Breakcore in the Middle East? Yes, that´s right. There are many people in Israel listening to hard electronic sound but you can hardly speak of a “scene” over there. There aren´t any DJs in the country spinning this sound and no resources for those kind of records (you´ll find some few techno/ house records). So most people get their music from Soulseek. There is a general lack of artists because most of them move to Europe or United States as soon as they take their music a bit more serious – Israel is a pretty small place with its 7 Million inhabitants. On the other hand all those acts get booked then in Israel and go their to play. It´s possible to pay the flights because the club culture is pretty huge so there is even the option for more or less alternative clubs. And you have also illegal warehouse parties on abandoned places or illegal street raves. A politicial punkrock´n squat scene also exists. When I came this time in october 2005 the “Hatzofe” (which reminded with its interior a bit at the old “Maria” club in Berlin) and the “Kosmonaut” club (which were pretty nice back in 2004) have been closed down. I played at “Café Barzilay”. They had problems with the local authorities before so it was temporarily closed before but luckily opened again. Playing there was excellent, the approximately 250 people for the first time were enthusiastic and bounced the 3,5 hours I played till 7 am. People came and thanked me for playing afterwards, one guy even run away from his military service to join this event. Next time I played 2 weeks later it was even more crowded.Local Drum´n Bass DJ Mute (which is the most known DnB DJ there at the moment) also played with this MC so I had my liveset with an Israeli Drum´n Bass MC (who sounded like MC Navigator of course). Next party in december was on a roofed over parking lot together with DJ Poingi with a crappy P.A. and shitty weather and fist fights at the end. Nonetheless the crowd liked it and got pretty drunk.
For the politics: Don´t start up an argument about the Israeli-Palestinean conflict with a member of “Anarchists against the wall” if you a) have another opinion then they and b) are drunk – or serious anger will result on both sides.
26.1.2006