THE JEWS ROCK LONG BEACH

Last weekend proved to be yet another epic year for Jewlicious. For those who have never been or never heard, Jewlicious is a three-day festival at the Long Beach JCC that happens every February, bringing Jewish people together from all over the country for music, food and chutzpah! This is my fifth year. It’s possible that I will be a lifer. I started out working the event in 2006 under the originator Rabbi Yonah Bookstein, then-director of Long Beach Hillel. The first time I went it overwhelmed me, but I have since discovered a groove.

Like any music festival, there are several events going on at a time throughout the festival, so I typically go to what I think are the highlights of the weekend. Before the first concert on Saturday night there is a comedy show that is an absolute must. This year we had a return of my favorite, Smooth-E (a.k.a. Eric Schwartz), who does popular Jewish spoofs of hip-hop songs, such as “Crank That Kosher Boy” and “Lean Like a Gringo,” who also does a hilarious stand-up show. (Check him out at http://smoothe.tv/.) This year he was MC and during his rendition of one of Matisyahu’s songs, he got a surprise appearance from the man himself who threw down some verses for us.

Right after the comedy show, the first concert brought in an onrush of people. We met capacity that night and beat records for attendance. The lineup went as such: Kosha Dillz, Diwon, Electro Morocco, Rinat Gutman and Moshav with a surprise appearance by Matisyahu—for the first time on the main stage at this festival. For me the concert can get a little crazy, so I tend to move in and out, just enough to hear some good music and get some dancing in. Whoever says Jews can’t dance has never been to Jewlicious. Well, that or they’ve been to Jewlicious and seen the way we dance. It’s entertaining to say the least. People completely lose themselves to the beat. The room begins to reek of sweat and body odor but it makes for one hell of a concert!

After the concert there is a DJ and people dance into the early hours of the night, but I had personally been on about two hours of sleep a night and needed to crash for the evening.

A lot of people stay next door for the hotel parties and I was no exception. Granted my room wasn’t really a “party” room but we did have some late night jamming. I was staying with my friend Mikey Pauker, a singer/songwriter who led a nice little song sesh after hours. Apparently I was a part in that and added my vocal stylings, but I didn’t find out until later when the video posted on Facebook. For any of you interested in watching me humiliate myself the video is entitled “Snuggy.” And yes, believe it or not, there is a freestyle rap about Snuggies on there. I love my Snuggie.

The weekend ended for me with the acoustic show on Sunday morning. This is typically where Matisyahu makes his first appearance, but this year it was his third. The picture to the left is courtesy of another festival goer, Max Patera, as I didn’t get a picture of his performance this year, but I do have several from years past. His performance on Sunday is always the most moving part of the weekend. Hearing him live and acoustic is such a different experience than listening to one of his albums. He really is an incredible musician and an extremely enlightened individual. We’re lucky to have him every year. Next year I hope to get musically involved again as I did at Jewlicious 2.0 and 3.0. I never rocked the concerts but I did lead a sweet open mic night and late-night jam. I mean, that’s really what Jewlicious is about for me. Go for the people, stay for the music.