Infected Mushroom Celebrates 30 Years with Massive Israeli Festival

Electronic music duo Infected Mushroom is celebrating 30 years of their career by launching the "Infected Festival" this weekend at Jordan Park in northern Israel. The three-day event will feature four stages, a camping area, and performances by dozens of guest artists, including prominent Israeli musicians like Berry Sakharof, Nina Tayeb, Hadag Nahash, and The SixDay War.

Amit Duvdevani, who co-founded the group with Erez Eisen in 1996, described the production as unprecedented in Israel. "From a production standpoint, nothing like this has been done in Israel. I can say that. We went at least ten levels higher than what I remember existed here," Duvdevani stated.

The festival's launch in Israel comes amid a complex international climate where Israeli artists have faced a wave of cancellations and boycotts from major festivals abroad, such as the Boom Festival in Portugal. Duvdevani explained the challenges, noting that many venues are hesitant, some citing timing issues, while others have faced protests and online campaigns against booking Israeli acts. "You can't fight it. If they don't want us, we don't come," he said.

After years of touring major festivals worldwide, the duo aims to establish the Israeli event as a regular tradition, attracting both local audiences and international fans. During a rehearsal session with Berry Sakharof, who collaborated with Infected Mushroom on their breakthrough hit "Yom Yom Huledet" (Birthday), the artists reflected on their early days. Duvdevani emphasized that the current project looks toward the future, expressing a desire to build a lasting tradition in Israel and continue creating music.