn't really do anything for me. It sounds like bedroom rappers; just the same sort of unimaginative flow throughout. Lyrically, from what I could make out (as I still have problems following Hebrew lyrics live), he has some good content, although he tends to overuse name dropping, especially in his freestyle, which comes across as a bit lazy and a ploy to gain some credibility. He evens name drops local punk band member friends of his. Although I did initially find that kind of cool to her names of people I personally know, it started to come across like slipping names into every other line is what he does.
  Dj Popalova is on the decks, or technically the laptop and one turntable. His transitions, where there are some, ware pretty good but I'm not entirely sure what he's doing with the turntable. There is no outstanding scratching or interesting use of samples, only a scratch here and there which isn't too impressive. It sort of reminds me of the guy from Sleaford Mods who just presses play and then stands around bobbing his head and drinking a pint. The backing music in general sounds a little outdated, but Sagol has apparently been around for a while, so the tracks themselves might be from a while back.
  Main highlight tonight is the guest rapper they get to come up (name?). He has a more interesting flow than Sagol 59, with changing patterns and a tougher, more convincing delivery. It also wasn't until he took the stage that people in the crowd start cheering and going "Ohhh" in between lines.
   It was nice to get a little hip hop into tonight's show but, personally, it wasn't the best performance I'd ever seen.
2.5/5

City Rats

City Rats, eh? I'm not going to say much I haven't already said about City Rats in previous reviews. I start to love them more and more every time I see them. They're pure street punks but some of songs are hardcore to the bone, especially ever since they got Not On Tour's Gutzy on the drumming throne. I still stand fixated as he crosses his arms playing both the hi hat and floor tom at the same time.on the track 2012.

   The crowd goes crazy as the guys smash through their set. You definitely don't need to be drunk to enjoy City Rats, but it does seem to be the protocol, as people of all ages fall over each other while these Russian-Israelis sing about life as they know it and, most importantly, beer and partying.
4/5

HaPussy Shel Lucy

  Having seen this band about twice before, I've always enjoyed them but still never properly fell in love with them. HaPussy Shel Lucy also seem to have gone from being a very important band in the Israeli punk scene to more of a band just for diehards. Unless more people are going to their shows in other cities, the turn out tonight, compared to the almost full Barby show I once saw them at, is pretty small.
  I unfortunately missed the very beginning of the guys' set, but entered to the sight of people already running around and pointing in the air. Although the band still plays punk rock, there's a hint more of a ska punk feel on the later stuff due to the band's inclusion of Itay on saxophone two years ago. Sometimes, it even goes into Dog Eat Dog territory, which, for me, is awesome!
  There's a lot of crowd participation on big hits such as Vodka Redbull, Batlan (trans. slacker/bum) and Haruach Peudalit (unsure of the best translation for this). A friend of mine even leaves the show with his shirt completely ripped front and back. I'm not entirely sure what was going on to result in such destruction but whatever it was, it didn't seem to phase him or anyone else.
  As great as the band's classic songs are, a personal highlight for me was fairly new song Sum Chadash (A New Drug?) which they play as a sort of encore at the very end of the set. It's a blend of punk rock and ska moments which bring to mind some of the heavier material by The Urge, an absolute favourite of mine.
  If HaPussy Shel Lucy didn't bring a sax player into the mix, I am not too sure how I would feel about them. This addition gives something new to the Israeli punk scene and has almost helped the band reinvent themselves. I'm definitely looking forward to the new album.
4/5

(If anyone has any HaPussy Shel Lucy pics, please send them my way.)

Live Review: DANGERS/City Rats/Zaga Zaga @ Koro, Tel Aviv [18th July 2015]

   While speaking to some of the members of Zaga Zaga a while back, the name Dangers got mentioned during a discussion of great bands to check out. I took their advice and checked them out. Although crazier than what I normally like, they had some great, raw hardcore energy which impressed. Thing is, I put them on the back burner for a while, never thinking I'd hear of them again. Then, lo and behold, it turns out they've booked themselves a mini Israel tour. This had to be witnessed.

Zaga Zaga

   First band tonight, unsurprisingly, is Koro's resident band (practically), Zaga Zaga. This band are just working nonstop until everyone in the world has heard their frantic and technical noise punk/hardcore/whatever one wishes to call it. Taking on influences from the likes of Charles Bronson, SPAZZ and even The Locust, Zaga Zaga's style might not be everyone's cup of tea (yes, I'm British and I use that analogy) but the live shows are still just full of that energy every band should have. Every member is moving and shouting along and they are just one tight (mental) unit.
   Like myself, I think more people are beginning to familiarise themselves with the band's material, both from their EP and their split with the amazing Joliette. The band also have a great sense of fun, as proven by the teasing of what sounded like a Title Fight song right at the start of the show. As the band sweat through their set, there are people up the front singing along and getting into a bit of a frenzy. Set closer, Industrial Estate, has been my favourite for a while due to it's groovy breakdown from the middle of the song onwards, which always makes me go bat-shit bonkers.

4/5

City Rats

   Aaaah City Rats. The epitome of Israeli street punk. Saying that, there's a very fine line between Israeli street punk and Russian street punk, seeing as the scene out here is quite Russian-dominant. When it comes to talking about long running punk bands in Israel, City Rats' name will always come up alongside Pussy Shel Lucy and Mahleket Hanikot Shotrim.

   After Zaga Zaga, I went to get some cash to buy merch and got back as City Rats had pretty much just begun. It seemed as though quite a lot of didn't realise they had started and were starting to flow in. The pit was still already underway, with drunk punks both young and old running around, convulsing by the mere sound of a D-beat. There's one nutter here tonight who started licking things at one point. Not entirely sure how that came about, but he was licking the PA and monitors amidst his dancing as if it was perfectly normal. Well, this is a punk show; there is neither no normal or abnormal. Music makes you do things, sometimes without thinking or any logic behind it. That's the beauty and magic of it.
   City Rats definitely take their sound from early crust/hardcore punk bands like GBH, Conflict and The Exploited. The musicianship is a cut above the rest where this kind of punk is concerned. The guitarists have some great riffs between them and even the vocals are fairly coherent. I think the band definitely made a good move taking on Gutzy (Not On Tour/BEST) for drumming duties. Not only has he got the D-beat down, but he puts some other interesting things in there too. In the song 2012, I hear something a little out of the ordinary and look over to find Gutzy playing the hi hat and floor tom with the traditional crossed arm technique. This turns out to be his adaptation of the double kick sound, which actually comes out sounding and looking so much more impressive.

  City Rats are certainly fun and punk to the bone. The Hebrew/Russian lyrics don't always sit with me but the music kicks arse, nevertheless.

4/5

DANGERS

    So here's the main point of the evening. LA's DANGERS have got themselves quite a crowd to entertain tonight, and quite a mixed one. We've got the crowd who came down primarily for City Rats, we've got those who generally know and love DANGERS and then we have those who had nothing else to do on a Saturday night.
   The band starts things off with some nice and humorous introductions from frontman Al and guitarist Justin leading into We Broke The PA; possibly one of the best opening numbers you could ever have. It's actually the conversational lyrics of things like "Hello, How have you been?" which make it a perfect introduction. In addition, the explosive groove gets everybody piling on one another almost immediately.
   The pile-ons are pretty much non-stop throughout the show. Not only are those more familiar with DANGERS' work shouting along and grabbing the mic to songs such as the thought provoking Opposable and the insightful Half Brother, All Cop but also some DANGERS virgins find themselves singing along to some of the more coherent refrains in songs. One of the new unrecorded songs, Kiss With Spit, got me shouting the title and Al even grabbed my head and we practically shouted at one another. (See evidence below.) 

   Although their style could be considered pissed off hardcore, they're not one of those bands whose songs all sound the same. A majority go along the disjointed hardcore vein, but then there's songs like I'll Clap When I'm Impressed, the most metallic song in their repertoire, and Five O'Clock Shadows at the Edge of the Western World, one of the most (if not the only) diverse song of theirs, with its mixture of 60s style guitars, sexy grooves and dynamic changes. Because of this, I am pretty sure that everyone here tonight has heard something that they really dig. Along with the sea of bodies down at the front, almost everyone in the place is nodding their heads and grinning from ear to ear; I sure know I was.

    DANGERS definitely have that traditional spirit of hardcore that I like, sharing wisdom and social/political commentary with the crowd between songs. Their lightheartedness and humorous jibes help it all not come off too preachy but just as a gateway into how they think. The whole band (including Anthony on drums and Tim on bass) play to perfection, although due to Al's charisma and stage presence, I'm sure even they'll admit that they sometimes disappear into the background. There could have been a bit more movement all round.

   Unfortunately, a visit by the police cuts the show a wee bit short, but the fact the crowd cry out for more is a good sign that DANGERS have done their job. I can certainly say that I have gone from being someone who only knew a bit about DANGERS to now being a fan. Got the T-shirt and everyt'ing...

4.5/5  

All photos by David "Doh Doh" Rosen

Live Review: Ron and Itamar's Birthday Party, Koro, Tel Aviv [14th November 2014]

Soon In Here

Malekhakhei HaPinkah

City Rats

03 (pro. Eh-fess Shah-losh)

Tonight is a celebration! Tonight is one of the most talked about birthday parties I've personally known of, and I feel quite honoured to be in some small way connected to one of the birthday boys. Ron Gilman has been living the last few years "in my endz", London, and has had success with London based hardcore bands The Blessed And The Cursed and, more recently, the short lived Crimes. Ron has returned home to see the family, as one does on a birthday, and also to see his old 09 (area code for Kfar Saba) crew. At the same time, he has opted to celebrate with putting on a show. I myself have attempted this on a much smaller scale but tonight is how it should be done. Ron has invited friends' bands to play, as well as reuniting with his old hardcore band Soon In Here.

03

Show openers 03 play tough hardcore. They do the kind of hardcore I like; hardcore that incorporates groove and that you could technically get your boogie on to. They tend to give off a similar vibe to 25 ta Life at times. Not that the vocals are anywhere as mental as Rick ta Life's vocals but they are that kind of hardcore and the vocals can at times be considered intelligible. Frontman Jenia previously sang in Israeli hardcore legends Instinct who I very much enjoyed the few times I managed to see them after moving here. This band has a more of a metalcore aura about it, which I did not really like the first few times I have seen them. Tonight, they open with an explosive intro which had this groove fan grinning like a nutter. They bust through their repertoire with aplomb. Both guitarist Lemmy and bassist Kaban (both also of Jerusalem based metal act Sintax) jumping about the stage, Jenia running amongst the crowd.... That's the kind of stuff I like to see. I feel like the band's sound has already developed within their short period of existence since their first few shows and I'm very interested to hear whatever they end up releasing.

3/5

City Rats

Up next are modern legends of Israeli punk, City Rats. Coming from the same school of thought as legendary punk bands such as Conflict, GBH and The Varukers, City Rats play angry street punk with that subtle old skool hardcore flavour. Every time I see City Rats, I like them more and more. Tonight they are on fire. Obviously, they've got their main fan base in today so everyone is going nuts to every song. Songs like Party Til Death and Pogo Beer Abu Kabir are just pure party punk anthems that you can't help but sing along with and run around to. I do not really know the guys in the band personally except for drummer Gutzy, currently also of fast pop punk band Not On Tour and hardcore dudes BEST. He is always a joy to watch play, as were the band as a whole tonight. 

3.5/5

I will also like to add, that as much as the band are pure crusty street punk a la late 70s England, they also remind me of Essex hardcore band Deathskulls, who mix street punk and straight up London HC to joyous results. 

Malekhakhei HaPinkah

Next up is Kfar Saba based Middle Eastern tinged rock band Malekhakhei HaPinkah. I am still unsure if there is even a real translation for that name. I have never seen this band before until now, nor do I recognise any of the guys in the band. Compared to the rest of the line-up, this band sticks out. They dress quite smart and just look...well...typically Israeli. As they kick off they're set, they definitely are a different tone to the rest of the night. The first song they do has a pure classic rock vibe and further into the set they play songs which incorporate Middle Eastern melodies and rhythms, such as songs like Lilot Abu Darbi (Abu Darbi Nights) and Sovev Olam (Spin World). They also delight us with 2 covers; MC5's Kick Out The Jams and ACDC's Jailbreak. The best thing about this set was that I was seeing people I know from punk shows and even metal shows dancing and singing along to practically Israeli rock. Up until this point, the night was just a hardcore/punk show. Now it was a PARTY!

4/5

Soon In Here

Finishing off the night, we get to pretty much the main focus of the evening. As much as Ron had been spoken of throughout the night, he now takes centre stage. Soon In Here are a Kfar Saba band considered one of Israel's best hardcore bands of the early 2000s. I had really only heard of them briefly so seeing them tonight in their last proper line-up was spectacular. Soon In Here only play a really short set tonight of their Screaming For Justice EP. They play hardcore with a similar vibe to some of Blood For Blood's later punkier stuff (mainly due to Ron's vocals), incorporating melodic hardcore riffing. Songs like Shout With Me and No Escape had long term fans and close friends of the band going mental with stage diving, crowd surfing and good old fashioned pogoing. From where I stood at the side of the stage, the whole view, both of the band and the crowd, was a joy to watch. This really felt like a legend's welcome; a proper reunion for a beloved band. I was even tempted to jump off the speakers myself. It's actually such a shame I am only discovering this band now and that geography hinders them from continuing and flourishing into something amazing. 
4/5i

There was also a cover band featuring Ron on vocals, members of Malekhakhei HaPinkah and other friends who did a set of 5 songs which was good fun but not really worth reviewing. I apparently totally missed another short reunion performance by a metal band called Bar Manin (Expired)...but all in all a good night was had by all.