Summer’s here and the time is right...

Everyone from Jason Derulo to Matisyahu, Ozzy Osbourne, Ringo Starr, Enrique Iglesias and Alanis Morissette will have Israelis dancing in the streets.

By AMY SPIRO
Ozzy Osbourne (photo credit: HERRING AND HERRING/ COURTESY)
Ozzy Osbourne
(photo credit: HERRING AND HERRING/ COURTESY)
The summer of 2018 will be an exceptionally busy one for Israeli music lovers, with a series of huge concerts by international stars, as well as dozens of shows from musical talents of all stripes.
The biggest shows will kick off this week, when Jamiroquai, the popular British funk band, will perform at the Rishon Lezion Live Park on May 2.
They’re sure to play their smash dance hits “Virtual Insanity,” “Cosmic Girl” and “You Give Me Something,” and make it an unforgettable night for thousands of fans.
Unlike most years, the Rishon Lezion Live Park will be the host for most of the biggest concerts coming up this year. Normally the most popular acts take the stage at Yarkon Park in Tel Aviv, but it seems authorities have learned that traffic and transport at the Rishon venue can be managed more effectively. That’s also why it hosted 15,000 screaming fans for the Backstreet Boys show last week.
So what other huge names will be bringing down the house in Rishon this summer? When it comes to the biggest current stars, Clean Bandit, Jason Derulo and Rita Ora will all appear in the park later this summer. Clean Bandit – whose smash hits “Symphony,” “Rockabye” and “Rather Be” have put them at the top of the charts in the past couple years – will be playing there on July 26. And on August 1, Derulo and Ora – two of the biggest names in pop and hip hop right now – will headline the Lollipop Summer Festival. Derulo’s “Talk Dirty,” “Wiggle” “Ridin’ Solo” and “In My Head” have made him a household name for those under 30.
A slew of beloved classic acts will also be heading to Rishon this summer, and proving that even after decades in the business they still have huge followings. Those include Canadian singer Alanis Morissette and American heavy metal rocker Ozzy Osbourne. Morissette will play her hits “Ironic” and “You Oughta Know” on July 30, while Osbourne will provide some head banging on July 8.
Osbourne isn’t the only heavy metal act heading to Israel this summer; Avenged Sevenfold will hit the Rishon Lezion stage on June 26, The Scorpions will play at Menorah Mivtachim on July 19, and rock band Alice in Chains will perform in Caesarea on July 17.
International sensations Die Antwoord, a South African hip hop group, will also hit Rishon, just a day after Derulo and Ora, on August 2.
That’s not to say that there won’t be any major shows playing at Yarkon Park in Tel Aviv – Latin hearthrob Enrique Iglesias will perform there on May 26. And Colombian singer-songwriter Maluma will be returning to Israel at the ripe old age of 24 for a show at Yarkon Park on June 28. On May 8 Romeo Santos will bring the house down at Menora Mivtachim with his soulful Latin music.
Aside from the current chart toppers, a slew of old favorites – in particular ‘80s success stories – will be proving that nostalgia in Israel lives on forever.
On May 5 Foreigner will play at the Menorah Mivtachim Arena in Tel Aviv, and likely bring the house down with “I Want to Know What Love Is.” Don McLean, the singer behind “American Pie,” will take the stage at the Ra’anana Ampitheater on June 16. Beatles drummer Ringo Starr will hit up the Menorah Mivtachim Arena on June 23 and Marc Almond – half of the British duo Soft Cell – will be in Caesarea on August 14.
Norwegian ‘80s pop legends A-ha – responsible for “Take on Me” and “The Sun Always Shines on TV” – will play at the Tel Aviv Convention Center on June 21. Rock band America will come to Caesarea on October 9, The Beach Boys’ Brian Wilson will be in Tel Aviv on August 7, Gilberto Gil will arrive on July 4, Jose Carreras will be here on June 13 and Roy Ayers will perform on July 19.
Reggae star – and former hassid – Matisyahu will be heading back to Israel this summer, but for the Beersheba student festival on May 29.
That’s the same day that Alt-J, the British rock band, will be returning to Israel, this time to the Tel Aviv Convention Center.
And all summer long there will also be a series of smaller shows by artists of just about every genre imaginable.
Rapper Azealia Banks will play at the Barby Tel Aviv on May 7. Indie singer Jake Bugg will perform at the Zappa Shuni Ampitheater in Binyamin on May 9, British singer Jessie Ware will take to the Barby Tel Aviv on June 6, and alternative pop duo Sofi Tukker will head to Hangar 11 in Tel Aviv on June 7. The Stranglers will hit the Barby Tel Aviv on June 20, Ziggy Marley will play the same venue on July 31 and hip hop legend Grandmaster Flash will be there on September 5.
While the BDS movement scored a big win late last year when Lorde canceled her summer 2018 show for political reasons, it seems to have racked up loss after loss otherwise. Boycott activists claimed a win when Pussy Riot recently canceled a Tel Aviv concert, but they failed to note that the band is still appearing at the writers’ festival in Jerusalem next week.
Rag’n’Bone Man, the British artist behind “Human,” canceled a Tel Aviv show scheduled for May without elaborating on the reason. Rapper Russ also canceled a show slated for earlier this year, saying it was a shame but it would be “viewed as a political statement.”
While some of those scheduled for this summer have faced similar pressure, nobody else appears poised to cancel, and a few – like Jamiroquai and Ozzy – are even reassuring fan that there is no way they will be pulling out.
Huge-name acts keep lining up, and the announcements could keep on coming. Rumors of Shakira and The Chainsmokers appearing this summer are unconfirmed, but would only add to the long, loud and exciting summer of music. So mark your calendars.