Lana Del Rey on the set of ‘Burning Desire’ (photo: Jaguar CC 2.0)
After canceling a 2014 gig in Tel Aviv, Lana Del Rey is finally playing Israel in September.
The singer was forced to pull out of the 2014 gig because of escalating Gaza violence. Apparently that show was postponed indefinitely, though the Lana Del Rey is now slated to play the upcoming Meteor Festival in early September.
Specifically, the Meteor Festival is happening between September 6-8 in the Galilee region of northern Israel. Lana Del Rey hasn’t been officially confirmed for the festival, though she’s expected to be a serious headliner. Other confirmed acts include ASAP Ferg, Pusha T, Flying Lotus, Kamasi Washington, Of Montreal, Ariel Pink and Rhye.
According to the Times of Israel, Del Rey has already been slotted for a high-profile, Friday night main stage performance.
In total, the Meteor Festival will feature more than 50 artists, with a substantial number of local acts. Nestled along the Jordan River, the massive event will include music, camping, art exhibits, an open-air cinema, and other raucous distractions.
We’ve actually heard that 2014 ticketholders from the canceled Tel Aviv concert are still holding out for a make-up gig. So maybe that’s also in the cards. Lana Del Rey — aka Elizabeth Woolridge Grant aka ‘Gangster Nancy Sinatra’ — is being booked by Primary Talent International.
Incidentally, Meteor is powered by concert promoter Naranjah, who famously brought Radiohead to the country.
That didn’t go down perfectly with fans, many of whom urged a boycott of the group on political grounds. Radiohead refused to back down, but did attempt to distance itself from the Israeli government.
Other artists have flat-out refused to perform in Israel, or backed out after pressure from fans. That includes Lorde, who cancelled an Israeli performance last year after heavy pressure from fans. “I pride myself on being an informed young citizen… but I’m not proud to admit I didn’t make the right call on this one,” Lorde offered in a statement.
Lana Del Rey also faced opposition back in 2014, though she obviously wasn’t dissuaded from playing in the country.