Despite the all the challeges and the political context that have defined the region for the past decades, Tel Aviv has always been a strong outpost for the electronic underground as we know it. The Block club is just an example of how one could do things differently while maintaining concrete connections to Europe’s undeground. From the unique custom made sound system and mixer to the crowd, The Block put Tel Aviv on Europe’s clubbing map, while contributing to establish the playground for a healthy underground culture in Israel. Even if the Covid times have forced The Block and other clubs to close their doors, small clubs and enthusiast promoters jumped in to fill this void and satisfy the crowd’s hunger for clubbing in Tel Aviv.
This is how we met the crew behind 5AM Club, a party brand that started as an the after-party series (easy guess where their name comes from) and turned now into day-to-night or nightlong events. Started in 2021, 5AM Club parties managed to grew a music conscious community around them, regardless the troubled times right now in the Middle East. David Hayat, founder of 5AM Club, agreed to answer a few questions just to introduce us into the atmosphere that defines the 5AM Club parties in Tel Aviv.
BONUS: a 5 tracks selection that define the brand’s groove, so you’d know what to expect when you decide to go wild at one of their after parties.
Who is Behind The 5AM Club? How did the idea of organizing parties appeared?
The 5AM Club was founded by David Hayat, who has dedicated many years to nightlife and the underground scene. He played a significant role in clubs that shaped the underground culture in the city, such as Alphabet and the legendary Block, where he was exposed to and introduced people to excellent content.
David draws inspiration from festivals and events around the world and closely follows the happenings in the scene with dedication and passion. He believes in a party that offers mature, composed, funky, and groovy musical content, and he does not categorize the line according to a specific genre.
While his close circle supports his agenda, some have even become partners in the production. Michael Attias, who was actively involved in “the Block” club, is responsible for marketing and promoting events, while Avi Baruch, who has a background in managing bars and clubs in the city’s nightlife, leads the actual event management alongside additional crew members and artists who are an integral part of the line.
The 5AM club stemmed from the citie’s clear desire for quality after-parties and groovy music.
I have been part of the local party and nightlife scene since the age of 21. I began with a weekly line focused on hip-hop parties, but gradually I found myself drawn to a different type of music with a different culture. I started organizing techno events even though initially I had very little knowledge of or experience in the field.
One of the major turning points in the productions pre-history was when Charlie (who is now the owner of HOR, the successful Berlin radio station)” and Naor (E-Bony), part owners of the “Alphabet” club, heard about us and invited me and my previous partners, Joezi and Shay, to a meeting which concluded with the birth of weekly line at the “Alpha”.
I worked at that club for nearly four years, and for half of that time, I was a partner. It was one of the golden periods of the underground scene in Tel Aviv and I learned a lot from many talented people, amongst them Yosi Ziv to whom I owe a lot in regards to what vibe our events aspire towards.
During those years, I was exposed to very interesting content and spent a lot of time at the legendary Block, a club I had always dreamed of being part of, a dream that eventually came true for me.
I had the opportunity to have a sit down with Yaron Trax, the owner of and the mind behind the Block, and we immediately began collaborating. On the one hand I was able to affect the Block by bringing a fresh crowd with different ears to the venue and on the other I was exposed to a variety of quality content myself. It was a magical period in which I accumulated a lot of inspiration and experience.
Alongside my collaborative work at clubs I began the brand Red Tape, an underground techno line born from my friendship with two of Israel’s trance music community founders: Omri Harari (Homsy) and Ben Avital. This unlikely composition brought about some of the best remembered underground raves of the current decade, the first one taking place in an underground parking lot.
The brand hosted the likes of Wata Igarashi and Psyk.
Over the years, I dove deeper into more minimalist music and developed an immense passion for the sound. Thanks to this style I realized that music could change the world as I saw it.
The 5AM club stemmed from the citie’s clear desire for quality after-parties and groovy music. I believed that this style was the most suitable for early morning and daytime music. The parties started at five in the morning therefore the name.
The First 5AM Club Party
The 5AM Club began operating in 2021, as the brand was still in the process of developing its identity.
One could say that the first significant event was in July 2022, when we hosted Denis Kaznacheev . This special experience has become deeply etched in our memory, and we are sure it will remain memorable for a long time to come.
In comparison to the years when the line began, how has the clubbing scene in Tel Aviv changed? Is it better?
The line launched after the heaviest days of the COVID-19 pandemic , which significantly impacted the field in the country negatively, similar to what happened worldwide. Many clubs closed permanently , including two prominent ones in the underground scene — The Block and Alphabet — leaving a void that others have struggled to fill. In contrast, some productions and lines have managed to grow in recent years, bringing the style and content we believe in back to the local arena, which definitely creates a positive atmosphere.
In the past, the crowd truly looked forward to events that took place at The Block or Alphabet every week. Nowadays, it can be said that people wait for events that happen once in a while. There’s no longer a club that encompasses the scene and offers underground content weekly as it used to.
The elephant in the room is the political and diplomatic situation, affecting everything here. Recently there have been positive signs of improvement and we sincerely hope that the war will come to a peaceful close. The current situation is tough for everyone, but it is important for us to continue to create and provide good even in these times, offering people the option to dance, celebrate life, and high caliber music.
Artists that have headlined the 5AM club
We have been very lucky to host a roster of very talented people such as Thomas Melchior, Cabanne, Francesco Del Garda, Dorian Paic, Denis Kaznacheev, Federico Molinari, Felix HK in addition to numerous local heroes such as Ofri Goffer and Tal Cohen, the list goes on.
Venues the parties have taken place at
We regularly travel between venues trying to create surprising and varied experiences so it is difficult to associate with a particular club, however, some of the places that have hosted us are the Phi Garden, Collabo and HaOman 17.
5 Track That Define The 5AM Club Groove
Lady science (Baby Ford & Thomas Melchior – NYC sunrise)
George Morell – Let’s Groove
DMX Krew – Unified Field Theorem
Clockworks Dub – Stones Taro
Cabanne – The Stonk
