August 19, 2011
First Fleet Concerts presents
Macklemore, Ryan Lewis
Dee-1, Xperience
Sun, December 2, 2012
Doors: 6:00 pm / Show: 7:00 pm (event ends at 11:00 pm)
Blue Moose Tap House$15.00 - $17.00
Tickets
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis

Macklemore & Ryan Lewis hold a singular place in both the Pacific Northwest and beyond, emerging as a premier national hip-hop group with numerous career highlights to their name. A genuine lyricist and an electrifying live performer, Macklemore, with his producer Ryan Lewis, have garnered critical acclaim and a devoted fan base. The duo has generated undeniable momentum with Macklemore's feature on the cover of XXL's Freshman Class of 2012, along with a highly anticipated full-length album and accompanying world tour.
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis' music is distinct for channeling cultural moments and refreshingly self-aware testimony through candid lyricism and expertly crafted production. Their work has captivated listeners around the world, with a combined total of 20 million views on YouTube and a passionate fan following on social media. Their body of work demonstrates an impressive variety of musical influence, experience and subject matter, all in a voice unmistakably their own.
Macklemore's 2005 release Language of My World was well received by circles who noted his fresh perspective and a striking balance of insight and levity. After several subsequent years of artistic stagnation and frustration due to substance abuse, Macklemore made a commitment to sobriety with a newfound, more intrinsic dedication to his music. The catalyst to this change was establishing a partnership and on-going collaboration with Ryan Lewis, an accomplished artist in design, photography, video and musical production, who also acts as Macklemore's touring DJ. They released the VS EP in 2009 & VS Redux in 2010, the latter reaching #7 on the iTunes Hip Hop charts. Throughout 2011 they released four highly successful singles, all accompanied by undeniable music videos. As an independent group with no current association with an outside record label, the duo has built their brand from the ground up since day one and continue to be completely in-house with their music, design, photography, merchandise and all other platforms of their artistry.
Also in 2011, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis sold-out two national tours packing houses in New York City, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Minneapolis and a three-night run at Seattle's Showbox venue where 3,600 tickets sold out in less than 48 hours.
The pair has been featured at a significant number of major festivals and showcases, including the 2011 Rock The Bells Tour, Lollapalooza (IL), Soundset (MN), MusicFest NW (OR), Sasquatch (WA), Outside Lands (San Francisco), and a much-talked about run at SXSW, including a set at the Fader Fort. Perhaps most notable was 2011's Bumbershoot Festival, where Macklemore & Ryan Lewis performed an extended set to 12,000 fans at Key Arena, unprecedented for a Seattle-based hip-hop artist. They also performed "My Oh My" at the Seattle Mariners home opener at Safeco Field for 48,000 people.
Select publication appearances include the Source's "Unsigned Hype" column in early 2012, the "Show-And-Prove" feature in XXL Magazine, a front-page feature on the Seattle Times and the cover of City Arts Magazine.
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis will release their highly anticipated first full-length album this fall that promises to be their greatest showcase of musical versatility and best work to date. With a 65+ city world tour to support the release, the duo is set for remarkable new heights.
On his debut album, The Language of My World, Macklemore drafts a lyrical landscape of classic proportions. This record is teeming with energy and ambition, serving as a fitting debut for one of this country's mo...st promising young artists. Macklemore's gift, like that of all great songwriters, is his ability to speak on universal experiences in a uniquely personal way. Throughout The Language of My World, Macklemore consistently addresses topics that are uncomfortable or taboo, in an attempt to exorcise his own personal demons.
His music is inspirational, filled with social and racial consciousness, as well as a constructive political vision. He's also funny as hell, making music that is at once hilarious and affecting. Born and raised in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood Macklemore has been an integral part of the Seattle hip-hop scene for the past 7 years. He developed his style and character as part of Elevated Elements, which he founded when he was just 14 years old, and quickly moved on to pursue his solo career. From these humble beginnings Macklemore has matured, both as a songwriter and performer, into an artist who is clearly beginning to realize his near limitless potential.
The Language of My World marks the beginning of a movement. The album also features the talents of emcee Xperience who, along with Macklemore, makes up one half of the super-group Step Cousins. Step Cousins features the lighter side of Macklemore. The chemistry that these two have together is nothing short of timeless.
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis' music is distinct for channeling cultural moments and refreshingly self-aware testimony through candid lyricism and expertly crafted production. Their work has captivated listeners around the world, with a combined total of 20 million views on YouTube and a passionate fan following on social media. Their body of work demonstrates an impressive variety of musical influence, experience and subject matter, all in a voice unmistakably their own.
Macklemore's 2005 release Language of My World was well received by circles who noted his fresh perspective and a striking balance of insight and levity. After several subsequent years of artistic stagnation and frustration due to substance abuse, Macklemore made a commitment to sobriety with a newfound, more intrinsic dedication to his music. The catalyst to this change was establishing a partnership and on-going collaboration with Ryan Lewis, an accomplished artist in design, photography, video and musical production, who also acts as Macklemore's touring DJ. They released the VS EP in 2009 & VS Redux in 2010, the latter reaching #7 on the iTunes Hip Hop charts. Throughout 2011 they released four highly successful singles, all accompanied by undeniable music videos. As an independent group with no current association with an outside record label, the duo has built their brand from the ground up since day one and continue to be completely in-house with their music, design, photography, merchandise and all other platforms of their artistry.
Also in 2011, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis sold-out two national tours packing houses in New York City, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Minneapolis and a three-night run at Seattle's Showbox venue where 3,600 tickets sold out in less than 48 hours.
The pair has been featured at a significant number of major festivals and showcases, including the 2011 Rock The Bells Tour, Lollapalooza (IL), Soundset (MN), MusicFest NW (OR), Sasquatch (WA), Outside Lands (San Francisco), and a much-talked about run at SXSW, including a set at the Fader Fort. Perhaps most notable was 2011's Bumbershoot Festival, where Macklemore & Ryan Lewis performed an extended set to 12,000 fans at Key Arena, unprecedented for a Seattle-based hip-hop artist. They also performed "My Oh My" at the Seattle Mariners home opener at Safeco Field for 48,000 people.
Select publication appearances include the Source's "Unsigned Hype" column in early 2012, the "Show-And-Prove" feature in XXL Magazine, a front-page feature on the Seattle Times and the cover of City Arts Magazine.
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis will release their highly anticipated first full-length album this fall that promises to be their greatest showcase of musical versatility and best work to date. With a 65+ city world tour to support the release, the duo is set for remarkable new heights.
On his debut album, The Language of My World, Macklemore drafts a lyrical landscape of classic proportions. This record is teeming with energy and ambition, serving as a fitting debut for one of this country's mo...st promising young artists. Macklemore's gift, like that of all great songwriters, is his ability to speak on universal experiences in a uniquely personal way. Throughout The Language of My World, Macklemore consistently addresses topics that are uncomfortable or taboo, in an attempt to exorcise his own personal demons.
His music is inspirational, filled with social and racial consciousness, as well as a constructive political vision. He's also funny as hell, making music that is at once hilarious and affecting. Born and raised in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood Macklemore has been an integral part of the Seattle hip-hop scene for the past 7 years. He developed his style and character as part of Elevated Elements, which he founded when he was just 14 years old, and quickly moved on to pursue his solo career. From these humble beginnings Macklemore has matured, both as a songwriter and performer, into an artist who is clearly beginning to realize his near limitless potential.
The Language of My World marks the beginning of a movement. The album also features the talents of emcee Xperience who, along with Macklemore, makes up one half of the super-group Step Cousins. Step Cousins features the lighter side of Macklemore. The chemistry that these two have together is nothing short of timeless.
Xperience

From the Volcano "2011 Olympia Best Readers Pick, Artist of the year, and Album of the year. I don't think there's anyone more deserving of this award than Xperience. During 2010 he was by far the most active hip-hop artist in the 360. From people begging him to play with them in Portland and Seattle to being flown out to the Midwest, Xperience has really helped establish a name for Olympia in the hip-hop community. As busy as he was in 2010 - playing shows practically every weekend - XP still managed to make enough time to drop his incredible sophomore album, William the VIII.
Xperience's rapping and singing abilities have landed him a lot of features on other well-known Northwest artists' albums, including a full-length album with Rhymesayers' recording artists Grayskul. Aside from his solo work, XP has also recorded a full-length album with one of the many side projects he works with, Sound Asylum, which consists of himself and fellow Olympians A.K.A. and Compost. While Sound Asylum has put out an album, the even better known Step Cousins (XP and Macklemore) have yet to, but fans have been buzzing about this collab for years. Macklemore and XP have many songs written and recorded together (including a few off Macklemore's first album), but both artists admit with Macklemore living in Seattle and XP staying in Olympia, it definitely makes it a little difficult - especially with the growing success of Macklemore's current work with Ryan Lewis.
Regardless, Xperience will remain a top Olympia hip-hop artist for the near future. But his time in Olympia may come to end at some point - his fan base keeps growing larger and he has massive potential for success in the bigger cities surrounding us.
The bottom line: Soak up as much Xperience as you can in Olympia before you have to take a long drive to see him live.
Xperience's rapping and singing abilities have landed him a lot of features on other well-known Northwest artists' albums, including a full-length album with Rhymesayers' recording artists Grayskul. Aside from his solo work, XP has also recorded a full-length album with one of the many side projects he works with, Sound Asylum, which consists of himself and fellow Olympians A.K.A. and Compost. While Sound Asylum has put out an album, the even better known Step Cousins (XP and Macklemore) have yet to, but fans have been buzzing about this collab for years. Macklemore and XP have many songs written and recorded together (including a few off Macklemore's first album), but both artists admit with Macklemore living in Seattle and XP staying in Olympia, it definitely makes it a little difficult - especially with the growing success of Macklemore's current work with Ryan Lewis.
Regardless, Xperience will remain a top Olympia hip-hop artist for the near future. But his time in Olympia may come to end at some point - his fan base keeps growing larger and he has massive potential for success in the bigger cities surrounding us.
The bottom line: Soak up as much Xperience as you can in Olympia before you have to take a long drive to see him live.



