10 thousand Israelis came last night (Thursday) to Live Park Rishon LeZion to watch Tamir Greenberg take the stage at the peak moment of his career so far.
The smile he couldn't remove from his face betrayed the fact that Greenberg still hasn't fully digested the past year for him - but when he starts to sing, he sounds and looks on stage like an international star who came to Israel to perform from abroad.
Tamir Greenberg hosts Ninet Taib and Neta Barzilai at a concert // Photo: Nadav Diamond, Teddy Productions
It's been a huge year for the 27-year-old singer.
After surprising and moving an entire country on the TV screen and winning the "Next Star" show, he filled the cultural hall in Tel Aviv, the Shoni Amp, warmed up Maroon 5 in Yarakon Park and released three singles that conquered the charts in Israel.
When you think about it, this performance was for him a kind of closing of the circle - because in the exact same place he won the reality show a year ago, and yesterday it was already his solo performance with 12 musicians and crowds that came especially for him.
The show started with a surprise.
While everyone looks towards the main stage on which his virtuoso band is already playing, Tamir began to sing "Tell Me Where The Light Goes" from a hidden stage right in the center of the orchestra.
Those who do not know the musician can be confused by the nonchalance he displays on the piano, and think that this is an old star who has been performing for many years in front of thousands of people, and not a singer who burst into consciousness only a year ago.
"Everyone here for me?".
Greenberg in concert, last night, photo: Orit Panini
He gets up from the piano, moves to the main stage and continues with the hit "Into The Night", and even then the charisma pours from him in clearly illogical amounts.
One of the mothers in the audience is ecstatic, she says to her husband: "He sings like Prince."
Need a bigger compliment than that?
Between the songs he finds time to talk to the audience, and never stops thanking the crowds who came to watch him.
He tells candidly about the decision to return to Israel from the United States and sign up for "The Next Star" - which changed his life.
At this point he is joined by Valeri Hamati, who lost to him in the final of the program last year.
"I love you dearly," she tells him, and the two embrace for a long time.
Together they give a chilling rendition of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah", in which Greenberg sings in English and Mahati in Arabic.
They even performed Adele's "All I Ask", in an equally moving performance.
Tamir Greenberg hosts Valerie Hamati in a concert at Live Park Rasheltz // Photo: Teddy Productions
"You can't fake the charisma of a star"
Greenberg was not the only reality show winner who was on stage, as during the evening Neta Barzilai, who won "The Next Star" back when the prize for the winner was representing Israel at Eurovision (and we all remember how it ended for her), took the stage.
"You can't fake the charisma of a star" she says about him, and her facial expressions also reveal that she is a little in love.
They sing together "Better", Tamir's first big hit, and give a performance that does not embarrass the original.
Netta from France to perform the looper that has become her hallmark, bringing an electronic tone to the performance that makes the two shine together on stage.
Then, Tamir once again returns to his home turf - the piano - and the two of them sing with a surprising and successful mash-up of "Zero Effort" and "Don't You Worry 'Bout a Thing".
shine together
Barzilai and Greenberg, photo: Orit Panini
When it seemed that this show had nowhere else to rise, the one and only - Ninet Tape - appears on the stage.
It quickly becomes clear that the queen mother of the winners of the musical reality show in Israel is the only one in the world where Greenberg can disappear a little, but everyone is focused on "Mami National" (which has long since abandoned the title) and they don't notice it.
Together they sing "I Got Up to Dance" by Tyeb herself, Beyoncé's "Naguhty Girl" with great brilliance and "With A Little Help From My Friends" by The Beatles.
After a few more original songs, a long scroll of thanks and confetti cannons that are fired at the audience, the star of the evening leaves the stage.
Of course, a short time later he returned to encore on a new piano - which miraculously appeared within seconds in the bay at the end of the stage.
Everyone quickly took out their cell phones to capture the musical uplift before it escapes us and conquers the world, and he leaves with a mighty rendition of "Tell Me Where The Light Goes" – yes, the same song that opened the show.
This fact not only did not damage the performance but on the contrary, it closed the circle of Tamir Greenberg in the most perfect way possible.
The only one he disappeared a little near her.
Greenberg and Tayev, photo: Orit Panini
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