The Scenestress joins Twitter, and meets Matisyahu
June 8th, 2009 by The Scenestress in Arts, Music, News, Sarasota-Manatee
MONDAY, JUNE 1 — WMNF STUDIOS, TAMPA
Well folks, it was an exciting week. First of all, I joined Twitter. Second, I met Matisyahu. These two facts are (surprisingly) related: Monday morning, I was checkin’ my tweet feed, and saw that the Hasidic reggae star was in Tampa for a show that night. We got to @-ing, and before I knew it he offered me the opportunity to come sit in at WMNF while he and his band did a couple songs live on the air.
I grabbed Events Editor/Staff Writer (and major fan) Tim Sukits and hit the road for TPA to catch the mid-afternoon airtime. When we arrived at the studio, the band was in the box setting up and guitarist Aaron Dugan informed us that Matis and his manager had just run to the grocery (for some kosher treats, no doubt). When he returned, Matis greeted me and Tim with a warm smile and a firm handshake. We joined the band in the studio with DJ Flee, who asked a few questions before the group began performing their first song, a new joint called “Thunder.”
I was surprised at first when I couldn’t hear the accompaniment of the keyboard and guitar, but settled into really enjoying what sounded like an a cappella version of the song. This made Matis’ beautiful singing voice all the more powerful, especially in contrast with his tight beatboxing.
After the set Matis apologized that we couldn’t hear the instruments, assuming we missed out on the full performance. I assured him that it was quite awesome indeed, and he seemed genuinely pleased to hear that. Needless to say the show at Jannus that night was amazing as well, and I definitely enjoyed meeting this pious man.
The Scenestress is on Twitter! Follow me….
June 9th, 2009 at 3:44 am
Dear Everybody,
This is a quick comment on the lack of venues for local independent music, a continuing theme in CL commentaries.
I can understand the position of bar owners, insofar as original local music/ younger bands do not fit into their business model. However, it is a damn shame that original/ younger bands are offered a very limited local venue assortment for their excellent performances (and thus possibilities for their adoring fans to see them), as a result of this limiting business model.
I can only conclude that it is not within the reach of such bar/venue owner’s/manager’s understanding, to comprehend the subtleties of music’s inherent magnitude. Or perhaps they do understand the magnitude I relate, and but are frightened by it!
One might conclude that some among the populace (bar owners/managers) are not really concerned with the furthering of musical evolution, and are perhaps concerned with other things altogether (perhaps money) Why mess with your business model if it is already working?
I would argue, that by inference, this would only fuel further the volcanic resonance of bold and incredible sounding independent, local bands, and increase the patronage and income at venues, which have the foresight enough, to host such awesome bands.
It’s about the music anyway, and if you are not having new music at your venues, you are pandering to an outdated business model, and to a generation which is blighted by the inability to change where change is needed and downright appropriate, if not essential.
If you ask me, the independent/original local bands are where it’s at. And they aren’t pandering to anyone.
-Up the Irons!!!
October 19th, 2009 at 7:21 pm
[...] Scenestress landed the Twitter score of a lifetime when she hooked up with an opportunity to see Matisyahu perform a couple songs for a radio spot on [...]
December 30th, 2009 at 10:57 am
[...] when the Hasidic reggae star Matisyahu played Jannus Landing in June. Matis invited me via Twitter to a sit in on a short live set at WMNF Tampa, and I was really impressed with how talented and genuine the singer was in person, [...]