In the midst of a blustery fall rainstorm, a sold out crowd swarmed the steps of The MET in Philadelphia. Despite the gloomy weather, fans beamed with excitement as they flooded the opera house. Everyone made their way to their assigned seats in anticipation of the show, fully aware that no one would be sitting tonight; the whole crowd would be in constant motion.
After a lively DJ set by Beeba, eager eyes remained looking forward as smoke filled the room long before Macklemore would light up the stage. Lights dropped, music grew, and lightning struck a flooded blue stage; this was only the beginning of the performance to come. In a lull between flashes of color, a shape of pure excitement stormed from the wings and down towards the center platform, built out so intimately near fans. Flashing an incredible jersey and touting a love of Philly cheesesteaks, Macklemore was immediately met with loving eyes from locals.
Starting with the heartwarming song “CHANT” from the 2023 album Ben was an excellent tactic to engage the crowd, in an overarching message to embrace the present moment. Following it up immediately with the 2012 classic, “Thrift Shop,” was just the perfect choice to bring every bit of energy from the crowd into enjoying the show.
The entire show was made fulfilling and complete with the incredible talent of the band, vocalists, and dancers. Without missing a beat, dancers kept in toe with the rapper as he paraded around all over to connect with the whole room of enthusiastic fans. Pointing out so many people individually and sharing those personal interactions in between moments of performance demonstrated the experienced showmanship that he presented.
There was a broad spectrum of emotions to experience throughout the show, with some words hitting like a plummet to Earth and other words inspiring you to rise above it all to choose joy. Connecting with the audience through moving songs like “Same Love” and “Otherside,” Macklemore was able to promote his ideology through his artistic expression. The tone of the evening remained in high spirits with songs like “NO BAD DAYS,” “Downtown,” and “Good Old Days.” Even in the fluctuation of mood, the entire night continued to raise spirits and build to the climax of the evening: a thrilling encore of the radio hit “Can’t Hold Us.” This concert was real and raw, honest and open, and a culmination of the rapper’s hardwork and dedication to the art of genuine performance.
