Sunday, July 3, 2011

A visit from Matisyahu: Faith-themed reggae rings true for island fans

When Matisyahu came to Guam, the island's reggae fans were not disappointed. Dubbed "Guam's Biggest Concert Event of the Year," Heineken's Reggae in the Hills packed the Leo Palace Baseball Stadium as hundreds lugged their beach chairs and mats, eager for a good seat in what promised to be an awesome concert.

With the music from some of the top local bands rolling through Manenggon in the late afternoon, the mood was pretty relaxed as many awaited the main event. With the night descending, Matisyahu and his band blazed a fire through the crowd with their opening set.

Screaming and shouting, fans pushed their way towards the front end of the stage.
"I just like listening to the good vibes and just relaxing with a few friends," says Zachary Martir, who came to the concert with his friends. "My favorite song is "One Day" because it has such a good meaning to it which is one day there will be no violence, war, and hate.

Soon enough, Martir caught the rhythm of Matisyahu's hit "One Day" and joined the crowd as they moved in unison to the song's sweat sounds. A man of many talents, Matisyahu broke out the beatboxing -- a live performance that kept the crowd asking for more.

Shanice Devera has been a fan of the reggae-band since middle school.
"I started listening to his music after hearing "King Without a Crown" on the radio back in middle school," says the excited University of Guam student. "My sister and I went crazy when we heard that song because the beat was catchy and his words were meaningful.
Matisyahu's lyrics gains its influence from words from his Jewish roots, which gives the listener a different feel for the reggae vibe.

"Besides the fact that Matisyahu's lyrics are clean, it is also meaningful," Devera says, as she bobbed her head to the music. "The band's lyrics talks a lot about God and religion, which is why I liked this band so much in the first place."
By David Mercado Jr. For Pika


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