Menorah Hall, which has become the milestone and seal of success for Israeli artists, shook last night (Motash) at a performance by Ravid Plotnik (formerly Nechi Nech) who didn’t need to show off a big stage or extraordinary pyrotechnics, and just brought his honest songs in the most simple and real way possible. Plotnik started the show by broadcasting his interview on the giant screens, in which he says that he sold his first album at a circus show in the Menorah Hall and promised himself that he would return there with his show, no matter how long it took.
In his consistent and unapologetic way, Plotnik plowed shows and released albums that went from the fringes to the mainstream of radio stations and paved his way (and the path of other rappers) to the hearts of his loyal audience, who appeared in all their glory yesterday – and became an integral part of Plotnik’s own team at the show. Plotnik came up to perform with “Tifat Emet” and immediately after “Yiddish Rasta Man” and hit the audience with energy. Immediately after that came one of his hits from his latest album, “Truva Do Rohvah”, the song “Victim” which mentions all the culprits including the Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, At the same time, the “Habima” square was filled with a different kind of crowd, who came to demonstrate against the composition of the current government.
Plotnik, who did not rest for a moment and did not get off the stage even when he hosted other artists and was able to swallow a few minutes of rest, hosted the rapper in his song “Arab Tov Terroristim” Feld. Plotnik didn’t just write this song, his audience is really “terrorists”. The loyal audience that has followed him for years comes to give work, when everyone feels that he is the rapper himself and the stage is completely his. The exciting event of the evening was when Plotnik decided to perform the song “Hasida Tzhora” together with the singer Shai Sabri
Plotnik, who lost his mother at a young age, does not usually perform this song in concerts because he has difficulty dealing with his feelings and completing the words that touch every bare nerve. This time the rapper performed the song with great success and made the 12 thousand people sitting in the hall hold their breath. The performance of the song, which for me was the highlight of the evening, resulted in thunderous silence in the hall, not because Plotnik’s audience did not know the words, on the contrary, in all his songs the voice of the audience echoed loudly, but because it seemed that they paid respect to the rapper who said his eulogy in his own way to his deceased mother , and whispered the words softly, each to himself.
Ravid Plotnik, Shai Zavari (Photo: Tamar Hanan)After the audience wiped away the tears, Plotnik continued with another hit from his latest album “Ms. Tiktok” and “Mint”, to which the singer joined Carolina with her mighty voice. Karolina sang together with Plotnik also the hit “Kfara Sheli” and gave her performance of the song “SO FAR” by “Havanesh Nechama”. From there the energies rose to the sky with “Kokriko” and “Elad” written for his drummer Elad Nadav. If there is one thing I really appreciate about Plotnik, it is that for him this stage does not belong only to him and the ego that suits an artist of his caliber does not conquer him. Although the audience bought the tickets for “Ravid Plotnik” but also the musicians who were with him all the way – Nir Danan andYishai Soysa, They got the place they deserve, with praise songs coming from the audience and they were reinforced by the rapper.
Plotnik, unlike other artists who perform at the Menorah Hall, also gave the necessary attention to the audience in the stands, and paid them respect, when he asked: “Make noise for the audience in the stands. These are people who didn’t get tickets to the first rows and still chose to be part of the show.” During the thanksgiving stage, he gave each and every one of the show’s team the respect they deserved and even organized the technical team, when he put them on stage and honored them in front of everyone. In the song “Kendrick” they were guests “The Revivo Project” Shahrimu Hafla, which is usually reserved for the performances of the regular singers in Nokia, hosted the rapper in the song “Malech” Ortega. It can be said that in his song “Samurai” he entertained the audience itself, who took a large part in the song and let him sing most of it. Plotlanik closed the show with the song “Dog” and high energy, when the audience was in no hurry to leave the hall and perhaps expected an encore to the rapper’s electrifying show.
Ravid Plotnik, Carolina (Photo: Tamar Hanan)Ravid Plotnik’s performance was not “another show”. As someone who visits Menorah Hall often, there was a different event there this time – less staged and much more sincere. He doesn’t make an effort and doesn’t ask to bring the most luxurious hospitality, but rather his very successful songs, which don’t require a grandiose setting. Plotnik’s audience goes a long way with him, from his smallest performances to this exciting performance at the Menorah Hall, which deserves to lead to more performances of the rapper on this stage, and you can hear it in every note and every word he throws into the air and the extraordinary cooperation of every those present in the hall. Thank you, Ravid, for making me excited, happy and excited for a good performance, when I thought it could no longer happen since I passed my enthusiastic twenties, no offense.
Ravid Plotnik performing at Menorah Hall with “Samurai” (Photo: Noa Rahamim)