On only his second night of the BEN tour, Macklemore, perhaps best know for his party hits “Thrift Shop,” “Can’t Hold Us,” and “Downtown,” recently brought a sold-out crowd of 6,000 people to The Anthem for a performance full of life, dancing, water guns, and good vibes.
Ben Haggerty, professionally known as Macklemore, took over music charts in 2012 with his collaborative album with Ryan Lewis, The Heist. Though he might not be at the same level he reached with “Thrift Shop” and “Wing$,” his audience is still alive and well, as was proven on at The Anthem on Sept. 19.
Ben noted while on stage, that he first didn’t think playing at The Anthem was a good idea, he thought a 6,000-person venue was overkill. But the sold-out crowd proved him wrong. Not only was the show sold out, but the audience was one of the liveliest ones I’ve seen; something tells me that even after all this time, his fans aren’t going anywhere anytime soon.
Stream BEN by Macklemore on Spotify.
Eighteen years after his first studio album was released in 2005, Macklemore is currently touring in promotion of his fifth and most recent album, BEN. With 20 USA tour dates planned, Macklemore will be on the road until mid-October, stopping in many major cities throughout the country.
His show was one for the books — with pyrotechnics, intricate stage lighting, and choreography like no other, the performance was captivating to say the least. It fostered a beautiful sense of community brought together by their love of music, which is a wonderful thing to have the privilege of witnessing and being a part of.
If you’re able, I highly recommend catching Macklemore on his tour in a city near you. Luckily, he still has a month of tour left, so you might just be able to snag tickets before it’s too late!
Macklemore’s setlist at The Anthem went as follows:
- CHANT
- Thrift Shop*
- No Bad Days
- White Walls*
- Same Love*
- These Days
- Wing$*
- I NEED
- Otherside*
- Starting Over*
- 1984
- And We Danced
- Glorious
- Good Old Days
- Can’t Hold Us*
*Macklemore & Ryan Lewis song
Here are some photos of Macklemore performing at The Anthem on Sept. 19, 2023. All pictures copyright and courtesy of Katie Child.
