Matisyahu King Without A Crown

Guest blog by Josh Walovitch:

By 7 p.m. a sizeable line was forming outside the Paradise Rock Club, for reggae/rap/rocker Matisyahu’s sold-out Saturday night show. When doors opened at 8 p.m. his hardcore fans rushed inside to claim turf as close to the stage as possible. While there’s hardly a bad view inside the venue (barring standing behind those two poles), if you get close enough to the righteous rapper you’re guaranteed a fist bump or high five.

Being a Hasidic Jew, Matisyahu was observing the Sabbath – the Jewish day of rest – at the time opener dub duo Sub Swara stepped off stage at 9:45 p.m. Only after celebrating the weekly holiday did he take the stage at around 10:20 p.m. But fans didn’t mind the wait, embracing their beloved artist by sharing the chorus of the opening song “Youth,” the hit single off his first studio album of the same name.  This performance marked the start of his summer-long Americas tour. The big-bearded, tzitzit-wearing singer showed no signs of jet lag during his two hour set (he’d just flown in from playing a show in Jerusalem two nights before).

Between his energetic crip walk-esque foot work and mind blowing beat boxing skills, the Grammy-nominated artist had the crowd bobbing up and down with his hits singles “King Without a Crown”, “One Day” and “Jerusalem.”

His set featured a couple local musicians including Boston rapper and religious Jew Nosson Zand who rapped over electro-synth beats played by Matisyahu’s former touring keyboardist and Framingham native Rob Marscher - who donned a Bruins jersey.

Matisyahu – King Without a Crown « Ganja Farmer's, EMERALD ...

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