We’re all Kings and Queens
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| photo by paul dunkley |
It was announced five days before the show – Matisyahu to perform an acoustic
show at Velvet Jones, Downtown Santa Barbara.
Sold out. Early show. Big name. Small venue. It was packed tighter than
sardines in the ol’ Velvet Jones early. Everyone was excited to see the Matisyahu so intimately.
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| photo by paul dunkley |
The stage held three stools, one mic, and an effects pedal mixer. Without
pomp, he walked out onto stage without his signature beard and black garb,
looking more like Matthew Paul Miller from West Chester than the legendary
alternative hip-hop slash reggae rock artist known as Matisyahu. With him was
one guitarist and one bassist. This was going to be something.
Luckily, I tucked myself away upstairs so that I could see the artist
and hear the music over the crowd. I’m not sure how the crowd could see the
stage for all the people in the audience. Plus, a big 6’4” man planted himself
very front and very center, bumming out over a third of the crowd. I was lucky
indeed.
Matisyahu cleans up nicely. It was quite a mesmerizing
transformation.
He and his band started with new music, which seemed a combination of scripted
songs and free flow jam. Matisyahu beat-boxed, while the guitarist added
effects via the pedal. There were some mistakes and much laughter. It was
obvious they came to Santa Barbara to demo their new music and work through
some kinks. And it was something.
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| photo by paul dunkley |
Not one to disappoint the crowd, Matis (cuz we cool like that now)
played some of his hit songs, although they took on a different quality here in
this space. It was quite a privilege to see Matisyahu and his band this
intimately, and indeed we all felt like we were Kings and Queens.