Segue to the 60s at Jerusalem’s Woodstock festival
Thursday brings the annual concert to the capital’s Kraft Stadium, where throwback bands play to a crowd lounging on Astroturf
It’s been a long time since the summer of ’69, when preeminent rockers shook the world at Max Yasgur’s muddy farm somewhere near Woodstock, New York. Now Jerusalem is set to put on its fifth annual Woodstock Revival on July 18, when local musicians will pay tribute to the Beatles, Bob Dylan, Janis Joplin, Led Zeppelin and other iconic musicians of the period at Kraft Stadium in Jerusalem.
“It’s a great festival; it lets artists pay tribute to artists they really love,” said Michael Greilsammer, with his signature fiddle in hand and 11-year-old dreads on his head, who will perform the songs of Led Zeppelin with his band.
“[We’re playing music from] bands you can’t seen anymore in the world,” said Greilsammer. “Even Led Zeppelin only had one show three years ago, and it was only about two minutes long.”
There are more than a few musicians from previous Woodstock Revival concerts returning to the stage this year, including Greilsammer, who performs with his band – Ohad Eilam on bass, Uriel Sverdim on drums and Assa Bukelman on electric guitar — which recently returned from touring Barbados, the United Kingdom, United States, Canada and France.
Last year at Woodstock, Greilsammer and his band played so early in the afternoon that it was still light outside. He called it a “trial run.” This year, they’re the featured band.
Greilsammer, Sverdin and Eilam recently began recording a new album in France for their newest side project, a band called Mzdrzl.
“This is a new thing,” Greilsammer said. Even the meaning of the tongue twister name, Mzdrzl, is still a secret. The idea for Mzdrzl came after the first performance of Zeppelin at Woodstock last year.
“Woodstock is important for us, because it led us to think of this and it led us to record in France.” Greilsammer said.
The now-annual summer event is a beloved “throwback festival,” said organizer Nadia Levene, and is sponsored by the Jerusalem Municipality and Gold 4 Cash. The six-hour event is held at Kraft Family Stadium, the home of American Football in Israel (AFI).
“I missed the original festival of ‘69,” remarked Steve Leibowitz, president of AFI and director of the Kraft Family Stadium. “So each summer we bring a little bit of Woodstock to Jerusalem.”
Adults of all ages, as well as families with young kids, snag some space on the stadium’s Astroturf, setting up picnics or munching on snacks from the nearby kiosks. Local artists hawk handmade tie-dyed T-shirts, juggling equipment and crafts, creating a scene that’s similar in atmosphere, if not size or smell, to a Grateful Dead concert or, perhaps, the original Woodstock?
Some adjustments are made, of course.
The Beatles, for instance, like Zeppelin, were not at the original Woodstock, but their music evokes the period, said organizers. This year, returning band Ummagumma will channel their inner Beatles, said lead singer Oded Tamsoot, who has listened to the quintessential rock band since his childhood.
“Kids today know The Beatles too,” he said. “That’s the special thing about The Beatles; all ages like them.”
Tamsoot wouldn’t name the songs that Ummagumma would be performing at Woodstock, but said the song-list would span the Beatles’ entire career.
Another recurring Woodstock Revival performer is native Jerusalemite Natan Galili, who will pay homage to Bob Dylan alongside a talented young newcomer, 17-year-old Tamar Friedman. Galili, 28, sang Woodstock hits such as “Mr. Tambourine Man” at the 2011 show.
The local musician just cut his first English-language indie rock EP titled “This is an EP” and has recently formed a new band, Jacks of Diamonds. As an avid classic rock fan, he said singing Woodstock-era songs is the perfect fit for him.
“That music really transcends every generation,” he said. “It really brings me back to my teenage years.”
For Friedman, however, another local Jerusalemite, performing in front of a crowd will be a first. Born in Israel to American parents from New York, who introduced her to bands like The Beatles and Led Zeppelin, she’s a self-proclaimed “old soul,” and is relishing the opportunity to recreate the classic songs of ’69.
“My friends always say I have an old person’s taste in music,” Friedman said with a laugh. “I don’t know what it is, I grew up listening to it. I just really like it.”
Galili and Friedman were introduced to each other through the event organizers, who thought Galili’s soulful and smooth voice would be a great contrast to Friedman’s powerhouse vocals. Friedman said she really admired Galili’s music as soon as she heard it, and hopes she can be as confident as he is when they are together on stage.
“I’m more excited than nervous,” she said. “There’s going to be a lot of people there; I just hope we have fun.”
http://youtu.be/b0RfjPJA04o
Other performers include Libi and her band, the Flashbacks, with Libi returning to the Jerusalem Woodstock stage for the third time after surgery on “a bone that boogied too much.” There’s also Lijah and the Firecats, who will perform Cat Stevens, and the The Mark Rashkow Blues Band.
In addition to face painting and a best-dressed hippy contest, author Abigail Yasgur, a cousin of Max Yasgur, the original Woodstock host, will read from her children’s book, “Max Said Yes,” relating the story of the original festival.
Tickets run for NIS 100 for adults and NIS 30 for kids, soldiers, students and seniors. For more information or to buy tickets, visit www.woodstockrevival.com
