The Minneapolis based underground rap contingent Atmosphere brought their electrifying Everybody Loves a Clown"" tour to a sold out audience at the Barrymore theatre Tuesday night.
Front man and wordsmith Slug's witty, narrative style poetry captured the enthusiastic, lyrically involved crowd from the onset, but the live band - complete with a bevy of keyboards, full drum set, bass and electric guitars and stellar producer Ant maneuvering the turntables - catalyzed the performance and transcended the label ""rap concert.""
Slug could have capably entertained his adoring fans by simply showing up and performing his set accompanied by recorded tracks and a DJ, but the piano-heavy, guitar amplified, hip-manipulating symphonic support of the live musicians lent the show authenticity to match Slug's contemplative, intellectual and personally derived stories and experiences.
Atmosphere connected with the audience early on with slick, tight renditions of new tracks like ""Music Box"" and ""Sunshine,"" but also through Slug's personal banter with the crowd and his wide array of hats that accompanied different songs. After finishing ""Shoes,"" Slug chided that the chorus was easy, but that about half the people in the audience were faking it. He grinned and remarked ""Just kidding. I wanted to know what it feels like to be a prick"" before grabbing the hat to match - a police hat - and diving into the critique of a police power trip in ""Between the Lines.""
The blend of jazz, rock, funk and danceable hip-hop elements with insightful and humorous lyrics produced a magnetic concert experience - other hip-hop acts should take note.
