THE BEN TOUR - Macklemore 2023 - The Met Philly

It was a foggy drive down the Schuylkill Expressway (I-76) on the way to the Met Philly where Macklemore and co where set to hit the stage around 8:45 PM last night. The skyline looked like it was the Seattle skyline doppelganger as the tops of the skyscraper buildings were surrounded by a shroud of mist and fog. It was raining on and off and I had likened the weather to that of Seattle and says it’s a great night for a Macklemore show. The Seattle, WA native is proud of his hometown and it shows in the way he walks, talks and performs.  I had butterflies in my stomach due to the fact that I was going to be in the same room as Macklemore. An artist with whom I have listened to since as far back as I can remember and one who’s song “Can’t Hold Us Down” is my on my hype playlist for when I would go running. This tour would celebrate the crowning achievement that is his self-titled album BEN released March 3, 2023 via Warner Music Group and it was a gloriously great night. The Seattle native was backed by a drummer, a trumpet and saxophonist, two vocalists and a DJ named Beeba. He took the time before the final song and bow to introduce his crew to the Philadelphia audience and made sure to give them their flowers when it was their turn to shine in the spotlight. He mentioned that no matter how big or small his crowds may be, he is still going to give 110% of his time and energy into the performance. He challenged the audience to be the best versions of themselves and they successfully handled that challenge with poise and grace. It was truly an honor to be in the presence of such an icon, legend and musical hustler. Macklemore the city of Philadelphia loves and adores you and will welcome you back with open arms. 

His band came on stage scattered amongst the smoke machines and getting each other pumped up for the show. There was a bit of a climatic instrumental leading up to the fade to black. And when the lights came back on, Macklemore took center stage to kick off the night with CHANT, his collab with TONES & I, and the crowd sang every word along with him. The lyrics popped up on the screen in a stunning visualizer with TONES & I singing along. The song ended and Macklemore was walking up to the center stage as he stopped mid walk to take the crowd in. The lights had just popped up and he had his hands over his eyebrows scanning the crowd from left to right, floor to the top of the balcony. Then he welcomed the city of Philadelphia to the BEN Tour and promised that we would all have a good night. He also talked about his cheesesteak with wiz and how he slipped into a meat-induced food coma after he was done eating. He also shared his love for the city and how amazing the crowds have been in the past. He even admired the venue in which we were all gathered in and said that it was a gorgeous one and made sure the crowd sang and dance along all night. As he ended the introductions, the opening beats of Thrift Shop came on, and his backup dancers came out to continue the party. People kept up with Mack as he rapped the lyrics to his 2012 hit single when thrifting was seen as a taboo. Now it’s a part of how a community thrives and some are driving to newer neighborhoods to shop and grab a bite in. What a time to be alive. No Bad Days has such a paradiscal vibe and had the crowd dancing so hard that the floor was rumbling at some points. During the song, he had these water soakers set on either side of the stage and would spray the crowd with water. It was so fun to see just how into the song everyone was. The crowd was the definition of all ages and it was evident just how universal his music is. 

I do have to give a huge shout-out to the lighting, audio and production designers and engineers as it brought the vision of the BEN Tour to live. The beachy, party anthem had bright lights reminiscent to that of neon lights you’d see on a downtown cityscape or that of a nightclub. The song Wing$ paid homage to Michael Jordan and his AIR Jordan empire. The reds and purples lends to the intensity and emotion of the lyrics and hits so close to the fans. When the children’s choir echoed throughout the room, you could hear an angelic chorus of voices reverbating within the room. It was passionate and left people speechless and you could tell Macklemore and company felt that energy. During 1984 and Tequila he had us all off our feets and dancing and even shocked the crowd with his PeeWee Herman dance moves. And the crowd shouted TEQUILA in unison and it made me smile so wide. The energy was infectious and you could not shy away from the energy as it moved through the crowd and made every person who was standing still dance like no one was watching. 

One of the things that I have noticed that sets Macklemore apart from his peers in the industry that he is as humble as one can be given the successes and setbacks he’s been handed over the entirety of his career. From playing to six fans to six thousands, he still remains the same person as when he was started. In a way, the BEN tour pays homage to who he truly is and the legacy in which he is carving for his children and their children. He interacts with his fans in such a way that makes your heart swell and melt within the same minute. He makes the older fan in the balcony felt amazingly special, the fan in the retro outfit and hat feel like a million bucks as his face was displayed on the big screen. Or the fan who’s bright neon lime sweater made him stop mid-sentence to acknowledge her for being authentically herself. From birthday shout-outs to first show shout-outs to even a sign held by a four-year old with over the head ear protectors feel so unique and her parents were over the moon as he made them feel great about sharing his music with their children. In fact, there was a slew of young fans decked in their best fits singing along to the show. That is why he is in a league all his own: because he makes every fan feel unique and seen and heard. Plus he made his way into the rainy weather post show to say hello to fans waiting outside. And as he said at the end of the show, Ben it was such an honor to spend my Saturday night with you and 3,500 other fans. Please do come back again for the best party of the night.