WATCH: Israeli Violinist Welcomes Radiohead With ‘No Surprises’ Cover
Many pro-boycotts, divestments and sanctions activists met the rock band Radiohead’s arrival in Tel Aviv on Wednesday with protests. Michael Greilsammer, a noted Israeli violinist, welcomed the band with a passionate cover of one of their songs.
In a video posted earlier this week, Greilsammer plays Radiohead’s classic hit “No Surprises.” The song is from Radiohead’s 1997 breakthrough album “OK Computer” — a record Greilsammer credits with changing the way he thought about music.
“I’m closing a circle with this song, album and band that changed my life,” Greilsammer told the Times of Israel.
“Radiohead didn’t just change me, it changed the way a lot of people thought about music,” he added.
On Wednesday night Radiohead played for over two hours before 47,000 fans in Tel Aviv’s sprawling HaYarkon Park.
Contact Ari Feldman at feldman@forward.com or on Twitter @aefeldman.
I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.
Now more than ever, American Jews need independent news they can trust, with reporting driven by truth, not ideology. We serve you, not any ideological agenda.
At a time when other newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall and invested additional resources to report on the ground from Israel and around the U.S. on the impact of the war, rising antisemitism and the protests on college campuses.
Readers like you make it all possible. Support our work by becoming a Forward Member and connect with our journalism and your community.
Make a gift of any size and become a Forward member today. You’ll support our mission to tell the American Jewish story fully and fairly.
— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO
Join our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.