Monday-Sunday 2/20-26
Slug's invitation last year for fans to arrive on snowmobiles probably won't carry over to this year, but his group Atmosphere is returning as promised via tour bus to corners of the state where other bands rarely perform -- especially hip-hop acts, especially in February. The Minneapolis indie-rap titans' second annual Welcome to Minnesota Tour kicks off Monday at Mankato's Verizon Center Ballroom and then heads to Bemidji's Sanford Center Ballroom on Tuesday, Duluth's Clyde Iron Works on Thursday, Rochester's Mayo Civic Center Auditorium on Saturday and St. Cloud's Atwood Center Ballroom next Sunday. They added a hometown gig in the middle of the trek on Wednesday -- their first First Ave show since November 2010 -- but those tickets predictably sold out right away, and Duluth's soon followed. Each show will feature the same trio of openers, Kill the Vultures, Big Quarters and MaLLy, three of the Twin Cities' more innovative younger hip-hop artists. Brother Ali's longtime turntablist BK-One will also DJ.
