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The Tower of David, already one of Jerusalem's most recognizable and popular historic sites is continuing its evolution from ancient fortress to full fledged member of the capital's culture scene. On August 21 the museum will host a funk-rock concert featuring Los Caparos, Jerusalem's own Coolooloosh and Israeli, international up and comers The Apples.

The Friday afternoon show is part of a growing trend of big outdoor concerts around the city. Hebrew University's Student Day kicked off the summer with a big Independence Park blowout which featured Macy Gray and since then most Friday afternoons have been filled with the sounds of the Front Stage's free concert series around the city, drawing top acts from around the country. On top of that, Festival Beshekel made a Jerusalem stop, Chutztot Hayotzer drew it's normal stable of huge bands and the Mishkenot Sha'ananim festival brought rock to one of the city's older quarters. The week after the Tower of David concert, the city will host a beer festival replete with live acts and then end summer break with another all night extravaganza, bringing Sarit Hadad, Mosh Ben Ari and the Mercedes Band to Independence Park.
But the very location of the Tower of David sets it apart from these other shows. Hosting a concert in the Old City where the singers don't wear black hats and the dancing is not separated by gender is certainly a rare event, and posters for the show, which is being put on in conjunction with the Yellow Submarine, advertise it as a one-time affair. But to Tower of David director Shosh Yaniv, the concert is part of the museum's ongoing efforts to reach out to new audiences and cater to all walks of Jerusalemite life.

"It's a special place, it's a leading cultural institution," Yaniv said. "We're doing extra things and we don't need to be just another anything. We've got one of the nicest and most special places in the world and we are thinking outside the box a little bit. We want to be open to all audiences."

The tower, which lies just inside the Old City walls directly east of the Jaffa Gate, may not be as old as its namesake, but its history still stretches back some 2,000 years when the location was first used as a citadel to defend Jerusalem. The fortress was destroyed and rebuilt several times and the minaret which currently dominates the site and gives rise to its tower name was put in by the Ottomans in the 16th century, around the same time the Old City's current walls went up.

The museum and archeological site is certainly no stranger to branching out and holding events not normally thought germane to a historical site. In the past few years the Tower of David has hosted fairs, fantastical light and sound shows, interactive exhibits for children, nighttime tours and concerts.

"It's a cultural place, and it's the past present and future. I don't think a history museum needs to be just historical," Yaniv said.

But while the concerts held there are normally skewed toward the more staid - cantors, jazz bands and the such - the end of summer show will represent something new as it brings in bands that blend equal parts music and party.

All three groups represent the vanguard of Jerusalem's burgeoning party music scene, with horns a-blaring, drummers a-banging and DJs a-spinning. This isn't the kind of show you sit through, rather dancing shoes are highly recommended. We feel it's safe to say that come Friday, it will have been at least a few thousand years since the old city was this jumping.

Full details of the Friday afternoon show, plus ticket purchases, can be found at either the Tower of David's Website or at the Yellow Submarine.

Picture courtesy of Flickr user ChrisYunker under a Creative Commons license.