Matisyahu at Ponte Vedra Concert Hall, Ponte Vedra Beach (Oct 27, 2025)

GRAMMY-nominated singer, songwriter, and genre-blending musician Matisyahu is back on tour in support of his eight studio album, Ancient Child (SoundOn). The tour stopped by Ponte Vedra Concert Hall, in the beautiful coastal town Ponte Vedra Beach, in Florida, last night, October 27, 2025.

As I previously mentioned, this little city is about an hour from Jacksonville (if you’re living in Northwest Jax), but in rush-hour traffic and with lane closures and flash rain, can add more to your commute.

Opening the show was Aaron Dugan Band, featuring band leader and guitarist Aaron Dugan, along with keyboardist Jason Matthews from Miami, drummer Ofri Nehemya from Israel, and bassist Ben Zwerin from Paris/New York. Dugan’s band is normally a trio with drummer Matt Scarano and multi-instrumentalists Jason Fraticelli, but Matisyahu’s music required a full backing band that this new Aaron Dugan Band was assembled for Matisyahu.

The all-instrumental band played tracks from Dugan’s latest album How to Never Fall Apart, which was released October 6, 2025, on DoogTown Records. The music blends jazz (which Dugan studied in school), reggae, avant-garde and everything in between. Based on hearing his solo work, you can understand why Matisyahu had collaborated with Dugan since 2004’s Shake Off the Dust… Arise. We wrote about Dugan in August 2009, writing: “Perhaps this has to do with the brilliant Aaron Dugan on guitars, who can be heard clearly on such tracks as “Motivate” and “We Will Walk”. From seeing them live at the recent 80/35 Festival, I can tell you that Dugan is a very talented guitarist.”

Dugan mentioned that the graphic designer, Krista Galligani, of his album was selling merchandise for them, and after the band finished their 45-min set, they announced that they were going to take a 15-min break and be back as Matisyahu’s band.

 

 

It took a little longer, but as promised, the band came back, taking their position. This time, the empty center stage is now filled by Matisyahu, who takes the full spotlight. And when I say spotlight, at times, whoever was working the lights had turned it on so bright that Matisyahu kept asking them to turn it down.

The Ponte Vedra Concert Hall venue has all-new sound equipment and light system, that perhaps they were still working out what works best. The lights and sounds were incredible, but in this situation, it seemed like it could have benefited with a low-key or dimmed lights.

In typical Matisyahu shows, there were people who came to his show with the flag of Israel. This is like if you go to a band from Wales and you will always see the Welsh flag. The fans of certain countries will be proud to be out to show support for the bands.

I have to say that Matisyahu is looking incredibly happy and healthy! I can tell you that it’s a different energy, seeing him sitting down in 2015 and then seeing him with a walking cane in 2024. With this 2025 show, Matisyahu, completely shaven is walking around and dancing and moving all over the place. Sometime, when singing isn’t required, he would step off stage to let the band carry the energy. I have to admit, it doesn’t reach the same energy as Live at Stubb’s, but it’s good to see Matisyahu back to his former self.

Most of the set was taken from the new record, Ancient Child, which had a special background animation as he performs those songs. Of course, the crowd favorite, “King Without a Crown” was done mid-set.

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