Hasidic Reggae

Okay, so I said I was retired from the music blogosphere. And yes, I'm still busy with work. But I recently attended a fantastic concert that I just can't resist raving about. The guy's name is Matisyahu, and he's a Hasidic reggae rapper. That's right - a Hasidic Jew, black hat and all, singing funky reggae/rap music.

I don't normally even listen to these styles of music, but some friends of mine were attending the show and had an extra ticket. So I came along, not quite knowing what to expect, but thinking I probably wouldn't enjoy it nearly as much as, say, a Weezer or Tom Petty concert.

But boy, was I wrong. I didn't know any of Matisyahu's songs beforehand, but they were all amazing - full of great, passionate singing; virtuoso playing by his backing band; and catchy melodic hooks all throughout. His stage presence was completely rock 'n' roll too; apart from the obvious difference in look and dress, Matisyahu moved like Roger Daltrey singing "My Generation" at a knockout Who concert. Also, the show was at a small venue (I'm guessing about 500 people in attendance), so we were able to stand just a couple feet from the stage. To use the same scale as my album reviews, I'd definitely rate this concert as a 5 out of 5!

Matisyahu may not be too famous yet, but I think his popularity is about to explode - he has a studio and live album out, plus a single and MTV video for the song "King Without A Crown," and is set to guest on the rock band P.O.D.'s next album (due out in early 2006). If anyone is interested in checking him out, see his website (http://www.hasidicreggae.com/) for updated tour dates and much additional news and information.