Decided to shift gears a bit this past concert cycle. I went from jazz earlier in the week to a version of shoegaze rock. The transition seemed to go smoothly as I attended a show in a new part of town. An Israeli band by the name of Vaadat Charigim were set to perform a small set at Palisades in the shady side Brooklyn. It was one of those interesting shows that really gave a good time that was not expected.
I took the long trek over into Brooklyn on the late night train trying my best to stay awake. Through the lingering fellow transporters, I made sure to keep my eyes open as I traveled deeper and deeper into the dark. Finally arriving at the desired stop I made my way to street level and attempted to wander over to Palisades. I got lost right away, as there was no sign above the venue location. Thankfully, as I was looking down at Google Maps on my phone, a kind bearded stranger gave me some directions and I came across a small crowd outside Palisades. I honestly thought it was an abandoned storefront. A concert poster in the window showcasing the set that night told me I was in the right place.
Getting a blue wristband, I wandered into the tiny venue to a very murky space. A bar was in the back and the stage in the front. Several large pillars were in the middle of the concert hall as strange strings of yarn or twine hung in different areas. It must have been some form of installation art. It really was a grungy old place with a torn up ceiling and the ever lasting smell of bad breath all throughout. While it may have been a hole in the wall kind of venue, bearing an ominous feeling, people were everywhere chatting and happily drinking away. There was some crazy cool monster graffiti on the wall by the soundboard that gave it a little bit more flair.
To start, there was a minor crowd with the set before, but it would steadily grow for Vaadat Charigim. After waiting a little bit, the trio, Yuval Haring, Yuval Guttman and Dan Fabian Bloch, came out to set up. On the stage lay an old raggedy carpet with a cinder block for the bass drum. The aquatic glare was put on full blast and it was time for the show to begin. Up front, a group of ladies were sitting on the ground waiting patiently. Even though the sound check took a while, the band made sure to give us a nice built up introduction. The all too familiar eerily pleasant guitar chords blended into the rash bass and then came right back to hit us square in the face. The drumbeats were loud and free. I had to take my hearing aids out to get the full experience without going completely deaf.
Mr. Haring’s guitar was a somber yet optimistic sound of graceful journey making music. You could feel it all in your core. With hair in his face, Mr. Haring did his thing beautifully. Dan’s bass had long moments of full vibrations with low emotion. Their trademark eeriness worked very well all the way through the night and glowed wonderfully in Palisades. All of the ladies who were once sitting were now dancing away. Mr. Guttmann was keen on his intense speed and skill. Dan had a nice sway, as he remained locked into his instrument. All of Vaadat Charigim’s music that night was music to reminisce to.
You had to admire the fact that Mr. Haring was rocking out with a poor bandaged guitar that still had a ton of character in its sound. With the guitar pointed down Mr. Haring still got all of the powerful wails he wanted for everyone to marvel at. It was at this point when the bass sounds went up my spine. That was an unexpected tingle. Towards the end of the night I felt like I was traveling overseas on a new adventure. All of it never stopped, their skill and fluid grace kept the feeling alive all night long.
Vaadat Charigim is one of those rare music acts that have paved their own original path in the space. Their sounds are purely unique and equally satisfying. On top of the obvious talent, there is a live dominance that is just as impressive. I highly recommend everyone give them a listen and explore their discography. If you are searching for that new fix, look no further than Vaadat Charigim.
Jam On.
