Langerado: a musician and his vision

southern religion: it's in your face take it or leave it and accept your decision once you've hit the gates of the afterlife.  christianity is what i know best. it makes sense but doesn't fully complete me.  coexist.  it's a beautiful movement.  their insignia makes me smile every time I pass it on the highway.

but this my friends is not a religion post, per se.  it is a post in my memoirs of an incredible 4 days of music.  religion happened to strike me during this particular 9pm show.  matisyahu has emerged within the last 5 years as an incredible touring machine and more importantly a touring machine with a message.  as a follower of hasidic judaism, he was not able to perform on the sabbath but was around for an autograph sessions.  as his website indicates "matisyahu simply seeks to serve as a conduit for the messages of peace and unity that flow through him, to improve the world the world by sharing his music, and without letting ego or worldly desires interfere in that communication." 

his performances are anchored in the reggae themes still prevailing from the bob marley days but small differences in personality reveal themselves in comparison to my experiences with other reggae artists.  as much he enjoys sending his message, matisyahu appreciates the skill  of each member of his backup band.  in the instrumentals of each of the songs, he can usually be found arms crossed engrossed in the certain highlighted solo.  as he is giving thanks to the individual performer, the audience realizes that his performance is greater than the sound that the guitar makes, greater than the 10,000 people there singing along, and much greater than themselves.  it is about a joining of everyone for the greater beauty of society.  cheesy, yes.  i apologize for the vague description of grandeur but it is an experience that is felt seldom, if ever at a concert. 

the concert finished out with a brand new song with a guest singer (the name completely slipping me). the final song gloriously faded out to a message of peace, love, peace, love.   i don't thing there's anything else that needed to be said.

The following day the three amigos met matisyahu, his brother, and his son (about a year old).  we were all thoroughly impressed with his genuine smile and gracious time he spent with us.  cheers to another great performer and performance.