Paint the town Red with Redstock
Real-life stars Gidi Gov, Aviv Geffen and Ninet join puppet Red Orbach for gala music fest
Now that we’ve finished celebrating Woodstock, it’s time for Redstock, a yearend music festival featuring Red Band, led by musician Red Orbach who, among his other attributes, is a puppet. And in spite of the name, he’s mostly purple.
Redstock will take place at Amphipark in Ra’anana on the evening of September 21. In addition to Red Band, it will feature some of the most talented and beloved musicians in Israel, both veterans and newcomers. These include Gidi Gov, Ester Rada, Aviv Geffen, HaTikvah 6, Ninet, Shefita and Ravid “Nechi” Plotnik. The opening act will be Liron Amram and the Panthers.
Red Band was started in 2005 and really caught on in the mainstream when it hosted its own television show six years ago, performing along with some of Israel’s best-known singers. The band often performs covers of well-known American music.
Red, who always appears publicly as a puppet, agreed to answer some questions from The Jerusalem Post ahead of the concert. A hefty percentage of his answers could not be printed in a family newspaper, but enough of it is G-rated to give you an idea of what makes this unusual musician tick.
Asked what the band would be playing, Red said, “We at Red Band play an eclectic mix of cover songs with our unique twist. You should check it out. There’s nothing quite like it in the world. Redstock is a yearly event, like my regular show only wa-a-a-ay bigger with all the bells and whistles I can get my purple hands on. We have many guests who all come and bring their flavor, and we all cook a spicy gumbo together for y’all to enjoy. This year we’ve outdone ourselves with a veritable cornucopia of talent.”
After naming the other performers at Redstock, Red was asked about the original festival that inspired the event. They say that if you remember Woodstock, you weren’t really there, but Red said he would never forget that festival because it was there that he... never mind. He went on to say, “My show isn’t a tribute to Woodstock. It’s a tribute to me. And music. It’s called Redstock because it’s like a Red Band festival that we do every year.”
Asked what it was like to be a puppet in the music industry, he shot back, “What’s it like being a puppet in the world of a dying print industry?”
Told that it wasn’t bad at all, he spoke about what inspires his creativity. “I get inspired very easily. Yesterday I got inspired by a ficus tree pushing through a rusty gate against the broken rays of the morning sun,” he said, and enumerated the ways in which this sight continues to stimulate him.
After this, Red made it clear that the band is not resting on its laurels. “We’ve got lots of plans for a new show and even a feature film we are working on, but right now we are focused on putting on the greatest rock & roll extravaganza this country has ever seen. That sounds crazy, but honestly, the bar is set surprisingly low. I don’t know why, it’s easy. Just get the best musicians in your band, get the best guests with the best songs, just add the best crew heroin can buy and a lead singer with enough charisma” to delight listeners, “and you got yourself the best night ever. Guaranteed.”