Just before you book an act, take a second to ask yourself a few questions.

Why am I aiming to book this Israeli act and not a different Israeli act?

What are my criteria for choosing?

Bearing in mind the amount of time and money you are about to invest in this band, it’s important to remember that the impact of the live event should be measured by more than how many people came through the door.

Did the show get them thinking?

Did anyone leave with an additional insight into Israel?

Did the gig leave them wanting more?

We’d suggest that in addition to choosing a band according to its musical appeal to your audience, it would be worth assessing what more they can bring. It’s true – there is great benefit in having people realize that there are rappers in Israel. It makes Israel more human, more accessible in people’s minds.

But what if there was more?

If one band raps about exactly the same topics as non-Israeli rappers, and a second band raps about specifically Israeli issues – then go for the second band!

If there are two bands that play world music, but the first band sings plain love songs and the second sings about the connection between Jewish liturgy and the modern world – then go for the second band!

Clearly you have to listen to your gut, and what you think will connect to your audience. But relevant content doesn’t need to come at the expense of a great show – you can aim for both!

There are many ways to find out about Israeli act. We can recommend our good friend GOOGLE.COM to do a search, and of course his younger but wiser sister, WIKIPEDIA.COM. All you need to do is type in the keywords: Israeli Rock or Israeli Popular Music- and you should begin to find lists of options. Also – feel free to browse Makom’s recommendations, and to visit ISRAELMUSICEXPORT.COM for more ideas.