The Maverik Center erupted with music and energy Saturday night when Ben Haggerty, also known as Macklemore, took the stage in one stop of many during the world tour for his album, “The Heist,” which was released in October 2012.
After touring Europe, Macklemore and his producer, Ryan Lewis, along with Ray Dalton and other performers, started the U.S. tour in Portland, Ore. and will end in Macklemore’s hometown of Seattle on Dec. 12.
The rapper’s career exploded earlier this year with the popularity of his song “Thrift Shop,” which reached No. 1 in the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 2013. His top hit “Can’t Hold Us” was next, followed by “Same Love,” a song that strongly advocates for same-sex marriage equality and communicates a message of acceptance and open-mindedness.
Macklemore struggled in his early days as a rapper, playing for very small groups of fans and living in his parents’ basement while making little profit. His song “Ten Thousand Hours” relays how hard he has worked, and how he believes hard work and dedication combined with enthusiasm will get a person far. In fact, Macklemore has never signed with a record label and has gained success as an independent artist.
As an artist, Macklemore is less about creating catchy beats and more about writing lyrics that speak to the listener and tell a story. His song, “Otherside,” which is a remix of the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ song with the same title, is about Macklemore’s struggle with substance abuse. It was, he said, one of the easiest songs he has ever had to write and he finished writing it in 20 minutes.
Macklemore’s style is quite different than most popular musicians today. He often incorporates voices from lesser known artists in his songs, often interlaying a catchy chorus between his lyrics, which are more like spoken word poetry than traditional lyrics meant for entertainment purposes.
And he put on quite the performance. Macklemore’s concert was memorable, to say the least. He kept a high energy that surged through the entire crowd for the duration of the show. Streamers flew, large orange beach balls were passed around the crowd, and machines blew flames and sparks on stage. But it wasn’t the concert that electrified the audience so much as Macklemore himself.
Many of Macklemore’s songs included fast-paced rhythms and lyrics, and the rapper never seemed to run out of breath.
Macklemore formed a relationship with the people of Salt Lake City long ago, he said. The history started with Kilby Court, a small venue in downtown Salt Lake City where budding artists often perform.
“There was sweat dripping from the walls, [and] we were crowd surfing on the ceiling. And that was when I was first introduced to how the people of Salt Lake City work,” he said.
Many of Macklemore’s humble beginnings started out in small venues such as these, and Macklemore has always been a huge believer in the power of the community of fans he knows are loyal to him and his music.
Macklemore’s passion was exuberant in both his songs and his speeches, and it was obvious he is more about putting the art in artist than in being a performer and a celebrity.
In his performance of “Can’t Hold Us,” which he performed twice during the concert, Macklemore did not hesitate in crowd surfing, one of his trademarks.
Working to complement the showcase, Macklemore had clips and videos playing in the background for each song. There was a tasteful mixture of danceable numbers and inspiring performances. No matter what level of fan the concert-goer was, Macklemore provided an ample variety for all.