Matisyahu: spiritualizing The Showbox

By Christine Mitchell on October 20, 2014@Housetornado37

Matisyahu at The Showbox (Photo by Arlene Brown)

Newsflash: Matisyahu may no longer dress the part, but his music retains a heavy dose of Jewish spiritualism. This may or may not surprise those who were surprised when Matisyahu shaved his head and distanced his beliefs from his Brooklyn Hassidic community (although he still lives there). He is currently touring in support of his latest LP, AKEDA, which, while still reggae-rap resonant at its core, has introduced a new, more atmospheric sound.

Matisyahu’s set at The Showbox was wide-ranging, both career-wise and sonically, at times even featuring a bit of punk-slash-metal. A smoke machine provided the appropriate aura. Matisyahu’s rap delivery was razor-sharp, which contrasted with his consistently graceful physical maneuvers. The crowd was essentially spellbound; when the songs showcased that reggae beat, the fans moved as one.

Openers Cisco Adler and Radical Something were more traditional in their reggae sensibilities, which was fine, but nothing special. Matisyahu was the one turning things inside out and pushing the boundaries on several fronts, and that is what makes him shine.

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Christine Mitchell has been poring over album liner notes pretty much since she acquired the skill of reading, and figured out the basic structure of rock songs at an early age. Whether it’s the needle popping into the first groove of the record, the beeps that signal the beginning (or end) of a cassette tape, or digital numbers ticking off the seconds from zero, music brings Christine happiness, ponderous thought, opportunities for almost scientific study, and sometimes a few tears. When she started attending live shows two decades ago, a whole new piece of the puzzle clicked in and she has been hooked ever since.