Splantaneity: Making a Spontaneous Plan

At midnight last night, I was sitting in my apartment, typing and making soup. Why make soup at midnight when one is not a witch? Well, it started about 6:45 pm last night, with me making soup.

It's not like I spend a lot of time making soup, that it should figure so prominently in a story. Still, it's been quite an evening. Friend and colleague Lisa Klug (author of the forthcoming book, Cool Jew) called me. "Wanna go to a concert?" I was wearing yoga pants (hold the yoga, but the pants are comfy) and a thermal shirt. I was making soup. I was home for the night. Until she said the two magic words: "Idan Raichel."

Next thing I knew, I had thrown on more acceptable clothes, turned off the stove, and was running down the block to the car, where my friends awaited to chauffeur us all downtown to the Fillmore on Irving Place. It was a plan that emerged from nowhere, and the adrenalin was the only thing that got me there: it was utterly splantaneous.

So much happened it's hard to know where to begin or how many people to link to. So I'll forgo the more gratuitious linkages and just provide highlights.

Working the power of the press, Lisa and I were the first ones in, and got to see the crowd assemble and then smush into each other. On our way in, someone asked me if I was looking for the stage, and I almost said yes, from force of habit. The packed house didn't bother us; we had made aliyah to the upstairs level, where we sipped our beer from cans and people-watched.

A friend I knew from Dor Chadash and his friend helped us gain access to the VIP area, where there were no perks other than the fact that it was a little less crowded and we had a table and some chairs to sit at. Sporting my Jewlicious2.0 sweatshirt, I must have looked like a member of the crew, and managed to travel between VIP and non-VIP worlds seamlessly. (Because that is how I roll.)

There was a flurry of excitement at the arrival of Matisyahu and his posse, which inspired me to coin a new term: posse+Hasidim=posse-dim. He was ushered to the "real VIP section," away from the hordes who would mob him, and eventually was escorted to the stage, where he joined the Project for some rhymes, and that led into Y-Love, creating a treat of a performance for people who already were excited to see the IRP... There was more, of course. Someone in the IRP played a tub of water. It was percussion. And it was amazing. There was amazing energy from the crowd, which took copious pictures and videos undoubtedly destined for YouTube. But eventually the night had to end, and I was deposited at my apartment, where I continued my abandoned-activity and finished making soup. And that, ladies and gentlemen, is what a typical night looks like when you can afford to be "splantaneous."

Comments

[idan raichel fan!]

hey there!

i was wondering if anyone knows where i can get a good clip of rony playing the water drum solo in new york last night? youtube has a couple, but there is a ton of outside noise.

while he was playing last night, it seemed relatively quiet as everyone was utterly awestruck (or at least my friends & i were!) during these few moments. has anyone captured it on video (audio also okay)

thanks!!

[Esther Kustanowitz]

It was an amazing performance. I don't have footage. I'd keep scouring YouTube, and maybe contact the folks at Shemspeed.com, who might have some sort of recording or know where to get one.

[Matt W]

Great comments...
I just saw the show twice in 3 weeks in Madison, WI , and Chicago.
They seemed kinda burnt out in Chi... hope they had more energy in NY!