Last Sunday I went to the most Jewish concert of my life (besides for my Hebrew School’s annual Hannukah performance). I went to see Balkan Beat Box and Soulico in Seattle. [Note: both bands are on Jewcy’s parent organization, JDub]

I had figured that a concert with these two bands would attract a rowdy crowd with a medley of local characters, even if I knew little about the Seattle music scene. And I was right. There were hipsters in their 30s. There were college kids. Ravers. Bros. Old Jews. Mid-twenty Jews. Bald Jews. Non-Jews. It was by far the weirdest, most diverse crowd I had ever been to a show with. It was neat.

While I knew very little about Soulico, I know Balkan Beat Box fairly well. Nothing biblical though. Both groups hail from Tel Aviv, the city of Israeli hipsters. The mecca of Jewish hipsters living outside Austin and the NYC metro area. It’s number 3 on the list of hipster-Jew pilgrimages.

Even though Soulico started late (probably waiting for more people would show up), the dancefloor was sparse. It has become a habit for people to show up late and ignore the opening act. But any good music fan knows that it is the easiest way to ‘discover’ a new band.

And I was glad to hear what the DJs of Soulico had to offer. They gave me hope in my non-existent music career. If 3 short Jewish men could become so big, recording with legends such as Ghostface Killah, then maybe I too could succeed.

Needless to say, it was a slpendid night full of dancing. Not dancing in a duuuurty, American wind n’ grind type way. Rather in a sensible, semi-conservative Israeli way. The crowd ate it up. Every time Balkan Beat Box gave a shout out to Seattle, every time they told the crowd to throw their hands up in the air, we all complied. Our bodies were no longer in our control. Although their requests were a bit cliched (and I have no affinity for Seattle), I was happy that they didn’t ask us to donate to our local Jewish Federation.

The night ended like all concerts do these days, with a ritualistic dance between the audience and the band. After their ‘last song’, Balkan Beat Box left the stage. The audience dutifully chanted for an encore, a symbol that has as much meaning as a standing ovation or a slow-clap. And to finish this dance, to give the audience some input and a feeling of control, Balkan Beat Box returned to rock the house for a few more songs, including from their new album Blue Eyed Black Boy.

A wonderful way to end the most Jewish concert of my life.

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You may recognize Soulico as the DJ crew behind Exotic on the Speaker, which brought together an astonishing array of talent, featuring Ghostface Killah, Del Tha Funkee Homosapian, Lyrics Born and Rye Rye.

In the words of The Washington Post, Soulico rocks “dizzying sets that command you to dance.” On stage and off, Soulico’s main goal is to create a musical experience. Balkan Beat Box (BBB), founded by Israeli-born ex-pats Ori Kaplan (ex-Gogol Bordello) and Tamir Muskat (ex-Firewater), feel the same way, having built their reputation on explosive live shows with Tomer Yosef as frontman –his wild onstage energy galvanizing live audiences the world over.

Soulico and Balkan Beat Box are teaming up for their first US tour in over a year, and Jewcy wants YOU to be at their first show!

Our favorite part of Soulico’s live shows is the crazy energy they bring to the stage, especially our man DJ Eyal Rob, who is always trying to hype the crowd. You can see one of his signature moves in the video below, which mixes energizer bunny enthusiasm and an invisible trampoline.

We decided that Rob needs a name for this signature move, so we’ve made up a contest!

Two winners will receive a pair of tickets each to see Soulico and Balkan’s live show at The Conga Room in LA on Wednesday, February 23rd. Here’s how to participate:

Make up a name that you think best describes DJ Rob’s signature move.

Post it in the comments section below this post.

Jewcy will announce the winner here at noon on Tuesday. If your entry is selected we will email you notification with specific instructions on how to get your tickets. Now start the party preparations!

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Check out “Exotic on the Speaker” by Soulico

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Check out “Exotic on the Speaker” by Soulico

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$20, 21+

Listen to BBB and Soulico

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Listen to BBB and Soulico

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Listen to BBB and Soulico

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While this column is primarily about the non-JDub music I’m listening to, I would be remise this week if I didn’t share a few new tracks with you from the label I co-founded 8 years ago this week.

First up: Two songs from Soulico, the Israeli DJ collective I discovered through a mashup mixtape in a Tel Aviv record store in 2005, remixing and re-imagining material from their 2009 JDub release, Exotic on the Speaker.

“1000 Nights Remix” begins as a dark, brooding, synth-driven beat.  Your first hint of the Middle Eastern flavor to come is the flute.  Then Ravid Kahalani‘s voice hits you.  Ravid’s been getting a lot of attention for his own band, Yemen Blues, and as a singer with Israeli superstar Idan Raichel. And while he tries – admirably – to take lead here, Soulico’s beat is no second fiddle.  Check it two and a half minutes in – it picks up, mutates, and I suddenly imagine a midnight desert rave in the Negev, fist-pumping desert-dwellers who’ve never bothered with clubs and strobe lights alongside Pauly D, all of them caught up in this cross-cultural musical ecstasy.  Yes, its that good.

“Bitter Crunk” – Soulico introduces an appropriately exotic sample, throw in the synth they can’t seem to put down these days, and then bring in Rye Rye, who’s turn on Exotic on the Speaker’s title track was a banger in its own right.  Here, though, she gets the “chopped & screwed” treatment.

Today’s final selection is the first single from The Sway Machinery‘s forthcoming album, The House of Friendly Ghosts, Volume 1.  The band is led by Jeremiah Lockwood, a former Six Points Fellow and regular Balkan Beat Box guitarist, who explores new contexts for his family’s Cantorial musical tradition and his own 15 years as a blues musician in New York City’s subway stations.

“Gawad Teriamou (45 Edit)” – The song, like much of the album, features Malian superstar Khaira Arby and was recorded in Mali during the band’s journey there to perform at the Festival of the Desert.   On an album where you might expect to hear a jarring meshing of cultures or traditions, you instead hear joyous, funky harmony.

Soulico and The Sway Machinery are both playing The Festival of Strikes on Tuesday 11/30 in Brooklyn, a pre-Hanukkah party and fundraiser for JDub, to help us continue our work with new Jewish music, media, and culture.  They’ll be joined by label-mates Deleon and comedian Eugene Mirman.  We’re buying a free drink for the first 150 people in the door.  We’d love to see you there.

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Things we learned when we talked to Eugene Mirman:

• He’s not a communist.

• The light of God shines down on him throughout this entire video. Seriously, that’s heavenly light that makes this video blurry. If you’re offended by this beautiful occurrence, we suggest you close your eyes, and imagine this is a podcast.

• We tried to trick him to see if he knew the correct date for the upcoming Festival of Strikes party that we’re helping to throw. We are happy to report that he did know it’s on November 30th at Brooklyn Bowl and The Sway Machinery, Soulico and DeLeon are playing.

(Photo via SF Weekly)

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With Soulico, The Sway Machinery, & Deleon

First 150 people in the door get a free drink!

Plus, a very unique holiday picture booth and a craft area to make last-minute gifts!

Sponsored by Tablet Magazine; made possible with support from the UJA-Federation of New York.

Co-sponsored by the Six Points Fellowship for Emerging Jewish Artists, HIAS, Joshua Venture Group, and Birthright Israel NEXT.

Those interested in a VIP experience in support of JDub are encouraged to purchase a donor bowling packages; details at www.jdubrecords.org/vip or 212.930.3671.

Doors: 6:00 PM / Show: 7:00 PM

$15.00 – $18.00

About the artists:

Russian-born comedian Eugene Mirman was recently named the “Best New York Comedian” by The Village Voice and one of the 10 best comedians of the last decade by Paste Magazine.

The Sway Machinery‘s sound stems from Lockwood’s rich musical relationships with his grandfather Cantor Jacob Konigsberg and his mentor Carolina Slim, the renowned blues player who fondly guided Lockwood’s musical development.  The band will perform songs off of their debut album, Hidden Melodies, Revealed, as well as from the forthcoming album, The House of Friendly Ghosts Vol. 1, the inspired result of a trip to the Festival of the Desert in Timbuktu.
“Deep and funky at times, bluesy and hypnotic at others…exhilarating, incomparable moments.” – Jambase

Reimagining 500 year old Ladino folk songs as modern indie rock, DeLeon’s debut album was described as “a dizzying ride that answers the question, what if the Os Mutantes were Jewish?” (Heeb) and “seamless swirls of low-rent loft rock and Spanish-crooned sunset laments.” – CMJ

Israeli DJs Soulico create “an exuberant synthesis of traditional Israeli folk melodies and familiar hip-hop sensibilities.” – Pitchfork.

About the event:
Kick off the season on the night before Hanukkah. While at the concert, capture that perfect holiday picture to send to friends and family and create last-minute gifts. Plus, the first 150 people in the door will receive a free drink!

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