When Atmosphere Announces 2023 Concert Tour
The indie hip-hop group known as Atmosphere led by rapper Slug and musical mastermind Ant has revealed details of their North American tour in 2023. The “Whenever 2-3-4 Tour” is planned to be the Minneapolis-based group taking over the road for more than 40 shows from February through May which will be their most extensive touring since 2018.
In a press release, it explains that the name of the tour, the Whenever 2-3-4 Tour, refers to the structure of the setlists every night. Atmosphere is scheduled to debut two songs from this impressive discography before launching into three popular songs and concluding with four more. This format enables them to present fresh material in addition to the songs that have helped them cultivate a loyal fan base in the last 25 years.
Atmosphere initially teased the tour with some ambiguous posts on social media before officially releasing the dates the previous week. The teases made fans believe that something big was coming from Slug and Ant who have been quite inactive in the past few years but were actually working on new songs.
The last major outing was the “Welcome to Canada” tour in 2018 which was successful as Atmosphere previewed new material that they had not released on records such as Whenever and The Day Before Halloween. The 2023 trek looks similarly designed to present their newest works in concert should they release another album before the tour.
The 40+ tour stops begin in Tempe, Arizona on February 15th and travel through the continental United States before ending in their final destination in Lawrence, Kansas on May 13th. Other notable performances include two concerts at the iconic Red Rocks Amphitheater outside Denver as well as a show at The Armory in Minneapolis – where Atmosphere recently performed Streaming Live From Over There concerts.
Opening acts for the various segments of the Whenever 2-3-4 Tour come from the underground scene and include such artists as MF DOOM, Aesop Rock, The Grouch, and Eligh. Some of the new artists coming from Minneapolis’s active hip-hop community will also get a shot at opening the show. For many emerging artists, getting the opportunity to tour with Atmosphere is a career highlight that happens early on in their journey.
And since their first album Overcast! Since 1997, both Slug and Ant have ensured that they bring along young rappers for opening acts or record features for some songs. Their independent label Rhymesayers Entertainment rose to dominate the underground hip-hop circuit as Atmosphere continued to influence and provide a platform for fresh talents.
Their own music also changed significantly from early boom-bap-influenced tracks to current live band sound. Across nine studio albums and other works, Slug’s poetic style of rapping and honest lyrics along with Ant’s soulful beats forged a special chemistry that millions of fans resonated with. Productions such as “Sunshine,” “The Arrival” and “Yesterday” are considered modern-age hip-hop anthems of the underground music scene.
Outside the twin cities, the Atmosphere name has some clout in some quarters internationally as well. In 2022 Slug and Ant went on a tour across Europe where pockets of listeners who appreciate their music still exist despite their music receiving little airplay or promotion in foreign countries. Their songs also got sampled by pop stars including the Latino reggaeton sensation, Maluma. So while they rarely go in search of the accolades of the masses, the work of the duo continues to hit new audiences.
The 2023 When Atmosphere Tour however caters directly to their built-in US fanbase, many of whom were in high school or college when they discovered Atmosphere’s music in the 2000s. Today, these are the adults, who are professionals and have more disposable income for concerts, which this original core following buy tickets most enthusiastically.
Therefore, more significant mid-size venues across North America than the small clubs that would be related to indie rap concerts. The increase in capacity indicates demand even though they do not possess the power of pop cultural domination they used to have. The groups’ vast discography means their DJ sets are going to be equally as enjoyable to older fans who enjoyed songs from Overcast! or God Loves Ugly era.
However, Slug and Ant understand that longevity is partly dependent on the ability to build an audience beyond those who are like them and in their age range. The two rappers continue to be incredibly loyal to the act with their extensive presence, frequently giving guest lectures at schools and local youth programs.
Likewise, signing rising talents for a tour’s purpose also seeks the attention of the next generation’s audiences. Sometimes, Slug’s own teenage son opens for him which is a testament to the future of Atmosphere.
But for now, When Atmosphere returns to the stage following a time they had to leave the road, fans can expect each show to have a nostalgic feel. Hit songs that become the soundtrack of many attendees’ lives promise sing-alongs and heartfelt moments when Slug spits out verses that resonate too close to home.
The Whenever 2-3-4 tour can be considered a homecoming show for Atmosphere, Day 1 fans, and underground hip-hop in general. With the same power of live music, one more time, the artists’ connection with fans becomes stronger and continues.
