Macklemore, rapper and new Sounders owner, performs at Occidental Park before the MLS Cup in Seattle. (GeekWire Photo / Taylor Soper)

“This. Is. It.” And it was something.

Seattle Sounders FC fans turned out in force Sunday morning for pre-MLS Cup festivities just blocks from CenturyLink Field as the city’s pro soccer team got set to take on Toronto FC for the league championship.

Thousands of Sounders faithful clad in Rave Green and blue jammed Occidental Park in the Pioneer Square neighborhood, chanting and cheering as hip-hop star Macklemore and others fired everyone up.

(GeekWire Photo / Taylor Soper)
Seattle hip-hop star Macklemore performs in Occidental Park. (Taylor Soper / GeekWire Photo)

Kids on the shoulders of parents aimed smartphones at the scene, flags and scarves waved over the crowd and people posed for selfies in front of a giant replica of the MLS Cup trophy.

Macklemore, the Seattle rap star who is well connected to the city’s pro sports teams and is among a group of new Sounders owners, pumped up the crowd with a selection of his hits, including “Glorious” and “Can’t Hold Us.” He gave a single ticket to one lucky fan.

After the music, the traditional March to the Match commenced, with the huge crowd slowly making its way south toward the stadium. Loud chants of “Seaaaaaatttttlllleeeee, Sounnnnnnnderrrrrrrrs,” filled the streets.

Check out a bunch of photos from the scene:

MLS Commissioner Don Garber, left, hangs with Sounders owner Adrian Hanauer. (GeekWire Photo / Taylor Soper)
(GeekWire Photo / Kurt Schlosser)
(GeekWire Photo / Taylor Soper)
Terry Myerson, a former Microsoft exec and one of the Sounders’ newest owners, hangs out at the pre-match party. (GeekWire Photo / Taylor Soper)
Fans kick a soccer ball ahead of Sunday’s match. (GeekWire Photo / Kurt Schlosser)
Colored smoke fills the air during the March to the Match. (GeekWire Photo / Kurt Schlosser)
GeekWire Photo / Kurt Schlosser)
Sounders goalie Stefan Frei as depicted on a Seattle pedestrian signal. (GeekWire Photo / Kurt Schlosser)
(GeekWire Photo / Kurt Schlosser)
(GeekWire Photo / Taylor Soper)
(GeekWire Photo / Taylor Soper)
(GeekWire Photo / Taylor Soper)
Macklemore and Seattle Mariners legend Ken Griffey Jr. before the match. (GeekWire Photo / Kevin Lisota)
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