Christmas came early this year for Matisyahu fans Saturday evening when he rolled through Ponte Vedra Beach. The Festival of Light Tour showcased a more intimate performance from Matisyahu, celebrating his 10th anniversary of his album Live at Stubbs.  The house at the Ponte Vedra Concert Hall was packed with wall to wall seating with fans happy to stay toasty while escaping the cold outside. This tour had him reunite with his original band mates, including guitarist Aaron Dugan. Matisyahu performed many stripped down versions of many of his classics such as King Without a Crown and Jerusalem; performing songs from his original album all the way through his latest album, Akeda. The performance lasted well over two hours with him beat boxing and improvising every few songs, it was really a unique treat.  Even though it was a seated concert, fans were on their feet dancing and singing along. Needless to say, next year when he comes back around, it would be a mistake to miss his tour.  Happy Hanukkah and Merry Christmas to all!

 

Photo credits Matt Searles

review by Beth Searles