Bare Dreams - Ozen Bar TLV - 1/07/21
- FaceOff - עימות חזיתי
- Jul 1
- 4 min read
This week, Travis Barker, renowned as Blink-182's drummer, mentioned in an interview with Rolling Stone magazine:
"Obviously, there's a huge pop-punk revival right now. And rock music is on its way back."
He likely attended the event at "Ozen Bar" in Tel Aviv yesterday because that statement perfectly captured what happened there!
The performance was a powerful and energetic display of punk rock, featuring an array of incredible talents at an exceptional level. The music was incredibly good, professional, sharp, captivating, and intense.
This marked the first performance of the Israeli punk-rock/pop band "Bare Dreams" since COVID. We had seen them two years ago opening for Walkways, and their music resonated deeply with us.
So, we just had to be at this show!
This remarkable group was established in 2017 by Eldar Moshe (drums), Itay Aviv (vocals and guitar), Itamar Hayuth (bass), and Roee Berezowitz (guitar). Eldar and Itay grew up together and knew right from the start the musical path they envisioned for the band. Each member contributes their unique influences, and the band's musical style is primarily shaped by bands like My Chemical Romance, Paramore, Jimmy Eat World, and more, as noted by Itay.
In 2018, they released their debut EP "Au Revoir." Itay mentioned that this EP is a compilation of songs inspired by each band member. Everyone contributed their part, and what started as an acoustic session with classical guitars and drums transformed into an electric EP featuring six songs, all written and produced by the band members with assistance from Priel Horesh (the drummer of Walkways). Following the EP's release, the band toured extensively across Israel, performing wherever possible to spread their music. Besides Israel, the band also participated in several European festivals, gradually building a growing fan base.
To maintain their momentum and take things up a notch, the band decided to record their second EP overseas. They sought a suitable producer and found Neil D. Kennedy from England, known for working with bands like Creeper, Milk Teeth, and Boston Manor. The band traveled to London to record their second EP "Lost With All Hands," which was released in April 2020. During their time there, they formed connections with Neil and other bands recording at the studios. They had planned a UK tour to promote the EP with the English band MAYPINE, but the tour was canceled due to COVID.
Like many artists globally, Bare Dreams' plans for 2020 were disrupted by COVID. Beyond the canceled tour, their plans to record their first album were also affected. Flights were canceled, and pre-production was halted, placing the band under significant pressure. It's important to note that the band members handle everything themselves. Like many artists in Israel, they save money diligently and set goals to achieve as funds allow.
Although flights were canceled, pre-production continued using Zoom, the popular tool of 2020. As soon as travel was possible, they flew to Neil's studio "The Ranch" near London to work on their debut album. Itay mentioned that their connection with Neil grew significantly stronger during the album's production compared to the EP period. Neil and his Jewish wife, notably, embraced the band members, offering support and working closely with them to ensure the album would be the best it could be. The album is set to be released soon, and we eagerly anticipate it.
Yesterday, we arrived at the Ozen Bar club a bit late, just as the opening act "The City Revival" was ending. We joined the rest of the fans who had sold out the tickets, eagerly waiting for the band Bare Dreams. As the band members took the stage, the excitement was palpable; both the band and the audience were thrilled, as if they had been anticipating this moment for years. Despite a minor technical issue during the intro, it didn't stop the band from launching into the opening song "Crooked Smile," released as a standalone B-Side in August 2020, with full energy. The band went on to perform 10 more songs, including four new ones. During the show, they bid farewell to their former bassist and one of the band's founders, Itamar Hayut, who was replaced by Shachar Schwartz, well-known from the band Dream Escape.
We tend to become emotional, so let's dive into those feelings...
As we mentioned earlier, there's something incredibly powerful about this band. Their musical prowess is exceptional, with Eldar's intense drumming paired with Shachar's bass creating a rhythm section that supports the diverse dynamics of the songs with remarkable precision and flexibility. This is complemented by Roy's guitar and Itay's rhythm. And the vocals... simply outstanding, with incredible power, flexibility, and a range that injects a cosmic energy into their refreshing punk-rock style. The show was relentless, with only brief pauses between songs when Itay and Roy took a moment to tune their guitars. The audience, eagerly anticipating this performance, energized the band with a fervor that nearly lifted the club's roof. Even the band seemed surprised by the audience's expertise in the lyrics, joining in on the choruses and especially the complex sections of the songs, which were masterpieces that erupted within the intimate venue.
We can now repeat ourselves multiple times without feeling pathetic because each encounter with local Israeli bands excites us anew. These bands blend high-quality music with the performance, energy, and charisma typical of the renowned big bands we all admire.
We invite you to listen to their first EP "Au Revoir" and to their second EP "Lost With All Hands".
And of course, we are still eagerly waiting for their debut album...
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