I was pretty bummed that I didn’t get there in time to see Dirty Heads or Pepper, but such is life. Anyway, I was there in time to catch Matisyahu’s entire show. I had been looking forward to seeing him, although I haven’t really been listening to him very long. I must say though, that I really liked everything I‘ve heard, and have become a fan of his music.

Just before Matisyahu came on I scanned the venue and was really surprised at the emptiness of the Pavilion. I’ve been to numerous shows at Cynthia Woods, and I’ve never seen it that barren.  Granted, it was a Tuesday night in the middle of a very hot Houston August, and those factors probably played a big part in why the crowd was lacking.

When a clean-shaven, short haired, ball cap and sun-glasses wearing Matisyahu strolled onto stage, it was evident that the people that were there were fans. As he casually strolled onto the stage, the (all be it small) crowd came to life. His backdrop was a giant version of his Spark Seeker album cover. If you haven’t seen it, it’s a quite beautiful picture of a child… a beautiful child with eyes that hold wonder, intrigue, and question at the world, much like his music.

With a modest entrance, little fuss or dialogue, his band started playing and he began to dance around the stage and sing. I must say that I was instantly impressed with both the sound of the music, and the smoothness of his voice. I’ve always liked the rappy- reggae sound, and his sound was top-notch in my book. The first few songs he danced along and moved around, obviously enjoying what he was doing. Unfortunately, after several songs, his energy seemed to die down some. Everything still sounded great, but he wasn’t “capturing” me like he did in the beginning.

At one point he even sat on speakers behind the drummer and sang. He could barely be seen, and because the other musicians in the band pretty much stayed stationary, it left little to look at except the eyes of the giant child lit up in the background. That being said, I’m still a big fan, because I truly believe his music is just really good, and his lyrics are relevant and make me feel. It seemed like the crowd felt the same. Everyone was feeling pretty happy and mellow, and I don’t think it was just because of the thick cloud of smoke emanating the Pavillion.

The break between Matisyahu and Sublime with Rome was just what the concert-goers needed in order to snap out of their mellow and wake up enough to move around and grab another beer. As the lights dimmed, I took another look around to see how much the crowd had grown. It was disappointing, to say the least. There were entire sections that had no one in seats, which I have never seen. Of course, the hill had a nice little crowd though (which were allowed to move up during the show).

When the Sublime show started, I was shocked by the simplicity of the set- a modest DJ booth (table, really), and no backdrop or anything what so ever- just the instruments and equipment needed to get sound from them.  DJ Trichrome took the stage first, taking his spot behind the tables. He does his spiel, and then Bud (drums) and Eric (bass) walk onto stage, followed up by Rome. Immediately, I thought that the guys didn’t look like they were excited about the fact that they were about to put on a show.

Let me reiterate the fact that I absolutely love the band and their music. However, this was the first time that I’ve ever had a press pass to shoot a concert and actually just stopped taking pics for a while (during the 3-song time span photographers are allowed), and just stood there and watched the band. All my pics were coming out the same. The DJ seemed to be having a good time, and Rome moved around some while he sang, but that was about it. Eric almost seemed bored.

Maybe these guys have just been on the road too long. They’ve been playing for such a long streak that even though they didn’t look like they were really into the gig, their music still sounded great. These guys can play the songs in their sleep, which, if I’m being honest, I kinda wanted to do. And I don’t think it was just from the contact high I probably caught from all the smoking going on. Honestly, the only thing that there really was to look at was a decent light show.

My love for old Sublime or Sublime with Rome’s music hasn’t changed, but I think next time they’re in town I’ll pass and just put on a cd when I’m in the mood. And as for Matisyahu, if he is at a smaller venue I may consider seeing his show.  I am definitely a fan and have been enjoying his newly added music on my playlist.