Happy week! It’s Passover, so those of us who don’t keep kosher have to bend over backwards to eat decent food, but at least there’s plenty of stuff going on to entertain us while we feast on our frozen pitas dreaming of pizza and cake that doesn’t taste like MDF. Here are some things happening this week that you may enjoy as well.
Tonight (Sunday)
East West house in Jaffa hosts the first night of a three day festival of local instrumental oriental music – Turkish, Arabic, North African and more. There will be 20 different ensembles playing and in between the full shows there will be short recitals of solo artists from Israel and beyond. Starting today at 15:00 and going on till Tuesday night. You can buy tickets on the door. One day 120NIS, 2 days 190NIS, or 240NIS for everything. Full details here (Hebrew only I’m afraid).
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Blues & Booze @ the Pasaz – a free night of blues jams and music. From 21:30.
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Step Aside V. 2 @ Gabirol Gallery – some sort of fancy sound art / interactive performance art where the audience is also the composer and performer of a musical piece, played by walking through an installation. Free, but you need to sign up in advance as it’s only 15 people per show. Two shows today, 2 more on the 12th. More details and booking from: boris@oicherman.net or phone 054-2575072
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Tomorrow (Monday)
The Olamot sci fi / fantasy conference opens at Haarbaa 15. Lots of panels, lectures and workshops (in Hebrew), but you can always hang out outside and watch the cosplayers or enjoy the art exhibitions and fair (lots of stalls selling cosplay supplies, books, comics, DVDs and more). I think it’s 10-20NIS if you just want to hang out, rather than go to any events.
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CTLV are running a whole load of exciting English language tours of the lesser known sides of Tel Aviv, from art to urban exploration. Full details on their site. More tours will happen on Wednesday. If you tell them you came via DIY Tel Aviv you get a small discount.
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LBT, the Raw Tapes label supergroup, takes over the Pasaz from 22:00. Twisted beats and bloopy sounds. 50NIS.
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Join the Goa trance / electronic grooves crowd at Solo (Yehuda Halevi 46) from 23:00 from a mad party with an indoor space and an outdoor space, headlined by California Sunshine and Groove Secret Chamber. Tickets 50-70NIS.
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Tuesday
Two days of contact improvisation workshops start and go on from 12:00 – 23:00 each day at Bikurei Haitim Center. Two studios, 6 teachers per day, plus two jams – a silent one and a musical one. Prices are 290NIS for both days (pay on first day)
160NIS for one day
80NIS after 16:00 (one class + jam)
40NIS jam only. Advance registration not required. Just turn up.
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Wednesday
Anna Loulou hosts the queer Palestinian party, Fahel – a night of sleazy, bassy beats and mingling with some sexy locals. From 22:00.
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Late night jazz @ Rothschild 12 from 23:30 till late. Barak Mori hosts some local musicians for a fun and sophisticated night. Free.
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Thursday
T-Market fashion fair opens. Three days of fashion and accessories from local designers selling young, street, club and casual fashion, accessories and more. Dubnov 8. Hours: Thursday 10:00 – 18:00, Friday 10:00 -20:00, Saturday 10:00 -20:00. 10NIS.
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Karma She – live, weird RNB psychedelica show @ Anna Loulou Bar from 21:00. Feminist RNB DJ sets before and after. 10NIS.
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Igorrr (France) live @ Duplex club, as part of a big breakcore party by the Frog-hop crew lot. Tickets are 90NIS in advance and 120NIS on the door. Buy in advance from here.
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Friday
Shalom Gad, Haya Miller & Ryskinder @ Levontin 7 from 14:30. Three gigs for the price of one – 40NIS on the door.
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Saturday
It’s the Mimoona! A Moroccan Jewish holiday celebrating the end of Passover. Anything that signals the end of Passover is good in my books, as I loathe this so called “holiday”, but the Mimoona (or Mimuna) also features Mufletas (Moroccan “crepes”) and other great sweets, which makes it even better. This is one holiday when everyone wants to be a little Moroccan, but if you failed miserably to find yourself a Moroccan friend and get invited to their house to try out granny’s original recipes, don’t be sad. There are loads of places you can go to celebrate and even eat some free mufletas.
First up, not 100% traditional, as you’re not officially allowed to charge for a Mimoona party, but this party / gig organised by the Ze Ze organisation is actually a fundraiser for community project / social initiatives, so we can forgive them the 50NIS it costs. Most importantly, A-wa, the hottest local act right now, will play their electronic Yemenite groove fusion and there will be DJs from Nicaragua, Sierra Leone and Tel Aviv. Also – free mufletas, of course. It’s at the Kastiel venue at Alfasi 36 from 20:00.
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If you want a 100% free event, the Kaymak Bar Mitzva @ Zvulun 13 will have live North African music and free mufletas from 21:00.
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You can also head down to the Rothschild 12 from 18:00 to hear Avihu Pinhasov and his band play indie mizrahi music and enjoy some free mufletas.
