This summer looks like being one of the best and most expensive ever for music fans in Israel, with a huge range of big names, such as Madonna, Leonard Cohen and the Pet Shop Boys, performing throughout the months of July, August and September. Tickets for these shows aren’t cheap; Madonna’s last leg of her Sticky and Sweet tour will set back fans a minimum of 500 shekels a ticket.
So it comes as some relief to hear about the One Shekel festival (Festival B’Shekel), where tickets will set you back, er, one shekel (about 25 cents). That’s right, just one shekel! The festival with a social message – that cultural events are available to all – brings some of Israel’s top performers to the stage. Good, cheap music with a conscience, nothing wrong with that in our book!
The One Shekel festival kicks off tomorrow and runs for three days in three peripheral Israeli communities – the Katamonim neighborhood of Jerusalem, Lod, and Harod Springs Gilboa. Local performers are included, as well as some of Israel’s biggest names, including Asaf Avidan and Hadag Nachash, and there is also going to be an effort to culture Arab Israeli relations by operating in mixed communities of Jews and Arabs.
The shows start each evening at 5:00pm, and each site will also host street theater, kids’ activities, art booths, and various other happenings.
Tuesday, June 30 2009 (Gilboa – Harod Springs)
Performers: Muki (see the clip below), Eyfo Hayeled, Zahava Ben, Beit Habubot, Psheutey Ha’am and Sharif
Monday, July 6, 2009 (Jerusalem – Gan Almaliach, Katamonim neighborhood, near Malha Mall)
Performers: Almah Zohar (see the clip below), Mercedez Bend, Asaf Avidan, Sagol 59, Idan Yaniv, Harel Moyal, Ascara Meitim
Wednesday, July 8, 2009 (Lod)
Performers: Hadag Nachash (see the clip below), D.A.M, Regev Hod, Chaim Oliyel, Michael Greilsammer, Mira Awad and Achinoam Nini (Israel’s recent Eurovision entry)
To learn more about Festival B’shekel see the English version of the website.
