TheCoolJew.com Review of Yeshiva Boys Choir Live

YBC LIVE SUKKOS 2009 BROOKLYN COLLEGE

Gut Moied! Chag Sameach!! I had the privilege to get a hold of fantastic seats this year, 2nd row center at the YBC LIVE Sukkos Concert in Brooklyn College. I got to the area early and watched all the Yidden come from near and far to take part in this fantastical show! I overheard a woman telling someone how they came all the way from New Jersey because they could not miss an Eli Gerstner show. I smiled because I felt the same way. As I was sitting on the edge of my seat waiting for the show to begin I looked around. The room was filled. I recognized some familiar faces, one of the members from The Chevra, Yossi Zweig from jewishinsights.com, and of course the families of the musical talents that were performing.

Then, the room got dark, music started playing and Yossi Sharf, the MC came out to introduce the first performance. Shea Rubenstein, new on the hot Jewish music scene who just recently this year came out with an album- ohavto. He performed "Modim" off that CD. I never heard Shea live before and I was pretty impressed with his stage presence as well as loving the song he sang!

Right after Shea's performance Yossi came out and quickly introduced Yosef Chaim who ran out onto the stage singing "Emes" off his newest album- "Lo Lefached". This was my second time seeing Yosef Chaim performing live and he gets better and better every time. He chose a great song to get the crowd excited for what was coming up next. Right after Yosef Chaim finished his song, Dovid Stein was introduced and came out dancing and singing to the famous, "Lazer's Niggun" and got the audience very into it.

It was very interesting how quickly these first three acts went, how each singer sang one of their hit songs, and ran right back off stage. Until it was Dovid Gabay's turn. Gabay came out singing a hit song - "Don Don" off his latest CD- "Omar Dovid". The room was rocking and Gabay hit up some pretty snazzy dance moves on stage. The crowd was wild, especially the Yeshiva Bochurim in the front rows who were dancing, singing and cheering and making everything even more Leibedik than it already was! Gabay then went into a fantastic Medley composed of Sois Toisis, Birchus Avicha, Daven for Me, Yimloch , and Yerushalyim- which he totally rocked.

Then, the moment Ive been waiting for, as I'm sure the audience was as well...YBC!! The boys came out in black vests singing Lemaan Daas, as always with Yossi Newman by their side making sure everything is going smoothly. They then went right into "Hillel Omair", incorporating some great gymnastics shtick which, from the 2nd row was pretty fun to watch!! Finally, right before intermission the stage got dark and opened with a spotlight on the first soloist for the song Hamalach which is from YBC's newest album. I first heard this song at the Pesach YBC LIVE concert and I loved it from the first note played. The soloists did a great job and the tune and the achdus from the rest of the choir during this song can really make a person feel the music. Tani Martin and Yaakov Mordechai Gerstner did an excellent job even though they had a bit of trouble hitting some of the notes. I felt the way they handled it was excellent and did not sound bad at all. I heard during intermission that YM Gerstner had just stepped off a plane from Eretz Yisroel so that explains a bit of the hoarseness in his voice.
The boys came out with black top hats singing Atah Kidashta, the third track off their newest album and did an incredible job here as well.

Then the concert paused for intermission and it was fun seeing Shea Rubenstein and Yossi Sharf hanging with the audience a bit. After Intermission, Yosef Chaim came back out singing the title track off his album- Lo Lefached and did a great job. I got great pictures of him rocking that song. Afterward, YM Gerstner came out in a suit and tie singing a song he composed himself. The song was called ""V'zaro". I was able to catch on quick, a very fun easy song and YM Gerstner did a great job with his stage presence and dancing as well as giving his older brother Eli a few smiles and looks during the performance. Dovid Stein then came back out singing "Hashem Yimloch" I expected YM Gerstner to come out in the middle and join in but no such luck. Dovid Stein did a great job on the song anyway, it is a beautiful one. Dovid then went right into the title track of his latest album- "Melech" and his voice totally soared through the room.

Dovid Gabay had me on the edge of my seat when he came out right after singing a brand new song composed by Eli Gerstner and will probably be featured on Gabay's new CD that is being worked on as we speak. The song was called "Malchuscha" and WOW!! Gabay did such a phenomenal job on this song. He was dancing all over the stage, smiling and waving his hands around, completely in tune with the beat and I was just speechless after this song. I cannot wait to hear it recorded although nothing beats Gabay live! Gabay of course cant end a performance without his famous- "LeGabay" which I enjoy every time I hear it!

YBC then came back out wearing grey vests singing Shabichi- the first song off YBC 3. Great dance moves here and Tani Martin did an excellent job on his solo. As did the others. There are two adorable twins, who had many solos and are placed right in front which was a true delight to hear and see. Afterwards the choir came out bringing us back to the old stuff singing Shir Hamaalos which is still beautiful, Tani Martin, YM Gerstner and the twins then came out singing solos from "In a Song" and the rest of the choir followed holding orange glo sticks which they threw out into the audience at the end...and i got one :)

Finally, the song Ive been waiting for, title track off YBC 4- Shmoy Shel Melech. I love love love this song and the boys did a great job performing it live. They then sang Veohavta of course and that turned into the finale which was Kol Hamispalel. We got to see a bunch of kids from the audience hop on stage at this point and sing and dance along, as well as getting a fantastic solo from Eli Gerstner himself, as well as his son who sang along side him! It was a great finale, it made me not want to leave!

All in all the concert was GREAT however there was a bit of a disappointment how there weren't so many performances from YBC off their newest album. I was looking forward to hearing the great songs from YBC 4 performed live, and there were only a few. The older stuff was awesome of course but a bit predictable. IYH next concert they should sing more from YBC 4! I really enjoyed myself, and of course hanging around with the singers after the show wasnt too bad either :)

Chag Sameach.

REVIEW BY TCK FOR THECOOLJEW.com