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All images by Chris DeCicco for Yellow Scene Magazine

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I have to be honest: I had heard of Matisyahu and loved his big hit, “One Day,” but I had no clue how good he really was till his Saturday, Dec 7, show at the Gothic Theater in Denver. 

The party started early with the local indie folk band, Lola Rising. The place was packed early with a variety of people of all ages which added to the feel good vibe. I enjoyed the short taste we got as well as seeing their diehards who definitely helped get things going. 

The next guys up were the Bedouin Soundclash, a tight trio whose sound felt a bit like the eye of the storm building and banging it out. The name is a perfect description of what they bring to the table. Their sound made me think of a traveling caravan moving through the desert picking up the pieces of reggae, ska, punk, and Arabic that makes up the unique soundclash sonic style. The lead singer of this Canadian band, Jay Malinowski, has a James Dean swag that showed itself in his hair flipping good looks and confident vocal stylings. I especially enjoyed the moments when they all gathered up close in a circle and jammed and danced in genuine joy. 

The audience was primed for Matisyahu who slid out from the darkness to shine his light. 

Matisyahu broke out some beat boxing straight out of Brooklyn. When I close my eyes, the sound of his voice could be part world traveler, part guy from around the block. His lyrics are at times rapid fire and hard to understand – if you don’t know them – but even the sound vibration his music gives off is satisfying.

We rode the waves of his spiritual evolution from the early days to the present with intentions of upliftment as we went on that expansive ride. His voice is clear and true with the edge of a spiritual warrior. His lyrics are inspired from the lustrous soul of a man on a mission. 

At some point I laughed out loud at the thoughts in my head. One part of me wanted to say, “hey man, your dance moves don’t light a candle to your words and the trip hop non-stop evolving vibe you’re putting out,” but a bigger part of me loves the genuine sweetness in his moves. He’s got a lowkey coolness and seems to like blending in with his band in full flow. They rocked and rolled like days of old but through a colorful rainbow all their own. 

I was a little disappointed in a few small things, like the light show which seemed to not have enough variety or the occasional spot light on the man, but maybe it was designed like that intentionally. I was left scratching my head at the way Matisyahu exited the stage. He slid out of sight as the band was building to a crescendo at the end and then when the encore was complete. They also played a very alternative shortened version of “One Day” during the encore,” which everyone was waiting for. Maybe he is tired of playing it, which I can understand, but then he slid off again before we could properly send them off with the roaring applause we wanted to give. These were all minor things and did not take away from the great show they shared with a dancing, singing, adoring audience, me included. 

If you get a chance go see Matisyahu be prepared to be wowed.

All images by Chris DeCicco for Yellow Scene Magazine:

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All image by Chris DeCicco for Yellow Scene Magazine

Patagonia’s new-to-Boulder, first in the nation, Worn Wear, hosted their grand opening on Thursday, November 14. Walking in, you could tell it was something special. What other manufacturer, clothing or otherwise, wants you to get maximum value and long term use from their products rather than sell you the newest iteration? It’s nearly unprecedented. The pop-up grand opening was from 5-8 pm at their location at 1212 Pearl Street, with dozens lining up in advance of the opening for a chance to get in and peruse the wares. 

Sure, there are consignment stores up-cycling clothes all over the place, but this is different. Truth be told, I am a regular shopper of used clothing from places like Buffalo Exchange and Crossroads for a majority of my clothing needs because I love recycling.  

Think about it: how many pieces of clothing and gear do you have in your closet right now that go unused? Chances are – if you are like most people – 50 percent or more isn’t regularly used because you don’t like the look anymore, it has a hole or broken zipper, or you just outgrow it. That’s a lot of stuff that just sits there, gets thrown out, or is donated. Then off we go buying more new stuff because that’s what we are supposed to do, right? 

Patagonia’s Worn Wear is thrift store intention at it’s best, less the smell of a dusty old store and the “as is” sales prerogative. 

It seems many of us are tired of manufacturers building stuff to look good in the short term but intentionally designing the gear to only last a short while (Google: planned obsolescence) so you have to buy the newest, latest, and greatest whatever. Patagonia believes there is a better way and they’re betting heavy that you do, too.

Here is a company founded on the idea that making gear great in a sustainable way is important, that believes in creating a culture in the industry that values the planet as much as profits. They are putting their money where their mouth is. 

The entire team on hand for the launch was excited and passionate about this project: the holistic approach to creating, making, distributing, and now recycling or repurposing clothes from one company is here. It’s a dream worth shouting about so that others will jump on board and reduce the mountain of trash we inflict on our planet. 

When I heard that they have an in-house repair station where you can bring in not only Patagonia, but any brand, to fix a button or zipper, or repair a hole for free, I was like “woah, wait, what?” 

This is a huge measure that will immediately reduce waste. It makes sense from a business perspective because people will come into the store, feel great for getting a great value, getting work for free, doing their small part for the planet, and developing loyalty to the company and its brand. 

They also have a whole other component called “recrafted” where they take pieces of old donated items and create new, one-of-a-kind items for sale that feel and look amazing. The whole process is seamless, from bringing in used stuff to walking out with another piece new-to-you. 

It seems like everyone in Boulder was pumped and wanting to attend the grand opening party and share in the big idea while enjoying like minded company. Notable local brands that helped create the vibe included Stem Cidery, Cured, and the Vegan Ice Cream Queen, who helped make the night a standing room only affair. 

Jon Mullen, a local landscape conservation photographer, was there to add some additional support to Conservation Colorado’s efforts to protect threatened wild places, a cause that Patagonia and others support with grants and resources to keep our natural beauty intact. His work provides free access to powerful visuals to help raise public awareness. The $10 suggested donation for entry to the grand opening also went to Conservation Colorado.

Let’s hope this level of dedication to saving the planet sparks even more interest from other businesses to step up their game in new and unique ways.

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