On Halloween night, hip-hop fans dressed as the Beastie Boys, Mario, Sarah Palin and other familiar characters flocked to the Orpheum on the eve of Freakfest to listen to the hard rhymes of the dynamic rap duo Atmosphere.
The successful “Paint the Nation Tour” had fans filling every inch of the venue, making it difficult to move through the aisles, but the energy of the crowd was in unison as music lovers chanted “Atmosphere” while anxiously waiting for lead singer Slug’s appearance on stage.
Slug stepped on to the stage to fans screaming his name with hands in the air.
“I couldn’t wait to see your ugly faces, Madison,” Slug said to the chanting crowd.
Fans received a surprise from Slug as he introduced a special appearance from the Twin Cities duo Eyedea and Abilities.
The duo came out prepared to give the crowd an excellent set as Eyedea dropped heavy rhymes, complimenting Abilities’ unquestionably talented turntable “abilities.”
After more than two hours of opening bands, Atmosphere took the stage.
Promoting the band’s newest album, When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold, Slug opened with “In Her Music Box.” Hands waved left and right throughout the concert as glow sticks flew through the air.
“This glow stick shit is going to get old really fast, Madison,” Slug yelled to snickering fans.
The nonstop interaction between Slug and the audience set this concert apart from any other.
At every opportunity Slug thanked fans for supporting him throughout the years of the band and even admitted the Madison crowd was bigger than that of his hometown. Slug’s continual references to Madison and State Street fueled the audience’s energy.
Other songs played during the concert included “Shoulda Known,” “Your Glass House” and “God Loves Ugly.” DJ Ant provided heavy bass beats throughout each song, allowing fans to feel the vibrations from the speakers. Vocalist Mankwe Ndosi and guitarist Nate Collins both injected their own style into each song, allowing lyrics and chords to have an extra bit of zest. On keyboard and synthesizer, Erick Anderson contributed with his smooth fingers, which worked harmoniously with Slug’s vocals.
At the end of the concert, the band came out for a three-song encore to make sure fans did not leave disappointed. Slug asked for a favor from the audience before exiting the stage, telling the crowd to put two fingers in the air and yell peace.
“Tonight was brought to us by the letter ‘V’ for vote,” Slug said. “I’m not here to tell you who to vote for, I just want my credibility back. I want the people in charge now to be scared of who everyone voted for. Peace.”
