Mashina closed their 40th anniversary tour at Ra’anana Amphitheatre on October 15, 2026, bringing a long run of sold-out and near-capacity shows to an end. Thousands kept turning up to hear a band whose songs keep an unusually large part of Israel’s musical life.
It is hard to think of another Israeli band with a larger collection of rock anthems. Songs such as Rakevet Laila LeKahir (Night Train to Cairo) and Shlach Li Malach (Send Me an Angel) have become familiar far beyond the band’s immediate fanbase. The opening notes are often enough. The crowd can take it from there.
The anniversary was rooted in a specific record. Mashina’s self-titled debut was released on November 1, 1985, through CBS Records, with production by Reuven Shapira. Its mix of ska and new wave, sharp melodies and strange humour gave Israeli rock a distinctive new voice. Anna and Rakevet Laila were already there on that first album. Much of the catalogue was still to come.
The wider Noge’im BaShamayim (Touching the Sky) tour marked a return to Mashina’s own repertoire after their project celebrating Israeli rock of the 1970s. Initially scheduled to begin with two shows at Tel Aviv’s Zappa BaPark on September 12 and 14, 2024, the tour opened at Hangar 11 on December 12 after those September dates were cancelled.
The 40th anniversary leg began at Sultan’s Pool in Jerusalem on June 5, 2025. From there, the celebration continued through some of the country’s best-known concert venues, including Shuni and Caesarea, before the closing night in Ra’anana.
Yuval Banai remains the voice and presence at the front, with Shlomi Bracha on guitar. Their writing partnership runs through much of the catalogue and continues on the new releases. Michael Benson plays bass and Iggy Dayan drums. Avner Hodorov, on keyboards and saxophone, joined in 1986, completing the five-piece lineup that remains together today.
The tour found the five in peak form. Their confidence on a large stage comes from a long familiarity with one another, and an instinct for how these songs work in front of a crowd. The early ska material still has its spring. The heavier guitar songs still have their bite. They know how to let a chorus open up.
During the run, Mashina also added two new songs. Kim’at VeKe’ilu arrived on June 2, 2026, followed by Kmo HaDubim on August 30. Both have lyrics by Bracha and Banai, music by Bracha, and arrangements and production by the band. The same creative partnership that built so much of the repertoire is still at work.
Kim’at VeKe’ilu brings their taste for absurdity to a song about uncertainty and a reality that keeps slipping out of focus. Kmo HaDubim turns to love amid the uncertainty of life in Israel.
The crowds now span people who bought the early records and listeners who found Mashina through their parents or a streaming playlist. Keeping those audiences in the same amphitheatre says a great deal about the reach of the songs, and the band who continue to play them.
The band have also released an official tour playlist on Spotify, bringing together songs from the anniversary shows. Listen here: [link].
The band are expected to announce plans for further live shows soon.
