We all have a story. Matisyahu’s is bared in song, in equally passionate and hymnal Hebrew that pours from his lips, gently aged and lovingly kissed by time. I would imagine it was one hell of a treacherous climb over that shadowed mountain, but he made it to the other side and this is where we celebrate triumphantly. His humble soul once again shines through that beautifully tattered and wisdom-doused body. Tonight at The Plaza Live, during a performance aptly titled, “Festival of Light: An Intimate Evening with Matisyahu,” there were no barriers between us; Matisyahu completely let down his guard. And so did I.
No two shows I’ve seen by Matisyahu have ever been alike, but similarly, they always seem to come at just the right moments for me; personal turning points when I’m drowning and my soul is aching to be filled with positivity, or rather, anything that might bring me back to life. Tonight, a chain of events has led to significant discord with my boyfriend and rendered me companionless at this show. However, I find solace in the fact that the first time I saw Matisyahu, in 2012, I was by myself and it was one of the most uplifting experiences of my life. Literally. As in, he lifted me up on stage to dance with him during the last song of his set, and provided me a moment which began a transition from a sad time to new beginnings. I’ll never forget it.
A sense of connection is what makes his performances stand out. He makes it perfectly evident that there is no difference between him and everyone else in the room. As I looked around the intimately seated venue tonight — a live painting being created by a beautiful girl who sways and dances to my left, several friends behind and in front of me, a young man next to me wearing a yarmulke reciting every lyric he knew — I shed a tear of joy and relief by the time the second song ended. I was completely overcome with the energy of this soul-freeing music and the way it feels. This is reggae, this is hip-hop, this is worship, this is a genre that should never, ever be compared to another. THIS IS LOVE. In that moment, it felt as if everything was going to be okay.
A fire gon’ rage tonight,”
he sings. I’m ready. For these castles of fear to burn to the ground and make way to rise from the ashes. I thought about Winter Solstice approaching, and how the long dark nights will turn again into brighter days. This is the end of the darkness. I feel it coming.
The previous time I saw Matisyahu, which was over a year ago, I noticed his wedding band had been replaced by a joint in his hand. There was an emptiness to him I had never seen before. I was working the show that night [at House of Blues] and saw him sitting behind the venue at our break table by the loading dock, and I wanted so badly to go and hug him, to tell him how much I appreciate his music and everything it has gotten me through. But I chose to give him his space instead.
Tonight, a good majority of the songs he performed were from his 2014 album Akeda, including “Watch the Walls Melt Down” which was entirely about his recovery. He sipped on tea as he rhymed, “Smoked more trees than a forest fire, ‘til that shit got tired and I let that shit retire …” The overall theme of Akeda is one of victory, positivity, and perseverance. On set this evening, armed with a band of all-star musicians including Collie Buddz’ DJ and a drummer that my impressed neighbor called “the king of ghost notes” Matisyahu made it clear he has come back to his roots.
About mid-way through the second half of the show, after the intermission, my boyfriend showed up. He saw my joy and watched me dance as if I were his own personal show. He never smiled, never really spoke, only sent me a text that said “I love you.” It was then that I shed another tear, but this time out of sadness. I felt more alone with him there than I did without him.
Who do you love besides you, and beside you?”
The show was a perfect blend of reverence and vitality, while Matis sat most of the time on a bar stool, he made plenty of time to move and dance with expression. I was impressed by the style and grace with which he handled some crass and probably drunken audience members who felt it necessary to shout their unwelcomed thoughts out loud during the performance. He kindly took another intermission and gave the disrespectful guests time to exit before returning to the stage with an appropriate cover of Bob Marley’s “Crazy Baldhead” to re-open his set. (I love you Orlando, but seriously, way to show your [cl]ass.)
After the show we saw him outside behind the venue. No surprise there. I would assume it feels good to be under the open sky after performing, and it seems to me that it’s most definitely a priority for him to connect with fans on a personal level, so this is a good time to do it. But as soon as a crowd builds and it becomes a spectacle, he’s out. I don’t blame him.
My boyfriend and I ended our relationship right there in the parking lot at the end of the night. We sat in his car and embraced our demise. I looked over at the deserted fence where Matisyahu stood to talk with fans and I thought about how I skipped another opportunity to hug him. I only wanted to show him love and gratitude. But I refuse to try and hug someone through a fence. There shouldn’t be barriers in love; it’s all or nothing. Ah, yes. Metaphors. The metaphors abound. But let’s not miss the point. In my story, the point is this: the light always returns.
Matisyahu Live Review by Sarabeth Jackson, edited by Mitch Foster.
Matisyahu Live Concert Photos by Aaron Wockenfuss.
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