Israeli promoters are currently in the midst of negotiations to nail down a Springsteen date on his upcoming European tour this summer.
By DAVID BRINNUpdated: FEBRUARY 7, 2016 21:10Musician Bruce Springsteen performs "Knockin' On Heavens Door" during the 2015 MusiCares Person of the Year tribute honoring Bob Dylan in Los Angeles, California.(photo credit: MARIO ANZUONI/REUTERS)
‘I can say with full confidence that a [Bruce] Springsteen show will take place in Israel,” Israel’s dean of concert promoters, Shuki Weiss, said in an interview with The Jerusalem Post three years ago.Whether that statement proves to be prophetic is still an open book. Israeli promoters, presumably including Weiss, are currently in the midst of negotiations to nail down a Springsteen date on his upcoming European tour this summer in which the Boss and the E-Street Band are performing their landmark 1980 double album The River in its entirety.Dates have officially been announced in Portugal and Ireland in May, and Italy in July for the tour, which has received superlative reviews from its preliminary US shows.The local rumor mill picked up last week when Yediot Aharonot ran a report that a Tel Aviv show had been set for July, with only the date missing.Similar reports pop up every time Springsteen announces a European tour, but until now, Springsteen has not sung “The Promised Land” in Israel, leading to questions as to whether he silently adheres to a boycott policy.Weiss, in his 2013 interview, denied that allegation outright and chalked up Springsteen’s absence in Israel to simple touring logistics.“It’s not a financial consideration or any other consideration – when it happens, it will happen. Our communication with his management is excellent, and there have been three times that we were so close to closing a deal,” said Weiss.Weiss cited intensive efforts and contacts spanning many years before shows here by the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Depeche Mode came to fruition.“These big tours have so many factors – the manager, the band, the agent, production manager, the routing – it’s so hard to coordinate between all those elements. But it happened with the Chili Peppers and it will happen with Bruce.”Three years later, Springsteen fans in Israel are waiting with hungry hearts to hear if Weiss will be able to seal the deal this time.