Rami Kleinstein - Zappa Jerusalem - Concert Review

Rami Kleinstein was born in 1962 in New York. He came to Israel with his family at the age of 8. Now considered one of Israel's big name musicians, he has often played venues holding thousands of fans. Last night he performed at the Zappa club in Jerusalem, one of a group of four intimate clubs across Israel which combine high level musical entertainment with wide ranging menus.

The Zappa club is set up as a restaurant and live concert venue. When you order tickets, you are provided with reserved spots at one of the tables, which are each set up to hold 6 to 8 guests. Apparently you can join Zappa for an annual fee and get prime reserved seating in advance for event tickets at Zappa's clubs across Israel.

Looking around, it was evident that all of the seats had great sight lines. We were sitting close enough that Kleinstein made it over to one or two tables ahead of us while belting out one of the encore numbers. The club played a mixture of Springsteen and Police music before the show. I'm not sure if this was selected by the band or picked by Zappa to suit the audience but either way, it seemed to fit quite nicely.

The food was excellent. Zappa Jerusalem is a kosher, meat restaurant. The selection included items like chili-honey grilled chicken thighs, assorted Jerusalem grill (a variety of mixed meats), Asian chicken salad and a variety of appetizers and desserts. There were some vegetarian dishes and soy-milk based cappuccinos and other specialty coffees. The wine selection was also quite decent.

But the main course this evening was undoubtedly Rami Kleinstein. Wearing faded red pants, a dark t-shirt and a dinner jacket, Rami joined his six piece back up group (the "council") by sitting down at his red piano and beginning his set.

Rami enthusiastically welcomed the capacity crowd, commenting a number of times on how special it was to be playing in Jerusalem. He mentioned that he would be playing a broad selection of music from his 25 year career and delved into it.

Sometimes compared musically to an Israeli Billy Joel or Elton John, Rami's smooth piano playing evokes these comparisons. But I would say that a good chunk of his music also veers a bit closer to rock artists such as Bruce Springsteen or Bob Seger, though Kleinstein has a much smoother voice. The oft made comparison was highlighted about half way through the show when Kleinstein delivered a beautiful rendition of Billy Joel's Piano Man.

Supported by three guitarists, a bassist, a back up singer and a drummer, Kleinstein covered a variety of music styles, even flirting with some reggae at one point. He filled the club with warmth and emotion when he sat at the piano singing ballads - some with and some without the rest of the band. His ongoing rapport with the crowd was just the right balance, introducing new and old songs with a blend of humour and excitement. The band played two songs that Kleinstein described as "so new they were still in diapers and had yet to be named..."

Rami was married for many years to Rita, another well known Israeli singer. Prior to their divorce, he was actively involved in her musical career and wrote many songs to her, about her and inspired by her. There was a particular edge to many of these songs, which Kleinstein mischievously described as having been written to "one specific person." Many of these pieces are among Kleinstein's best works.

Towards the second half of the show, which was slightly more than two hours, Kleinstein took off his jacket and led the band through a number of more up-tempo, well-known numbers. He made his way around the tables, imploring the crowd to get off their feet and dance. The audience enthusiastically obliged and sang along until the end of the show.

Throughout the concert, Kleinstein was emotional and completely immersed in the music, usually with a wide grin. The band was tight and well rehearsed. Kleinstein's voice was smooth and accessible and his piano playing was passionate and quite enjoyable.

The overall combination of an intimate venue with great food, terrific acoustics (the volume was just right) and Rami Kleinstein - an oustanding performer, made this one of the great concert evenings I've had the pleasure of attending.

Evanescence - Sound Academy - Toronto - October 25, 2011 - Review

Amy Lee, the lead singer of Evanescence, has described her band's musical genre as "epic, dramatic, dark, rock." The description is probably apt although the band has a unique sound that is not easily classified. At times, the band sounds like a throw back classic hard rock band influenced by sounds like the Scorpions, Triumph, GNR, Whitesnake and others. Three of the current members can even throw around the big hair of the 80s bands, giving Evanescence a distinct deja vous feel.

But Amy Lee gives this group a whole different dimension. Although she fronts a band that edges into goth metal, her vocals remain clear, well defined and distinctly melodic. She doesn't get involved in the outright screaming that defines so many other metal bands and one of Evanescence's opening acts. Instead, she displays an enormously wide range of vocal talent from piano accompanied ballads to an ethereal high end sound that intertwines so nicely with the Evanescence trademark guitar riffs.

On Tuesday night, Evanescence played in Toronto at the Sound Academy, a
3200 capacity standing only concert venue. The set was about an hour and 15 minutes long and was laced with generous helpings of songs from Evanescence's newest album, a number of which were new to the crowd. Though the band has changed its line-up quite a bit since its debut platinum album in 2003, the constant is still Lee who provides the band with its unique sound.

The group played through a range of pieces starting with the newer "do what you want" but then ripping into "going under" which really got the crowd going. As the set list moved along, many of the pieces seemed to blend into one another, having similar constructions and sound patterns. Given Amy Lee's formidable talents, it would be great to see the band widen the scope of its music to better showcase her abilities.

As Evanascence approached the end of its set list, it hit the pieces the crowd had really come to hear. "Bring me to life" was raw and terrific as Lee moved around the stage, fist pumping, tossing her hair in all directions and egging on the audience to sing along.

But the highlight of the show was unquestionably the final piece - "My Immortal." Lee sat down at the piano and began to play. Hundreds pulled out their smart phones to record the song. It sounded even better live than the studio version. Lee hit the notes beautifully. This was a song that really was worth the price of admission. Towards the end, Lee alternated between singing and inviting the audience to sing. Everyone here knew the words. If earlier parts of the concert were a bit dull or repetitive, this third encore made up for it.

The same could not be said for the two opening acts. Having to listen to these two groups was a heavy price to pay to hear Evanescence.

Rebel Son, a Southern U.S. band that flies a confederate flag on its web site, played a zeppelin influenced set of screaming metal. It seemed to me that the audience was mainly hoping that it would end quickly, which it did, after about a half hour.

Shortly afterwards, the Pretty Reckless, a New York based band, followed. The sound was admittedly reckless but not very pretty. With Nirvana influenced screaming and not much of a melodic sound to the vocals, the lead singer pole-danced her way through the band's "controversial" song - "going down." The band's cover of Audioslave's "like a stone" was passable but not particularly inspiring. Fittingly, the band approached the end of its 40 minute set with a song called "make me want to die" which probably matched much of the audience reaction to this performance.

Since the venue was a standing only first come first serve arrangement, the audience had to put up with these two sub-par opening acts to get to the band they had come hear. Both were quite loud and less than stellar. This was probably more punishment than should have been required to see Amy Lee and Evanescence live. But as mentioned above, the last few Evanescence songs probably made up for any inconveniences.

My Chemical Romance and Brian May at Reading Festival 2011 HD

This isn't a concert review - but it is simply a link to a video of an incredible event. Brian May, former lead guitarist of Queen - appeared at the Reading Festival in Britain last Friday - August 26, 2011 - and joined My Chemical Romance. They sang "We Will Rock You" and then "Welcome to the Black Parade" together. This was just two nights before Brian May joined Lady GaGa on the VMA awards - in her opening number. I guess he is building some spotlight time coming up to the 20th anniversary of the death of former Queen lead singer Freddie Mercury. This is one heck of a performance by Queen and MCR.

Train and Maroon 5 - Molson Amphitheatre Toronto Review Aug 22, 2011

The Molson Amphitheatre in Toronto had quite a triple bill going on Monday night. Train, Maroon 5 and Nikki Jean played to a fairly full house, in almost perfect weather conditions. The musical combination seemed like a nice fit. I had enjoyed seeing train a couple of times a few years back. Even though I hadn’t seen Maroon 5, I was all set for a great evening.

Looking around, it was quite a varied crowd, ranging from teenagers to forty-somethings. When I first saw the concert notice, I wondered which band would be the opening act and which band would headline. A few minutes into Maroon 5’s set, I knew who the crowd had come to see. Even though Maroon 5 has only put out three studio albums, the band tore into a set that sounded like a greatest hits package. There is a very familiar feel to Maroon 5 music – reminiscent of Earth, Wind and Fire, Chicago, and maybe even the Doobie Brothers. The playlist went from Harder to Breathe, Sunday Morning, If I never see your face again to Misery…and continued on…

The music was tightly executed, upbeat and polished. The set flowed along with Adam Levine prancing about, shedding clothes and working himself into a sweat, while most of the audience danced in the aisles to his falsetto voice. There were very few slow moments as the band wasted little time. When they launched into Wake Up Call, the band hit a new level and the crowd went crazy. This Love had the whole place shaking and then, just like that, the band wrapped up its set. Coming back for two more numbers, Hands All Over and She Will Be Loved, the encore was weak compared to the rest of the set. Though Adam Levine was fun and energetic and the music was great, the concert was short, clocking in at about an hour and 15 minutes, with the encores.

As the set wound down, I began to wonder how Train would top this. It takes a fairly confident band to follow such a strong opening show, though having seen Train, I thought they would be up to the challenge.

Sadly, they fell short. Running at a much slower pace, Train took a while to get things going. With lots of shtick, running around the whole stadium, bringing 25 or 30 girls up on to the stage and playing a few interesting covers, like Rihanna’s Umbrella, a Blondie song and U2’s “Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For,” Pat Monahan must have thought that he had earned the Bono sized ego.

But the band only really started to spark when it Hey Soul Sister, a recent mega hit. And surprisingly after only about an hour, that was it for the show. The band reappeared for a few encores, including a terrific version of Drops of Jupiter. Hard to believe that it has been 10 years since the song was released but the hooks are still a crowd favourite. The band then wrapped things up with “This Ain’t Goodbye” which was subdued and somewhat unsatisfying. It felt like the set was even shorter than Maroon 5’s. I couldn’t help but feel that Train never really hit its potential. Too much down time, too many gimmicks and an energy level that just wasn’t there. Then again, it has to be hard to follow Maroon 5, something Adam Levine alluded to towards the end of their set when he said “I hope you’ll show Train the same love you’ve shown us.”

On a pleasant note, Nikki Jean opened up with a really solid half hour set. Playing some Motown pieces and some of her own numbers including Pennies in a Jar and La Di Da, Jean did a great job kicking things off.

Shlomo Artzi in Caesarea June 11, 2011 Review

At 61, Shlomo Artzi is still one of Israel’s most popular concert draws. He continues to attract crowds of all ages as evidenced by the large number of teenagers and twenty- something year olds in attendance last Saturday night in Caesarea.

Having seen his shows on a number of previous occasions over the years, I would say that he seemed a bit tired. He looked like he had lost a step. But that did not seem to faze the sold out audience, most of whom stood, cheered and clapped for much of the show.

Artzi’s set list might read like an Israeli pop/rock greatest hits collection. With all of the success he has had over decades of performing, it is not surprising that he is able to turn the microphone over to the audience for almost any of the selected numbers.

His musical style is melodic pop/rock, somewhere between Billy Joel and Bruce Springsteen. On stage with a ten piece band, including a violinist, two sax players and a trumpet, Artzi leads a talented ensemble that covers a diverse range of musical styles. With a nod to The Boss himself, Artzi’s band started one song with riffs that were lifted right out of Rosalita. In another piece, Artzi actually began singing “Down to the River,” another Springsteen tune. He complemented the English language pieces with bits of “Hit the Road Jack,” “Twist Again” and “What a Wonderful World.” Though this all made for musical fun and energized the band, Artzi should probably stick to singing in Hebrew.

With an ego approaching the size of Bono’s, Artzi loves to wander into the audience, picking aspiring stars to sing along with him, while looking for an eligible young woman to accompany him up on stage for one of his trademark songs “Tirkod” (“Dance”). Strangely, he couldn’t seem to find the right dancer this evening and skipped this well -known highlight of his concerts.

Instead, a young couple came up to the stage together. The would-be groom handed a piece of paper to Artzi and dropped down to one knee. Artzi read out the lyrics to one of his songs “let’s get married, have a child and write a song…” The bride to be enthusiastically accepted and the two lovebirds were off to the races, as Shlomo Artzi quietly interrupted their passionate embrace to bless them in a fatherly sort of way.

Artzi spent much of the concert speaking through the songs, in modified rap style, rather than singing them. He passed the mike to the audience quite often, throughout the evening and they readily complied. But it almost seemed to be a measure taken by Artzi out of fatigue rather than the simple pleasure of hearing thousands of fans singing their hearts out to his music.

Towards the final third of the concert, the tempo picked up. The band was given a bit more of an opportunity to let loose and everything became more enjoyable. The song for Gilad Schalit, who has now been held hostage by Hamas for more than five years, was powerful. The hits that followed were energetically played and wildly received. The final two or three pieces were vintage Artzi, at his best.

Caesarea, the Roman amphitheatre used as one of Israel’s most popular concert venues, is a great place to see a concert. Right by the Mediterranean Sea, with a gentle breeze blowing, the forum delivers terrific acoustics when filled to capacity. The seats are all simply stone so those who remember bring cushions to ensure a minimum comfort level.

But Shlomo Artzi has performed better on many occasions in this very venue. Though much of the audience still seemed to love the 2 ½ hour show, those who have enjoyed some of Artzi’s other concerts must have been disappointed by the song selection (fewer hits than usual) and by Artzi’s general sluggishness, which came through in the muddled versions of some of his songs. There were still some flashes of greatness and the band was terrific. Even on an off night, Artzi still delivers fine entertainment to the consistently sold out audiences that he draws.

David Broza in Ra'anana Review

There are few musical experiences as satisfying as seeing a great entertainer in an intimate hall – with high quality acoustics. Last night we were privileged to attend a David Broza concert at the Ra’anana Music and Art Centre – along with about 250 other fans. It was a real treat.

Broza is a self-proclaimed troubadour. He combines folk music – often built around the lyrical poetry of others –sometimes very well-known poets – with Spanish guitar playing and middle-eastern rhythms. Having spent time living in Spain, Israel and the United States, Broza’s music combines a variety of influences.

The concert was a two hour collection of Broza’s greatest hits covering a span of more than 30 years. Broza was accompanied by three other musicians – a percussionist, a bass player and a second guitarist – the newest addition to his band. The four musicians were seated on stools strumming, plucking and swaying to the music – mostly smiling as they played through the carefully selected set list.

Watching Broza perform – you can’t help but feel the love of music that radiates from his guitar and his smile. With such a dominant Spanish influence – some songs have the energy and feel of the Gypsy Kings. For these up tempo numbers, the audience was clapping and tapping along – some even moved up to dance next to the stage.

Other pieces are well known in Israel – as sing along anthems –such as Mitachat l’Shamayim (Under the Skies). The whole crowd knows the words – and Broza adds the role of choir conductor to his repertoire.

The highlight of the evening was simply Broza’s masterful guitar playing. Whether it was the two newest songs that his band was performing – which are part of a CD that is about to be released – or the many classics that the group played through – they were all marked by infectious and exciting sounds of the Spanish guitar.

The finale – a second encore number- was Yihyeh Tov – “It will be alright” – a song dedicated to hope that there will be peace in the Middle East and that “we will all live together – as siblings.” Broza is quite active in the peace movement – working with organizations such as Combatants for Peace –that look for ways to build tolerance, understanding and friendship between Israelis and Palestinians.

Though I have seen Broza quite a number of times – in different cities – this type of venue was a wonderful showcase for his music. The sight lines were great – we were close to the stage – and the sound was crisp and clear.

Broza is currently touring similar sized venues throughout Israel after having recently completed a trip through parts of France. He will likely be back to North America – for his annual mini-concert series in late December in New York and Toronto.

His web site includes more detailed bio information – and other links.