Macklemore & Ryan Lewis: power and spectacle
Macklemore and Ryan Lewis performed live at the MOA Arena on March 9, 2014.
Macklemore loves to talk… a lot.
He tells stories as if he was confessing to a priest, or answering an interview… except he is onstage in front of thousands of enthusiastic fans in the massive MOA Arena.
He’s been to the Philippines before, he explains at length at the conclusion of the first song, and tells the crowd that to be able to perform in a country he is familiar with is the most amazing feeling in the world.
Boom… with that opening line, he automatically endeared himself to the already fired-up crowd: this dude is just like us!
A spectacle
Throughout the concert, he will crack asides, talk about his by-now well-known stint in rehab and recovery, and extol the virtues of collaborator/producer Ryan Lewis.
In short, he is testifying, like a gospel singer. Soul-baring and social commentary (as in the anti-materialistic stance of their hit “Thrift Shop”) are at the roots of hip-hop; when was the last time you DIDN’T hear a major hip-hop star rap about booty and bling?
The concert of course is a spectacle: Ryan Lewis on a podium behind a laptop, synthesizer and cymbals, a live horn section, dancers, a massive LED screen, confetti.
Enough energy to power a small town
But the heart of everything is Macklemore himself: a powerful rapper with enough energy to power a small town.
What he has to say is as potent as how he’s saying (and rapping) it.
And you FEEL it. No wonder he and Ryan Lewis took home Grammys… and they did it their way, with no major label behind them.
Opening acts
The night actually started on a tentative groove; second opening act DJ Mars Miranda put the vibe right, fortunately.
Was the first opening act nervous or ill-prepared?
Maybe not the former… they seemed to be having fun, high-fiving each other, smiling, and obviously excited to perform for a massive crowd.
Harmonies that weren’t
However, the textures sounded haphazard, the singing a bit strained, the harmonies weren’t… and the butchery of the classic “My Girl” just plain unforgivable.
Maybe there were technical problems. Or maybe they were callous and self-indulgent.
Hopefully they learned something at the end of the night: success is not about you, but what you have to say… and you can ruin the opportunity while it’s occurring.
Read more of Francis Brew in our Music section
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