Donovan reschedules concert, dedicates it to meditation

Scottish singer who canceled in January will perform in April in Tel Aviv, invites local coexistence musical group to join him

By Jessica Steinberg 4 March 2016, 12:22 am 1 Edit

Jessica Steinberg covers the Sabra scene from south to north and back to the center.

Scottish singer Donovan will come to Israel after canceling his scheduled January 27 concert last month, and will perform on April 2 at the Wohl Amphitheatre in Tel Aviv.

He had cited contractual issues when canceling the January date, but it appeared to be because of BDS issues, concert organizer Patrick Losinsky of ProgStage hinted at the time.

Now, however, said Losinsky, the flower boy will be dedicating his performance to the transcendental meditation practiced by film director David Lynch, who visited Israel as part of a world tour to promote his 2014 documentary on the subject.

Lynch’s trip to Israel was set around the goal of establishing “peace groups” that would practice meditation and effect change.

Donovan and his wife, Linda, have been meditating for decades, according to a press statement, and his performance in April will help raise money for Lynch’s meditation efforts.

The Scottish musician also invited Ukuleles for Peace, a local coexistence and performance group of Arab and Jewish kids, to perform with him at the concert.

“I’ve always been a big fan,” said Paul Moore, an Englishman who has lived in Israel for 40 years, and started Ukuleles for Peace after the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. “I went to get tickets, and I thought, ‘He’s into peace, maybe he’ll do something with us.'”

After canceling and rescheduling the concert, Donovan got in touch with Moore again.

“He wanted to come, so he found a way to make it work, which is good,” said Moore. “The whole BDS thing is a load of bollocks anyway, especially when it involves musicians, who are all mostly pro-peace.”

The Ukuleles for Peace players will perform Donovan’s “Colours” and “Happiness Runs” with the ’60s folk star.

The NIS 269 tickets are available via the ProgStage website or by calling 077-506-0232.