By Julia Chet
Theme Editor
As they near the end of their tour, it seems as though Macklemore and Ryan Lewis truly have put in “Ten Thousand Hours” to make The Heist absolutely jaw-dropping.
The band’s most recent show in Los Angeles took place at the Staples Center on December 4th, and it was full of sights and sounds to behold. The concert was ultimately astounding with being performed, the smooth transitions in between songs, and the inclusion of an improvisation section.
The Heist Tour was created in response to the popularity of Macklemore and Ryan Lewis’s most recent album, “The Heist.” The Heist Tour began in the fall of 2013 and in Portland, Oregon and is going to end in Seattle, Washington. After finishing the U.S. portion of the tour, Macklemore and Lewis will continue on internationally in countries like Australia and New Zealand.
At the Los Angeles show, the quality of the music was impeccable. All of the songs performed sounded just as well live as they do on the recorded album. Every beat and lyric was on point and all were absolute testaments to the raw talent of the duo.
And it wasn’t even all about the rehearsed segments of the concert. Entire parts of the act were improvised, and words cannot describe the awe inspired by the completely original song that was created in real time during the performance. The freestyling went past just lyrics, and came with an entirely developed beat and bass line to make an actually polished four-minute song that more than paralleled actual studio-recorded pieces on “The Heist.”
Furthermore, the set-list was perfect for the mood of the concert. The songs picked showed incredibly captivating variety, with mellow songs like “Same Love” that transitioned and brought the crowd to standing ovations with upbeat, energetic songs like “Ten Thousand Hours.” The constant changes in pace kept the audience engaged, and nothing was repetitive in the least.
Even in the literal transitions were entertaining and personal tidbits like short comedic recordings of Macklemore before coming out on stage. To close the gap between other songs, Macklemore shared stories about his beginnings as an artist and the origins and emotional bases of certain works on the album. The personal nature of Macklemore’s stories, explanations, and candid videos made for an even more inclusive an entertaining performance that held a level of depth more profound than the simple playing of songs.
Overall, the concert was well-thought out, full of energy, and thoroughly entertaining, and it spoke to the rising stardom of the indelibly talented duo.
Tickets range from about $50 to $75, and The Heist Tour will be continuing on in the U.S. and then internationally.
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