Dudu Aharon-Don't close the door on me

I have to admit that when I first heard this about a month ago my first thought was that this would fit perfectly on the "sad days" playlist, which is pretty sad because thankfuly there hadn't been a sad day in quite a while and it kept me from enjoying this great song. I'm not sure if they played this yesterday, I didn't hear the radio but I'm pretty sure they pulled out the "sad day" playlist (I'm pretty sure it's a file on a computer but in my mind it's a dusty sheet of paper usually stashed away in a drawer). Hearing the sentance "a bus has blown up" immediatly brought me back to ten years ago when it wasn't such a rare thing to hear on the news. Only this time even though it's farther away geographically it's much harder because it's so out of the blue. Burgus is where you fly for a cheap vacation to take a breath from the daily life. It's much more affordable than Greece and other destinations in Europe so most of the travellers are very young. Usually on a trip abroad you want to forget about everything and just relax-it's always scary to feel unsafe but even more so on vacation. Here is information about the victims. Devastating. http://www.jpost.com/Defense/Article.aspx?id=278221 Of course now everyone is wondering what's next and with the Syria bombing (already feels like old news) things are very uncertain.
On another note, I really like this song by Dudu Aharon. It's much more low key than his usual style and there's something very calming about the melody. Even though it's sad and intimate it's very easy to imagine thousands chanting the chorus at Ceasaria and it highlights his great vocals. I must say that although I've never been a huge fan of his music I've really come to like him as a person thanks to last summer's cult reality La La Land, about oriental singers trying to make it big in LA. At first the editors tried to portray him as egoistic and "above" the other contestants but he kind of ruined it by getting along with everybody and taking on the role of peacemaker making it probably the most uncompetitive reality show ever-they were like a big family that made friday dinners together and it was just really fun to watch.

In the nights I wrap up in myself, cannot sleep
Looking for my way
Take your time and think if you should leave
What will happen to the child

Just understand me I'm also afraid
I don't want you to go I need you
These are not easy days for me too
Just give me a sign that you love

If you're fed up then it hurts for me too
We've been through everything isn't it a shame to give up
How sad and heavy my heart is
Don't close the door on me...

Hiding in myself the pain does not leave
Closing myself like a child
Come go out to my heart
It's crying for you now
I'm begging for you like a child

Just understand me it isn't easy to leave
I really wanted the best for you
The heart is bleeding heal my wounds
Promise me that you aren't leaving

http://www.facebook.com/DuduAharonOfficial

The Raw Men Empire-Orange Land

Whoa, what a great "video"! I first heard this song a few weeks ago and was hooked on the riff, it's so refreshing and energetic-I was pretty curious how the video clip would be-and I'm not at all disappointed! I first discovered them a while ago with their very sweet "Between you and me" and was wondering where they disappeared. Now they're back and better than ever. They sound so happy and free! Perfect for the summer.
Speaking of summer, it's probably the best time to indulge in youtube clips-your brain feels so tired from the heat (and in my case also exams) that it feels like you deserve a few minutes (which somehow turn into an hour) of pure escapism. Here's a must-see blue and white selection:

Everybody who's been to the beach in Israel is familiar with that tik-tak-tik-tak noise of Matkot. Either you love it or you hate it but it's inescapable and a huge part of Israeli beach culture. New York Times recently posted a pro-matkot article but there's a much more critical side to it. This well made video is a satire but stems from hatred to the sport in which the creators claim that it's not only annoying but also very dangerous, not to mention what it says about Israelis...

I Charleston is in Tel Aviv! Very colorful and well made. I can't help but wonder how they were able to dance with so much energy in the heat.

By now Vania Heyman's cinematography has become a trademark and it's great to see that he hasn't abandoned his roots. This is very catchy and you'll probably find yourself singing it out loud even if you think it's the unfunniest thing ever. For more Roy Kafri (he's amazing!) check out his site: http://roykafri.bandcamp.com/

Parking in Tel Aviv often feels like a sadistic game of musical chairs with the recurring thought that you just might spend the rest of your life roaming the narrow streets like a shark, all just not to pay in an over-priced parking lot. You think to yourself "there just has to be a free spot somewhere" and when you finally do find it you feel like the luckiest person in the world. This is a video that everyone can relate to and even features a cameo of Tel Aviv's mayor Ron Chuldai.

The same guys also made a pretty genius video capturing the essence of the Israeli world traveller-in the setting of Tel Aviv.

I've seen the orange land
And your vacant lots,
I've seen all your cars
And they are painted white.

My, oh my, baby,
Stay with me.
My, oh my, baby,
Stay with me.
You're in my heart,
You're in my soul tonight
You're in my heart,
You're gonna tear my world apart.

First came the snow,
Bringing in the white,
I started to write this song
So I could find some light.

My, oh my, baby,
Stay with me.
My, oh my, baby,
Stay with me.
You're in my heart,
You're in my soul tonight
You're in my heart,
You're gonna tear my world apart.

High or down or high or low
I've seen your face now,
No matter how hard you'll try to go
I know your name now,
No matter how far you're gonna run
There'll never be someone
Like you.
http://trmeband.com

Avtipus-Just do not fall

I'm pretty surprised how emotional this song made me feel. I came across it completely by chance earlier today and ever since I've been in a pretty pensive mood. The youtube description says that "this was recorded in July 2012, written in the summer of 2011 with the outbreak of the tent protest to encourage ourselves, our friends, and everyone who isn't giving up, isn't discouraged and continues to push this huge boulder up the mountain". There's a lot of optimism in these words but this song is so melancholic and heavy-it's a good reminder of why the protest exists as well as its importance but there's also a huge feeling of crisis and uncertainty. Since late May/early June there have been renewed protests-not as huge as the ones from last summer but also not as small as some people thought. Mainly there was a sense that it wasn't the top story in the media so it wasn't the top story on everybody's minds-and it felt like it was fading away. However all that changed on Friday June 22 when Dafni Lif together with a group of protesters wanted to renew the Rotschild tent city-after they didn't get a permit from the city counsel. Things got very violent and Lif ended up badly bruised by the police and arrested. And then came the very violent protest on Saturday. At first it was very blurry to me what exactly happened on that night-at first from the news it seemed that a small group of protesters got aggressive, smashed bank windows, created a riot and fought with cops. But then when I checked out twitter and facebook it appeared that the protester's vandalism acts was minor compared to how the Special Patrol Unit handled the protesters-with violence, curses and fury mostly towards unharmful men and women. Here is what Itai Anghel, one of the only journalists I completely respect, reported: http://www.haaretz.com/news/national/baghdad-congo-tel-aviv.premium-1.447790. The setting of the protest was the banks by Gan Hair, right next to the City Hall whose painted escalators starred in last week's video by Kutiman. It's also right by Rabin Square. One of the most chilling tweets I came across was by someone who wrote: "Miri Regev [says] the protesters want to turn Rabin Square to Tahrir Square. That's more legitamite than what the extreme right did: which is turning Kings of Israel Square to Rabin Square." It also reminded me what the late Rabin said in his last speech before he was assassinated: "Violence erodes the basis of democracy. It should be condemned, denounced and isolated". In this past Saturday's protest there was no violence but there was anger-and also a group who split from the official protest and blocked roads-not only in Tel Aviv but also in Jerusalem and Haifa. From what I understand there's now a tent city in a new location picked by the mayor-near the train station and away from the heart of the city. This way it won't disturb the city residents but it also won't bother anyone else so there's a lot of criticism on behalf of activists and it's very small (for now). So, after almost a year since it first started it's still very hard to pinpoint exactly what has changed (it feels like nothing and everything at the same time), where things are now and where they are headed. What's certain is that it's going to be a very interesting summer.
Avtipus (prototype) are a great band from the 90's with hits like these  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2OKUsA3X0M and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwNM-nbaI_o&feature=related (so 90's!). For me they represent the true face of the protest-not dreamy twenty somethings who want to live in the city and change the world but rather well experienced family men fed up with where things are going who see the possibility of creating a better society for their children.

Chutes and ladders
Climbing and diving
There is not a place without quiet
There is not a place with crawling

Dear friends
In the kingdom of survivors
In the place where there is no bridge
Over troubled water

Flying low
Above the dirt
Barely falling asleep
Waking up without a smile
And the ground always shakes under the feet
Just do not fall


Withdrawals and refunds
Loans and losses
In a place where there is no grace
And no pity

Flying low
Above the dirt
Barely falling asleep
Waking up without a smile
And underneath-what fear there is here in the eyes
Just do not fall