Matisyahu fuses old and new sounds at the Bluebird

Strobe lights flashed.

Cell phones and beer bottles were raised in the air as Matisyahu stepped onto the Bluebird Nightclub stage, wearing a long black trench coat and aviator sunglasses.

The reggae and alternative rock artist performed for a packed crowd at 9 p.m. Sunday as part of his fall college concert tour in support of his newest album, “Spark Seeker.”

Matisyahu began rapping as the lights turned purple and blue. His band, Dub Trio, played techno beats on the electric guitar, sounds that resonated during the entire show.

A futuristic, auto-tune voice transitioned into Matisyahu’s beat-boxing at the beginning of “Searchin,” the third song on his newest album. Messages about searching or realizations were common themes in the artist’s lyrics.

In the song that followed, “For You”, from the album “Light,” Matisyahu shed his coat and glasses, revealing a flannel shirt that was later stripped down to a black t-shirt.

He took a long pause at the conclusion of the song, eyes closed, as the band continued to play.

As he opened his eyes, yellow lights flooded the stage and cheers erupted as the beginning of the newest hit single, “Sunshine” was played.

With outstretched arms, fans sang along to the lyrics, “Reach for the sky, keep your eye on the prize.”

He sang an entire four songs before saying a single word to the audience.

“Thank you,” he muttered after singing “Baal Shem Tov.”

After singing the crowd-pleasing “Live Like a Warrior,” Matisyahu swayed in slow motion to low bass beats that made the ground shake.

He mixed lyrics from old songs such as “Jerusalem” with the modern sounds of his newest album, rapping and beat boxing occasionally.

The guitar and drums increased intensity and the strobe lights flashed once more as Matisyahu sang "King Without a Crown," the classic song that first brought the reggae artist to the limelight.

After the first verse, he held onto the beam above him, grinning and nodding his head at the audience.

Before the audience could react, he jumped into the mass of fans in a full-blown crowd surf. He crawled his way through the crowd, almost hitting his head against the ceiling fan hanging above.

As the lights dimmed at the conclusion of the song, the crowd went wild, yelling “Encore!” and “Matisyhau!”

An enthusiastic fan in the front row took off his shirt and swung it around in the air, revealing a cross tattoo on his bicep.

As the band returned and began playing the familiar entrance to the much-anticipated song, “One Day,” every audience member raised his or her index finger and swayed it in the air.

Matisyahu gave the audience one last curve ball by pulling members of the crowd onto the stage for the last chorus of the song.

A group of over twenty screaming fans surrounded the musician onstage, reaching for hugs, or any form of contact, as he left the stage for the last time.

“It was amazing," said John Putz, a doctoral student who is studying Public Health. "The people went crazy.”

Putz said he had to work at 9 a.m. the following morning, but that the concert was definitely worth it.

“I live with Israelis," Putz said."There are four of us. We’re all Jewish. We were all so excited to see Matisyahu.”

Spencer Morris, a fifth-year IU student studying business management, said he drove to St. Louis, Mo., to see Matisyahu’s concert two months ago.

He said he doesn’t like the newest album as much as the others, but he loves seeing the songs performed live.

“The most fun thing about seeing his shows is the energy he brings,” Morris said. “He plays his songs differently every time.”

Purdue University at Fort Wayne seniors Dan Mader and Jessie Manwaring drove three hours to see the concert at the Bluebird.

Mader said he is a fan of Matisyahu’s positive music and the new sound he brings to “Spark Seeker.”

“It’s less grudgy,” he said. “It’s crisper, more modern. I like it.”