Summer rock
Matisyahu, Jessie Ware, Grandmaster Flash line up shows
Reggae superstar – and former hassid – Matisyahu will be returning to Israel to perform this summer, this time at the Beersheba student festival in May.
The rapper, singer and songwriter will be headlining the event alongside Israeli superstars Sarit Haddad, Ivri Lider, Avraham Tal and more. Matisyahu, known for the hit songs “One Day” and “King Without a Crown,” will take the main stage on May 29.
The Jewish American, who grew up in New York, famously identified as a Chabad Hassid during some of his biggest hits. As of 2012 Matisyahu had left observant Judaism, but still writes songs with heavy Jewish content, including his 2014 album Akeda.
Though Matisyahu does not hold Israeli citizenship, he has still been the target of some anti-Israel activists. In August 2015 he appeared at the Rototom Sunsplash reggae festival in Spain – after being disinvited and then reinvited. Though Matisyahu was allowed to perform, many in the crowd held Palestinian flags and shouted at and taunted the singer.
Tickets for the show are NIS 50 for students, NIS 90 for guests of students and NIS 100 for guests.
Also on Monday, British singer-songwriter Jessie Ware announced a show in Israel this June. Just coming off a high from performing at the acclaimed Coachella Festival in California, Ware’s world tour will take her to the REGGAE STAR Matisyahu, a former Chabadnik, will headline the Beersheba student festival in May. Barby in Tel Aviv on June 6.
The singer has released three studio albums so far, and her singles “Say You Love Me,” “Tough Love” and “If You’re Never Gonna Move” have seen great success in the UK. Her third album, Glasshouse, was released last year, and includes a track Ware wrote with pop superstar Ed Sheeran. She also collaborated with Nicki Minaj back in 2014.
Ware, who was raised in a Jewish home, worked briefly as a reporter for The Jewish Chronicle before embarking on a singing career.
Tickets for the show, which are available through Ticketmaster at tmisrael.co.il, are NIS 235.
Hip-hop pioneer Grandmaster Flash also announced Monday that he’ll be returning to the Holy Land this summer. The trailblazing artist – the first hip-hop act to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame – will be playing at the Barby as well, on September 5.
Grandmaster Flash, whose real name is Joseph Saddler, has been performing since the 1970s, and released dozens of singles – both solo and with his group The Furious Five. His biggest songs include “The Message,” “White Lines” and “Beat Street Breakdown.” The musician and DJ performed in Israel in both 2009 and 2011.
According to Walla, tickets will be NIS 195 at barby.co.il
Israel’s summer music calendar is quickly heating up, with the Backstreet Boys, Jason Derulo, Rita Ora, Enrique Iglesias, Ringo Starr and Ozzy Osbourne all slated to perform.
There are also reports of several other big stars close to closing deals to play in Israel this summer – including Shakira, Alanis Morissette and Clean Bandit. But for now they’re still rumors, as no dates or details have been revealed.