NEWCASTLE HEADLINE SHOW ANNOUNCED!
They just took home a stunning Grammy haul including Best New Artist, Best Rap Performance, Best Rap Song and Best Rap Album, having conquered the globe with smash hits such as ‘Thrift Shop’ and ‘Same Love’. Hitting Australian shores next month for summer’s hottest event – Future Music Festival – Seattle’s Macklemore & Ryan Lewis will perform a very special, one-off headline show in Newcastle, NSW, on Wednesday 5 March.
Novocastrians, this is going to be huge! Seven Grammy nominations, 300 million YouTube views, three multi-platinum singles, over a million LPs sold in the US alone, countless festival and TV appearances... MC Ben Haggerty (Macklemore) and producer Ryan Lewis are THE success story of 2014. In one of the most memorable TV performances in history, at the recent 56th annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles Macklemore & Ryan Lewis were joined on stage by Madonna, Mary Lambert, Queen Latifah and Trombone Shorty to perform ‘Same Love’, while 33 couples – gay and straight – tied the knot live, in a celebration of marriage equality: relive the amazing moment here.
“First and foremost I want to thank our fans, the people who got us on this stage. Before there was any media, before there was any buzz about us, before there was any story, there was our fans ... I thank everybody worldwide.” – Ben Haggerty, accepting Grammy for Best New Artist
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis emerged from the Pacific Northwest in 2012 with a DIY ethic and the song of the year in ‘Thrift Shop’. Utterly addictive and eight times platinum in Australia, its hilarious clip saw the duo propel to the top of charts across the globe and took out triple j’s Hottest 100 with over 1.5m votes. ‘Thrift Shop’ was followed up with two more record-breaking singles: ‘Same Love’ (four times platinum) and ‘Can’t Hold Us’ (five times platinum).
All three songs are lifted from The Heist, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis’s critically acclaimed second album. Heralded as a game-changer by critics and fans alike, The Heist debuted at number two in Australia’s ARIA album charts and quickly went platinum, number two on Billboard’s Top 200, and number one on iTunes in the US.
A year on from the release of The Heist and Macklemore still can’t believe it. “We scrutinised every kick drum. Every snare. Every bar,” he blogged late last year of the album’s creation. “And now here I am ... I will never be able to find the words to articulate my gratitude. I can only give you everything I have in me, night after night.”
With Future Music Festival just around the corner, tickets are selling fast – Newcastle fans, get in quick to secure yours for what promises to be one massive night! Fans in Brisbane, Perth, Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide can also party with the Seattle pair and a whole stack of other killer artists, including Pharrell Williams, deadmau5, Eric Prydz, Phoenix and a whole lot more – head to www.futuremusicfestival.com.au
RETURNING TO NEW ZEALAND IN MARCH 2014
WITH SPECIAL GUEST TINIE TEMPAH
They hijacked charts with the sassy, sartorial “Thrift Shop” and followed it up with an impassioned, number one ode to gay rights, “Same Love”. Now Future Music and Frontier Touring are delighted to announce that Seattle duo Macklemore & Ryan Lewis will bring their trailblazing world tour to New Zealand in March 2014!
“It’s [the] astute observations on the human condition and keen self-awareness that set this effort apart. That reality, coupled with Ryan Lewis’ vast, daring and layered production, makes The Heist a truly beautiful album that challenges musical boundaries.” – XXL
Over 300 million YouTube views, three multi-platinum singles, a million plus albums sold in the US alone, multiple festivals (Rock The Bells, Lollapalooza, Bonnaroo), and countless TV appearances... including “Saturday Night Live”, watched by more than six million viewers. Make no mistake: Macklemore & Ryan Lewis have made it.
MC Ben Haggerty (Macklemore) and producer Ryan Lewis emerged from the Pacific Northwest in 2012 with a DIY ethic and THE song of the year in “Thrift Shop”. Utterly addictive, its hilarious clip saw the duo propel to the top of charts across the globe, smashing into the mainstream. The track took the honours in the world’s largest music poll – triple j’s Hottest 100, with over 1.5m votes. The success of “Thrift Shop” was followed up with two singles of equal acclaim, both tracks breaking records with number one debut chart positions in multiple countries: “Same Love” and “Can’t Hold Us” (the latter’s seven-minute video shot in NZ during a Feb 2013 visit).
All three songs are taken from The Heist, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis’s multi-platinum, critically acclaimed second album. Heralded as a game-changer by critics and fans alike, The Heist debuted at number one in the New Zealand album charts, number two on Billboard’s Top 200, and hit number one on iTunes in the USA.
A 70-date world tour saw Macklemore & Ryan Lewis covered by NPR, Rolling Stone, the duo’s socially conscious message and hip-hop skills met with open arms.
Currently on tour in the US, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis landed six nominations for the American Music Awards, and five for MTV’s Europe Music Awards. Thanks to “Thrift Shop” they’ve already won gongs from the Billboard Music Awards, BET Hip Hop Awards, and more. Last month Macklemore & Ryan Lewis also stood up for LGBT youth and anti-bullying, as proud ambassadors for the GLAAD Spirit Day.
“‘Same Love’: the best gay marriage song to date...” – Robert Christgau
A year on from the release of The Heist and Macklemore still can’t believe it. “We scrutinised every kick drum. Every snare. Every bar,” he blogged in October of the record’s creation. “And now here I am ... I have you guys to thank. You’ve made this year what it is, and I will never be able to find the words to properly articulate my gratitude. I can only give you everything I have in me, night after night.”
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis will be joined in NZ by special guest TINIE TEMPAH. One of the UK’s most pioneering artists, the Londoner has just dropped his latest album, Demonstration. Featuring guest spots from Diplo, Dizzee Rascal, 2Chainz, Big Sean, and John Martin, Tinie’s set the bar high for grime lovers across the globe.
Click here to check out Macklemore & Ryan Lewis’ latest video, “White Walls (feat. ScHoolboy Q & Hollis)”. Tickets will sell out fast, so get in quick!
TOUR DATES
Wednesday 5 March Newcastle | Entertainment Centre (All Ages)
Wednesday 12 March Wellington | TSB Bank Arena (All Ages)
Thursday 13 March Auckland | Vector Arena (All Ages)
