The Roots perform World Cup pregame set in Philadelphia

musicJul 4, 202635109

Questlove and The Roots played a pregame set in Philadelphia ahead of the Paraguay versus France FIFA World Cup round of 16 match. The kickoff slot included a U.S. 250th anniversary sequence with Idina Menzel singing the national anthem and the Philadelphia Boys Choir performing America the Beautiful, which many viewers found jarringly patriotic given the United States was not playing. Attendees reported The Roots performed at the stadium then moved to a Parkway concert, and several viewers praised the band as the highlight of the production. Reactions were mixed, with some calling the choice excellent and saying The Roots salvaged the spectacle, while others described the broader 250th celebration elements as awkward or embarrassing.

Jeffrey Keese

@jeffreykeese.bsky.social

Gotta be honest, talking about equality of man, hearing The Roots perform, and seeing a WC soccer game is a pretty perfect July 4th 250 celebration. Kicks the ass of whatever is happening on the Mall today anyway.

215h ago

DumpTruck 🍑 Decider Alice

@sailormoondamus.gobirds.online

Just let The Roots perform for the entire game…without the weird ass lady Liberty thing

185h ago

🖤♡Amanda♡🖤

@zephyrsky.bsky.social

Oh shit it’s The Roots! This is more like it for Philly

135h ago

Matthew De George

@sportsdoctormd.bsky.social

I'm at The Roots concert. I'm at the World Cup game. I'm at the combination Roots concert/World Cup game

125h ago

James Clay

@lonestarstriker.bsky.social

They got #TheRoots to perform right before the Paraguay 🇵🇾 vs. France 🇫🇷 #FIFAWorldCup round of 16 match.

Laying down the roots.

Philly's very own The Roots sets the stage for a scintillating match-up between France and Paraguay.

75h ago

Quoting this

James Clay4

Halftime: Paraguay 🇵🇾 0 France 🇫🇷 0 Much like the Philly weather, both teams in this #FIFAWorldCup match will reach the "Tipping Point" later on in the second half. I'll see myself out.

James Clay2

"I shall, 'PROCEED', and continue, to rock the next round of the #FIFAWorldCup" - France. Again, I'll see myself. 🇵🇾⚽️🇫🇷

Scott Kennedy

@scotttkennedy.bsky.social

If you can have The Roots before a World Cup game, they should have been doing this the whole time.

35h ago

DapperDadMan

@dapperdadman.bsky.social

The Roots playing for the World Cup has me full mast

35h ago

Franki Butler

@frankitheb.bsky.social

I was opposed to all this 4th of July carrying on at a World Cup game... right up until The Roots showed up. Their city, their field, they can do whatever they want.

35h ago

Jeff Sharon

@thisisjeffsharon.com

So I’m guessing they scheduled all this pomp and circumstance in Philly, on Fox, with Idina Menzel and The Roots, thinking the US would be playing in this slot instead of Paraguay, but then we outperformed the expectations and here we are.

45h ago

Basketball Jones❤️🖤🤍🏀

@shawnjohn.bsky.social

The Roots playing the pregame for World Cup: excellent choice!

35h ago

Matthew Reichbach

@fbihop.com

No World Cup tonight? That's alright, I get to watch new MExico United take on the Oakland Roots! USL Championship!

1Just now

Daryll B

@daryllbenjamin.bsky.social

I give The Roots credit for pulling a Kendrick and subverting it with the Afro-American Flag and performing The Fire...

25h ago

Jerry Hinnen

@jerryhinnen.bsky.social

the World Cup kinda turns me into the guy who roots for chalk in March like, Australia beating Turkiye was a lot of fun at the time but was it worth watching them instead in *this* match? ehhhhhhhh

2Yesterday

Brian Lorenzo

@docanon.bsky.social

This has all the production of a Disney World stage show and twice the awkwardness. But hey The Roots!

5h ago

Justin

@justinf89.bsky.social

Never thought I would ever see The Roots at the World Cup

25h ago

The Roots perform World Cup pregame set in Philadelphiamusic hololive English 4th Concert, 'Serendipity' goes livemusic

The Roots perform World Cup pregame set in Philadelphia

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