Flow

Sept. 27 – Flow, MidPoint Music Festival
I could do a Top Ten for MidPoint alone, but the band Flow was a definitive standout. They didn’t simply submit their EPK, get an invitation and drive their van a few hours to Cincinnati. Coming all the way from Israel, Flow successfully built a tour in the US prompted by their invitation to perform at MidPoint. They got busy writing proposals to the Jewish Federations in their country and ours for sponsorship money and support to aide in airfare and travel expenses. They got busy booking gigs in Chicago and New York. Gracious as ever, these six foreigners were humble and most appreciative for the opportunity. Their seemingly reticent demeanor faded as they warmed their instruments and then, my friends, Flow rocked America.
- The Cincinnati CityBeat

Link - http://news.walla.co.il/?w=/202/1414074

The Americans love them, their listeners melt to their music, and our winter sounds better than Coldplay's fans!

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äàîøé÷àéí îôøâðéí, äîàæéðéí ðîñéí åäçåøó ùì Flow ðùîò àùëøä îéðé ÷åìãôìéé. àæ àéê àúí òåã ìà ùîúí ìá àìéäí?
Flow òùúä àú äëì ðëåï. äéà ðáçøä òì éãé "ñì÷åí ååìéåí" ëìä÷ä äáàä ùì éùøàì, äåôéòä á"ååìéåí ëðøú", àáì äçìéèä ùäéà øåöä òåã, àæ ðñòä ìàøöåú äáøéú, äåôéòä áôñèéáì midpoint åáñéðñéðèé îúéí òìéäí. ëì ëê îúéí, òã ùäéà äéúä îåòîãú ìôøñ ìä÷ú äùðä ùì Hollywood Music Awards. äùéø ùìôðéëí, "Falls" ðáçø àôéìå ëäîðåï ùì ÷îôééï çéáå÷éí áçéðí.

àæ àéê òåã ìà ùîòúí òìéäí òã äéåí? àéï ìðå úùåáåú àîéúéåú, ëé äùéøéí èåáéí åäöìéì äåà ÷åìãôìéé ôéðú éå-2 áøâòéí äôçåú îòöáðéí ùìäí, ø÷ ëîåáï á÷èï. áëì î÷øä, òì ø÷ò äîåæé÷ä äéùøàìéú ùì äú÷åôä - àúí áàîú ìà éëåìéí ìàçì ìòöîëí ðöéâéí èåáéí éåúø îäìä÷ä äçáéáä äæå. - Walla! News

Link - http://bidur.nana10.co.il/Article/?ArticleID=566421

Let's open with some Israeli national pride - Flow has recently been titled "Best Band Israel Has to Offer", one of their songs - "Follow Me" was chosen to be one of three anthems for the Euro2008 finals, another song, "Falls", was chosen to be the int'l anthem of the "Free Hugs" campaign, and if all that's not enough, on summer 2007 the band was voted "Israel's next big thing" and performed at "Volume Kineret". The band will be touring the US during the next few months.
Flow sounds like an American and interesting version of Coldplay, has great, melodic and capturing tunes.

ëãàé ùúãòå: ðôúç á÷öú æ÷éôåú ÷åîä ìàåîéú, Flow æëúä îîùøã äçåõ äéùøàìé ìúåàø äîôåöõ - "äìä÷ä äèåáä áéåúø ùéù ìéùøàì ìäöéò ìòåìí". ùéøä, "Follow Me", ðáçø ëàçã îùìåùú ùéøéä äøùîééí ùì åéðä áàìéôåú àéøåôä äàçøåðä åäùéø ùìôðéëí – Falls, ðáçø ëäîðåï ÷îôééï "çéáå÷éí áçéðí" äòåìîé. àí ëì æä ìà îñôé÷, á÷éõ 2007 ðáçøä Flow ë"ìä÷ä äáàä ùì éùøàì" áîâøú "ñì÷åí ååìéåí" åäåôéòä áàéøåò "ååìéåí ëðøú" åáðåñó, á÷øåá úöà äìä÷ä ìñéáåá äåôòåú áàøä"á.

áãøê ìîòìä àå ìîèä: îæëéø ìëí îùäå? áàåôï îùåðä, äìä÷ä äéùøàìéú äæå ðùîòú ëâéøñä àîøé÷ðéú åîòðééðú ùì ÷åìãôìéé. Flow éåöøú ùéøéí ÷ìéèéí, ñåçôéí, îìåèùéí îìåãééí åòùåéí äéèá. äàí éöìéçå áéùøàì çøó äòùéä äìåòæéú, àå ùîà áçå"ì? éîéí éâéãå. îãåáø áîùéîåú ìà ôùåèåú ùäúùåáä ìäï úìåéä ìà îòè áîæì, áúæîåï åá÷ùøéí. áëì î÷øä, àéï ñô÷ ùì-Flow ðúåðé ôúéçä îøùéîéí åîåñé÷ä ùôùåè ëéó ìäàæéï ìä. - Nana10

It's official – The Tel Avivian band Flow has been chosen by voters at Cellcom Volume Heep! Site and the judge panel, consisted of Israeli music industry's top executives to be "The Next Big Thing" in Israeli music and "Indie Rock Band of the Year 2007".

Flow, residing in Tel Aviv and playing live concerts in front of a fanatic loyal (and fairly big) fan base for a living, are doing what no one else in the Israeli industry does – they rock in English. "Even though the Israeli industry is a very closed one, allowing only Hebrew singing musicians to be played in the radio and on TV, we decided to do it in English. It's the more natural thing for us to be doing and we have no doubt in our hearts that we will continue reaching and exciting new crowds with it" said Flow's guitarist, Guy Tytunovich. The young band, who were quite unknown to the judges and home crowds when they were first nominated, won 80% (!) of the home votes and an additional unanimous decision by the panel.

"They are rather phenomenal" said the head of the panel, Sharon Holtsman, to Bizportal. "I admit. It was very problematic for us, them singing in English, but we simply had to give them our vote. They were simply the best."

Taken from – www.bizportal.co.il
- Bizportal.co.il

A lot of high quality acts are booked at the 2008 Midpoint Music Festival. The schedule is definitely very strong but there is a band on the roster this year that I feel deserves special attention.

If you haven't heard a lot about the band Flow yet, I suspect it is because A) They're from outside the U.S. and B) They're from Israel. I'm not sure a lot of people are associating the country of Israel with great rock music yet but it's time to change that perception because Flow is indeed a great rock band. Is Tel Aviv the next Seattle?

Let's get the award mentions out of the way. These are great awards but in the end they're just awards and they don't tell us about the true essence of the band. Still important though: Flow has been crowned "Israel's Indie Band of the Year" and was nominated for the Hollywood Music Awards "Band of the Year". Several Flow songs have been selected as theme songs for television shows all over the world. Critics in many countries are writing about Flow's music. The band makes it's U.S. debut by appearing on Late Night with David Letterman this week. Then it's off to Midpoint. (Saturday at Midnight, Cadillac Ranch on 6th Street)

The emotion heard in the music of most rock bands can be heartfelt and powerful. It is often inspired by the pain of things like love, loss, world events, etc. The music of Flow however gets a certain aspect of it's emotion from something much more powerful: the wars of Israel that have been in progress longer then the band members have been alive. So among the beautiful melodies and vocals, expect to hear some angst. But in the case of Flow, understand that it comes from a deeper place than breaking up with a college girlfriend.

It is always difficult to describe a band's sound with words. I would rather spend time encouraging you to go see the band than trying to describe their music but it is important to at least make an attempt to give you something to start with regarding Flow's music. Let me warn you in advance, I already know my description will not do the music justice. You can expect a unique and original sound. Many say it has a slightly modern electronic ‘touch' and I agree. The vocals are in English. I like to be cautious when making comparisons to other bands but a few that several critics have made comparisons to include Chris Cornell, Radiohead, Coldplay, Muse, and The Smashing Pumpkins. The band itself lists these groups among many others as inspirations. After it all said and done, Flow has their own sound. It is also worth noting the production of Flow's recordings is highly professional. This may not be the most charming part of a band review but without top notch production a great band will never be heard. Obviously Flow knows this.

Trust me when I say this is a band you're going to want to hear. Join me at Cadillac Ranch around midnight. I'll be the guy wearing the t-shirt that says, ‘My parents went to Tel Aviv and all I got was this lousy t-shirt.'

MORE INFO:
Check out their page: http://www.myspace.com/flowmusicband
Purchase Flow Music: http://www.sonicbids.com/flow3

Link - www.derfmagazine.com/news/music/445.html - DERF Magazine

Dramatic, passionate and expansive like U2's early albums, the majesty of Flow is somehow both epic and humble, delivered with an almost religious fervor. The band cites Porcupine Tree as a major influence and that's evident in the non-traditional song structures. Flow is aptly named, though; their version of Prog feels like an open fire hydrant of emotions and musical ideas. Unlike some Prog, Flow's integration of it is less like a math project and more like a rush of blood to the head.

Link - http://www.citybeat.com/cincinnati/article-16176-midpoint-saturday-sept-27.html - City Beat