Richard AbrahamsonOn August 24th Matisyahu played at the Ponte Vedra Concert Hall with opening act Trevor Hall. It was a reggae-fueled concert for all walks of life. The show was the definition of the term “all ages,” with a range from little kids to cute couples older than my grandparents. The majority of the crowd was laid back, white beach people. I saw a couple of kids rocking their yarmulkes. I imagine that after years of being forced to wear them, this was the one time that they were probably excited to don their kippahs in public.
Trevor Hall is a kid from Hilton Head, North Carolina known for his song ‘Other Ways’ on the soundtrack of Shrek the Third. His music is a mix between classic reggae and sounds of Jack Johnson. It’s a laid back style, but he can really bring it when it comes to show time.
As for the main act, Matisyahu really knows how to turn a venue into a giant dance party. It’s really amazing watching people dance and sing along to his music, especially when you consider most of his songs are about praising God. In a world full of music focusing on material things and artists that are constantly singing about themselves, it’s refreshing to experience an artist whose inspiration comes from hope in a world beyond this one. Matisyahu has found a balance between producing good music, putting on great performances and keeping his focus on his strong spiritual believes.
Having never been to the Ponte Vedra Concert Hall before, I was thoroughly impressed with fairly new venue. Thanks to top notch acoustics and amenities like a nice bar and lounge area, the mid-size hall made an evening of solid performances even better.
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