The Moshav Band

Personally, one of the worst moments in my life was in high school when I realized that the innocence I once had was gone. The good old days were over and all I had to look forward to was times of responsibility and regret. Little did I know that later on in life I would look back on that time as my innocent youth. Now, I regard still another time as my time of innocence, the time I spent in Israel. This time period I can rationalize as innocent. No parents, no rules, nothing to do, total freedom, blah blah blah, it definitely was the last period of innocence in my life (so far).

When I came back from Israel I kept one memory as a reminder of my time. That memory is of my Sunday nights. Every Sunday night from February to the end of the year, I went with some friends from yeshiva to a little place in the Russian Compound called "Kalba Savua." There we stayed out to two in the morning listening to a band called "The Moshav Band". We became friends with the band, their friends, and other American students who were also regulars at the club. Looking back, there is nothing I miss more about Israel than those once a week meetings.

Unfortunately, though, once back in America all I had of my beloved band was a few bootlegs of their shows and one horrible studio tape. I longed for their music, but came up empty. There were rumors of a tour last year, but to no avail.

My prayers were answered this year, when my friend Noah, who is the lead singer of the band Inasense, told me that his brother's band, The Moshav Band, was coming. I couldn't believe it! I would finally see my old friends again. Noah told me that the band's first official show was that Saturday night at Rutgers, but that they were going to open up for his band on Thursday. Once again, I could not believe it.

That Thursday night I showed up at the little bar in the East Village to relive my innocent youth, but what I got left me confused. On stage, the band was amazing. They played tighter than I remembered, while mixing their old songs with new ones. They opened up the show with one of my personal favorites, "Waiting for the Calling" and set the place rocking. The crowd didn't stop dancing throughout the entire hour and a half long set, which included a cover of the Phish/Talking Heads song "Cities".

The band played and jammed and talked to the crowd between songs. I felt so happy to see them back on stage, but something was missing. I kept glancing at my watch, realizing that I had to go home soon because I had work the next day. My reality caught up with my fantasy. I realized that as much as I love The Moshav Band, their music appealed to me in Israel, but now I am in America, in YU, in New York, and in a very different time in my life, their music just isn't as appealing. But that is just my stupid mishugas.

I went to see them again that Saturday night at Rutgers and again, the band played a magnificent show. They are playing again in New York City later this month for their last two shows in America. Go see them Saturday night, March 13>^th at the Wetlands opening up for Inasense, and then again on Monday March 22^nd at Columbia University. They put on a great show and are a lot of fun.