An Israeli TV station broadcast again at the weekend to say that talks are underway to get the Red Hot Chili Peppers to play Israel next summer. Apparently two dates are under consideration for the 2012 concerts with Tel Aviv considered to be the most likely place for the concerts to be held.
Article Summary: Shuki Weiss (who was the producer behind the Chili’s last minute cancelled concert in Yarkon Park, Tel Aviv back in 2001), is also behind the latest bid to get RHCP back to Israel and although nothing is definite yet, it seems that there is a possibility the band will play Israel next summer. There are concerns about the cost of getting the Red Hot Chili Peppers out to Israel but the two dates, amount of willing fans to buy tickets and possible sponsorship should overcome that making the concerts feasible.
The news was featured on Israeli Entertainment News yesterday (Sunday 13th November 2011):
Video Link Red Hot Chili Peppers in Israel- mention at 20:58
Many thanks to Shalhevet for the information
Anything said or confirmed by the band?
No; nothing’s come from the band itself. This is just what an Israeli website has said so we thought we should report it but obviously, confirmation is needed from an official source to say it is definitely happening.
The RHCP have NEVER been in Israel. In 2001 they were supposed to come but the cancelled the show 10 days before it happened.
I know, it mentions that they cancelled the 2001 concert at the last minute in the article 🙁 It would be brilliant if they did play there; not only with the Hillel Slovak connection but mainly the fact there are so many fans out there who really want to see them. I know a lot of people in Israel who are hoping for good luck right now
gfh
For all the Israeli fan- Check the RHCP Israeli forum in Tapus for details!
http://www.tapuz.co.il/Forums2008/ForumPage.aspx?ForumId=896
RHCP – don’t perform in apartheid Isreal — playing there sends the completely wrong message that you support Israel’s systematic discrimination against Israel’s Palestinian citizens, its occupation and continuing land confiscation of Palestinian lands, and its ongoing denial of Palestinian refugees’ right to go home. If justice means anything to you, this is your chance to make a statement like the one made by principled artists when they boycotted Sun City in South Africa. Do the right thing, and cancel this gig!!
This is an unofficial fan site so I cannot speak for RHCP. But just in the name of fairness I think it’s only right to point out that RHCP do not appear to be taking sides in this- e.g. last year they played a charity gig to raise money for Palestinian children wounded in the Palestinian/Israeli conflict. They are showing ‘support’ to both sides irrespective of viewpoint; a stance that seems to reflect that for RHCP, it’s always been about music and using music to promote peace and love to each other and not about taking sides and strengthening divisions. One of the band’s founding members, Hillel Slovak, was from Israel and the band probably view the concert as nothing more than a concert that’s being held in the birthplace of a person they loved greatly (Hillel has recently been even more publicly prominent in the band members’ minds as they spoke about him lots in connection with the band’s induction into the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame) and therefore they do not see it as a political statement in any way.