Techno in Israel: clubs, bars and parties

The scene

Techno is one of the strongest sounds in Tel Aviv's nightlife, and the city's scene has a name well beyond Israel. Parties happen in clubs built around a serious sound system and a dark dance floor, in warehouses and old buildings in the industrial areas of south Tel Aviv, and sometimes in temporary spaces whose location is announced only shortly before the night. Alongside classic techno you will find every shade of it: melodic, minimal, industrial, fast and hard, and after-parties that run well into the morning. Trance is a separate scene with parties of its own.

At most techno parties the dance floor is the point, not the bar: people come to dance, the music comes first and the sets are long. Some lines are regular, held at the same club every week or every month; others move from venue to venue.

Which nights

Thursday and Friday are the big nights, and some weeks Wednesday and Saturday night too. Techno parties start late: the floor usually fills only after midnight and peaks in the small hours. After-parties sometimes begin as other parties end and carry on into the morning and beyond. There tend to be more parties before holidays and on long weekends.

At the door

• ID: bring your passport or another photo ID. The minimum age is set by the venue or the party and is sometimes above 18; it is on the event page when the venue published it.
• Tickets: many parties sell tickets in advance, often in several rounds, and the door price, where there is one, is higher.
• Door selection and queues: some clubs run a door selection, and the queue grows at peak hours.
• Photos: some parties ask you not to film on the dance floor and may put a sticker over your phone camera at the entrance.
• Look after yourself: drink water, take breaks and plan your way home. If you drink, don't drive.

Other cities

Haifa has a long-standing local scene, with parties in clubs and small venues, many of them in the downtown area. Jerusalem has fewer venues but regular techno nights, mostly in industrial areas and small clubs. Beersheba and Eilat host parties from time to time, and Eilat draws people mainly on long weekends and holidays.

Finding a party this week

The scene page lists the venues that play techno and the upcoming parties, city by city. The list is built from the events venues publish themselves in the Laila app and updates all the time: a party added today shows up today, and a cancelled one disappears. Each event shows what the venue published: door time, minimum age and a ticket link.

Questions people ask

What time should I get to a techno party?

There is little point arriving very early: the floor fills after midnight and peaks in the small hours. On the other hand, queues at popular parties grow as the night goes on, so if you have no ticket, do not leave it too late.

Do I need a ticket in advance?

For many parties, yes, especially when there is a guest DJ or a popular line. Advance tickets are usually cheaper, and some nights sell out. The event page links to tickets when the venue has published a link.

Is there techno outside Tel Aviv?

Yes. Haifa has a long-standing local scene, Jerusalem has regular nights in small clubs and industrial areas, and Beersheba and Eilat have parties from time to time. On the scene page you can pick a city and see what is on there this week.