Together with my wife and a packed Ra’anana Amphitheatre, I saw Israeli artist Aviv Geffen. A nice night out with good music.
Yes, it happened again. I found myself at a concert where I didn’t understand a word of the language, and I didn’t know any of the music. My wife is a huge fan of Aviv Geffen and makes it a tradition to catch one of his shows every year. She always suggests that I tag along, but after my experience at a Guy Mazig concert, I usually decline.
My wife’s office party was in the park where they had a lot of great food, drinks and a proper concert and this time I couldn’t say no.
It’s not that the music isn’t good—both Aviv Geffen and Guy Mazig are incredibly talented. The issue is, I have no idea what’s going on. For me, music is usually enough to make the night worthwhile (especially since I’m hopeless when it comes to remembering lyrics). But not understanding the language definitely adds a layer of distance, making it harder to get fully into the experience.
AVIV GEFFEN
The Israeli singer Aviv Geffen is a popular figure, regularly selling out big venues across the country. His music, sung in Hebrew, tackles themes like love, peace, death, suicide, politics, and the military. After doing some research, I discovered he’s also part of an English project with Steven Wilson called Blackfield. After checking it out, I have to say it sounds really good.
But tonight, we’re not here for Blackfield. We’re here for his solo show. Well, mostly—he did bring out some special guests throughout the night. The music itself sounded great, but his voice didn’t always hit the mark. As a few Israelis next to me explained, “You don’t come for the voice; you come for the lyrics.” Shit.
Still, the band was tight, and as a performer, Aviv Geffen clearly knows how to entertain. I was especially impressed with the energy and effort he brought, considering this was a corporate gig. The crowd had a fantastic time, and my wife was smiling from ear to ear. Despite the language barrier, I enjoyed it too. It was fun to finally experience something my wife has been talking about for so long.
While I may not rush back to another of his shows, I’ll definitely be diving deeper into Blackfield on Spotify—that project has really piqued my interest.
