Matisyahu Ascends At The 9:30 Club

Matisyahu performed at a sold-out 9:30 Club on March 20th. Since 2004, this Jewish American musician has been blending the sounds of reggae, hip-hop beatboxing, and spirituality on stages around the globe. His concerts have always been uplifting, introspective, unpredictable, and inspiring.  

Matisyahu has become a lightning rod of attention in recent months and on his Hold The Fire Tour, including adulation and show cancellations. He has become a symbol of strength, hope, and resiliency to some and a pariah who is a target of outrage for others. Three of his thirty-four dates have been canceled, with extra security, scrutiny, and strife following him throughout the tour. Along with the strife, there would also be the admiration of the fans of his music - and especially from the Jewish community looking forward to his music and uplifting messages of hope.

That night, the 9:30 Club would be blocked off by police cars as officers divided the street between concertgoers and a small gathering of protesters. As fans walked into the legendary 9:30 Club, one could not help but hear the echos of Matisyahu's 2009 worldwide hit and anthem "One Day."

Sometimes in my tears I drown

But I never let it get me down

So when negativity surrounds

I know someday, it'll all turn around because

All my life, I've been waitin' for

I've been prayin' for, for the people to say

That we don't wanna fight no more

There'll be no more wars, and our children will play

Before Matisyahu took the stage, West Coast band Cydeways would set the mood for the evening. Cydeways merges their signature alt-reggae pop-punk energy with raw hip-hop grit and is fronted by Dustin Parks. This performance saw three band members take to the stage in total. As the evening roared to life, the booming bass shook the venue, and the reggae hues of green, yellow, and red flooded the space. Cydeways would mercilessly turn up the energy of their performance as they poured out song after song, including the brand new song "No Loyalty." Ever the entertainers, they encouraged the crowd's participation with shouts of "You ready to turn this bitch up!... Are you down?" as the entirety of the venue furiously waved their arms and pumped their fists into the air. After forty minutes of music, they ended their set with a scintillating version of "Sabotage" by the Beastie Boys.

Before Matisyahu took the stage, lights bathed the stage in blue. The venue floor continued to pack tighter, and with each flicker of light or pause in a song, the anticipation became palpable. At 9:25 PM, the lights dimmed as the six-piece band, including the members of Cydeways and his longtime guitarist Aaron Dugan, walked on stage to thunderous applause. As the lights brightened, Matisyahu immediately saluted the crowd, sending them into a sense of bliss and euphoria.

Two things are important to understand about a Matisyahu concert. Most importantly, Matisyahu draws from the room's energy and what comes to his heart, creating an unpredictable setlist and musical journey - all performance setlists and vibes are different. Also worth noting is that Matisyahu is an evolving musical chameleon. His songs have evolved and metamorphosed over time - songs released on his 2005 Youth do not sound the same live on the Live at Stubb's released that same year, and you can hear a further evolution on Live In Brooklyn released last year. Even with his studio recordings, he releases new mixes of songs on EP. You cannot take the Talmudic tendencies or musical midrash out of Matisyahu.

Matisyahu treated his fans to his upcoming single, Ascent, due out on March 29th. The song speaks to the growing antisemitic undertones in the world, and Matisyahu punctuated the song with "Free The Hostages. It is not complicated." One could not help but notice the powerful statement being made by Matisyahu as he had a chair set aside on the stage with the names and photos of some of the 130+ Israeli hostages currently in the Middle East. Matisyahu would go on to thank the 9:30 Club and the owner for providing a safe space for everyone to enjoy music together before playing fan favorites, "Time of Your Song,” "Lord Raise Me Up,” "Surrender," and "Sunshine" while pausing for random moments of gratitude with the fans such as raising a glass in appreciation "DC Club L'Chaim." Matisyahu spend the evening draped in the flags of the Golani Brigade, the Israeli flag, and a keffiyeh wishing for peace in the world.

During this appearance, Matisyahu sang songs of the divine, mystical incantations, and profound sentiments. He pulled lyrics from the air as he intertwined his songs with the lyrics of others. During "Jerusalem," he interspersed "Break My Stride" by Matthew Wilder as he sang, “Ain't nothing gonna break my stride / Nobody gonna slow me down / Oh no / I got to keep on moving.”

The evening was filled with special, if not impromptu, moments. Matisyahu would perform on the drums, and the encore would start with his son Shalom Miller (aka Duvbear) performing. By the second DuvBear song, Matisyahu returned to the stage to sing with his son. Before leaving, Dovbear told the audience to follow him by scanning the QR code at the merch booth, to which Matisyahu jokingly said, "What's that?" followed by a grin and poignant, "I'm very proud of you." With the encore in full swing, Matisyahu would sing "King Without A Crown" before being joined by a guest on stage to help sing "Fireproof," the lead track from his latest EP "Hold The Fire." Although the evening's setlist was fluid, the last song of the night has remained a steady closer for Matisyahu over the years and his most anthemic worldwide, "One Day." As the opening notes of "One Day" filled the venue, cheers and dance broke out throughout the venue as Matisyahu fused the words of Bob Marley's "No Woman No Cry" with beatboxing for a climatic finale of this performance.

In the end, this Matisyahu appearance was more than just a musical experience—it was a spiritual journey, a celebration of life, a cause for celebration for everyone who came to enjoy the reggae-infused music of Matisyahu, and a salving balm to uplift many inside the 9:30 Club.