As I drove up to WaMu theater, my jaw slowly dropped open as I saw the mass of people in line for the show. Overwhelmed, I joined the line thinking I would be stuck in the far back, soon to be joined by another couple thousand.
You’ve heard it all before: he’s an independent artist, #1 on iTunes, sold out a 7500 seat venue. But what really struck me about the performance on Friday night was the diversity in Seattleites attending. Yes, in line I was surrounded by high schoolers, but by the time I got in the theater I felt like I was in an episode of Glee. Highlights include a nine year old boy sporting a Mariners t-shirt, a group of “goths”, and the winner: my high school Astronomy teacher.
What are the odds? Pretty high, actually. Macklemore’s fan base reaches many, which is in part to his diversity of songs, his marketing strategy, and the city he loves. “I represent us!” He proclaimed, which the audience sucked in, holding on to every word he said. Another thing that surprised me: the attentiveness of the audience. Sure, some of those high school kids were there to party, but largely the audience was focused on the music, singing along when things got rowdy, and showing near silent respect during tracks like “Same Love” and “Starting Over”.
After 17 songs, plus a 3 song encore, the night ended with gold glitter (from “Irish Celebration”) and a petition for Macklemore for Mayor (not really).
Source:
http://rainyblawg.asuw.org/2012/10/19/macklemore-sold-out-1012/