Roskilde 2016 Review: Macklemore & Ryan Lewis

When they first met on Myspace back in 2006, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis didn’t know that ten years later they would be bringing their merger of hip-hop and rap to a huge audience waiting for them on the Orange Stage at Roskilde.

Introspective, insightful
Yesterday night, the year’s biggest hip-hop concert at Roskilde Festival didn’t let the fans down. Macklemore hit the stage with enthusiasm, talent and insightful reflection.

Despite an unexpected beginning – the concert opened with the six-minute-long ‘Light Tunnels’, a radical choice due to its introspective atmosphere – the party started with his famous ‘Thrift Shop’. Its tunes made the whole audience join in dancing and singing, while dancers in costumes and Macklemore in his leopard jacket played a great show.

Peace and love
While defining Roskilde “the largest festival in the world”, the rapper from Seattle looked visibly overwhelmed in front of the enormous crowd singing his songs.

As a rapper, Macklemore loves to tell stories, and yesterday he sent messages of love, peace and tolerance.

The night culminated with a long talk about Orlando and the LGBT tribute ‘Same Love’, a song that celebrates love between people of the same sex. That moment was the evening’s emotional peak with mobile lighters, hearts and people kissing.

Tribute to Ziggy
Several songs raised euphoria and excitement amongst the fans, especially the catchy tunes of ‘Can’t Hold Us’, ‘Dance Off’ and ‘Downtown’, which also involved the androgynous vocals of Eric Nally and his eccentric moustache.

Macklemore payed tribute to Ziggy Stardust as he performed ‘And We Danced’ coming on stage dressed as his alter-ego Raven Bowie in a platinum blond wig and a sparkling mantle.

With his rap and hip-hop addictive sounds Macklemore kept fanning the flames of the burning Orange dancefloor all night long.