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Cleveland Plain Dealer
August 30, 2002
Rockfour
Beachland Ballroom
August 10, 2002
www.rockfour.com
by Binyamin Bresky
The first time Rockfour hit Cleveland there were very few people. This, there third visit drew a pretty good sized crowd, many of them repeat customers. Rockfour is described by the Beachland as "gorgeous psyche pop." It fits them well. The band had big three part harmonics with big hard rock guitars. They have a melodic 60’s San Francisco or Pink Floyd vibe, but their songs are not long productions. They are short, groovy and danceable.

The lead singer, the shaven headed Eli Lulai is a energetic performer, bouncing around, standing on top of the speakers and frequently venturing into the crowd.

Their performance was all in English and the songs took on a David Bowie/Ziggy Stardust feel with songs about outer space and superheroes. The band was humble, thanking the Beachland and complementing the opening acts, the louder, more punk sounding Coffinberry, and The Concord.

Rockfour was not in your face, but also made no secret of their ethnicity, hanging a large Israeli flag over the stage. Their "Star of David tour" has taken them "zigzagging around America, like a star" and performing with the like-sounding Guided By Voices and not so like-sounding hip-hop band The Roots.

One of their songs was introduced as being about a "little secure country we’re from called Israel." The lyrics of the band’s music are poetic and not straightforward. Who is he talking about when he asks, "should I bring you flowers?" What does he mean when he sings, "shall we talk about the weather, shall we talk about the government?" or "we can’t decide who is on our side"? These questions are not answered, but the crowd seemed to eat up the guitar driven harmonies, including members of Coffinberry and the Concord who sang along to several of the courses.

The band’s drummer recently married a young lady from Cleveland. That could mean that Rockfour will be stopping here more often, in which case the town will again be treated to this talented group of Israelis.



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