Iconic Tel Aviv rock club hosts final performance

On New Year’s Eve, the iconic Tel Aviv rock club Barby closed its doors in its current location, after 22 years. The last artist to perform there was the phenomenal Dudu Tassa.

A palpable and exciting vibe

Approaching the club, you can discover the artists past and present who played there by the palimpsest of concert posters covering the walls. Being there for me has two sides. I’m an avid music lover and over the years I have seen hundreds of shows there. But I’m also a music promoter who has produced, with my partner Carmi Wurtman, more than 50 shows, including international acts such as Macy Gray, Ziggy Marley, Joss Stone, Anthrax, and North Mississippi Allstars, to name a few.

For most music lovers, the Barby was a mecca for great live music – the ultimate rock experience. For any local band, performing at the Barby was a serious career milestone.

Behind every great success is a visionary

But for those in the music industry, the Barby embodied the imposing owner Shaul Mizrahi’s kingdom. Towering above most, often described as looking like a pony-tailed pirate, Mizrahi has successfully ruled over the club in his own quirky style. Never afraid of voicing his opinion, Mizrahi would candidly tell a band his unsolicited opinion of their music and their performance.

I remember more that once when an international band was in the middle of a sound check, Mizrahi would start screaming at the band over the PA system in Hebrew from his office. Unable to understand why this was happening, where the voice was coming from, or what was being said, the band would often be puzzled and become confused, if not annoyed. I would always embarrassingly reply “let me check what that was.”

Mizrahi also has a soft side. When we spoke on New Year’s Eve, I recounted how many shows I thought we had done there. He replied, somewhat boyishly, that he had actually never counted. I recall also complimenting how the club sound had improved over the years. He confessed that “it’s not my sound system, but actually the bands have just become much better!”

At the end of the New Year’s Eve show, Mizrahi also thanked the crowd somewhat emotionally for their long support over the years. “It’s not over! We’re moving to a new home – 22 years here and 30 years altogether and God-willing, another 20 years forward for you and your children. We will continue to do only good and have fun  because you deserve it in this cruddy country, thank you, and that is not a given.”

To international bands, the Barby club is considered the quintessential grizzly rock club of Tel Aviv, known for its great sound. Above the hall hangs a grand chandelier, giving the impression of elegance. I remember when Joss Stone, who usually performs in theaters and upscale halls, entered the club. She Britishly remarked, “How interesting,” indicating her dubious surprise at performing in a “raunchy” club. She was then followed by her band, who enthusiastically yelled out: “Boys, we’re home.”

The Barby will move to Jaffa Port on January 18. The first group to perform there will be Mercedes Band, for two consecutive nights. Will the venue be able to make the change from its current bawdy location to the somewhat artificial and commercial vibe of the Jaffa Port? It remains to be seen.

As the Tassa show came to an end, and the crowds began exiting one last time, Hamas sent its New Year’s Eve greetings with a missile barrage into Tel Aviv. Mizrahi ran to the stage, grabbed the microphone, and started roaring at the crowd to be serious and run to the secure areas.

One thing is for sure. Even in the new upscale Jaffa venue, Mizrahi will be overseeing the club in his grizzly but endearing manner.