Libi and the Flashback-Girl From The North Country

What a night! I was so lucky to be at the Rolling Sones concert last night in Tel Aviv-they really gave all they had and then some, and it really wasn't a given considering the heavy heatwave! Despite their royal status they gave an energetic performance from Start me up to Satisfaction and Mick, Keith, Johnny and Charlie worked the stage as if they were a young band just starting out. Notable highlights were their special performances of Israeli favorites Angie and Paint it Black, not to mention Mick's impressive Hebrew vocabulary from "Atem kahal metoraf" to "Eifo kanita et hanaalayim, be shuk?" which he remarked to Johnny Wood's bright yellow shoes. My original plan was to just hang out at the park with friends listening to the concert but a few weeks ago we came to our senses and realized that we couldn't miss out on actually seeing them and being part of the audience, even at the steep price of 700 shekels. To put things in perspective Neil Young & Crazy Horse at the same venue will be 400. And yet, it really was a historic night. Fortis gave an excellent opening show and you could tell how excited he was to be there-his song "No end to childhood", which he dedicated to a 100 year old fan in the audience was especially fitting. I was a bit concerned that the audience would be on the emm, mature side but there were many young people and the energy was great. The truth is, even though I didn't experience them in "real time" I do feel that they played a big part in the soundtrack of my teenage years. I had heard their songs all my life but hearing "Sympathy for the Devil" in this specific context when I was 16 sent me to iTunes to discover their songs record by record. I think the same goes for this Dylan track. I was very familiar with his music but after hearing this song as a teen I really got into his early material. Libi of Libi and the Flashback is such a phenomenon, it would have been so awesome if she could have been a part of the concert, but then again it feels that she's Israel's best kept secret. I saw her last year at the Jacob's Ladder Festival and she was so...electrifying. Most of the youtube videos don't really capture her amazing stage presence which is why I chose this beautiful acoustic track which shows a more sensitive side of her. But you can get a taste with this epic performance on London & Kirschenbaum who are at their most adorable here (performance starts at 2:25):



London & Kirshenbaum are one of the best things on Israeli TV and two other gems with them can be seen here and here.

It's only rock n' roll but I like it :)