Gnarls Barkley are finally back on the road after 18 years away. On Friday (Sept. 18), the Grammy-winning duo of singer CeeLo Green and producer Danger Mouse announced a nine-city North American headline tour, their first since 2008. The To Whom It Still Concerns Tour supports their third and final album, Atlanta, which arrived in March via 10k Project/Atlantic Records.
The Live Nation-promoted run launches Nov. 5 at San Francisco’s The Masonic and wraps Nov. 28 at Chicago’s House of Blues. Tickets go on sale Thursday (Sept. 24) through livenation.com.
“The Gnarls Barkley ‘To Whom It Still Concerns’ Tour operates like an open book, exploring the universal matters of life, death and everything in between,” Green said in a statement. “These songs are the silver lining to an otherwise sad story. Come, and let’s celebrate together the beautiful madness of it all.”
The 18-Year Wait
Gnarls Barkley last performed live on Sept. 28, 2008, at Austin City Limits. That was 18 years ago. The band often performed in costume. Now they are back, and the dates span from the West Coast to the East Coast, with a stop in Canada along the way.
The tour is promoted by Live Nation. The schedule covers nine nights across nine cities, with no repeat shows in any market.
The Album Behind the Tour
Atlanta is the long-awaited follow-up to the duo’s 2008 sophomore album, The Odd Couple. The pair’s Grammy-nominated debut, 2006’s St. Elsewhere, spawned the massive hit “Crazy,” which peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in May 2006 while topping the U.K. charts for nine weeks.
Earlier this year, Green and Danger Mouse released their first single from Atlanta, the dreamy pop tune “Pictures.”
The Backstory
Gnarls Barkley said in a previous press release that they had always intended to record a third album, but “life and other creative pursuits intervened.” The pair reconnected last year to record the final chapter in their story.
That backstory matters. It explains why the wait was so long. It also suggests that the album carries weight, since it represents a project the duo had planned for years before it finally came together.
The statement about the tour being an “open book” and exploring “universal matters of life, death and everything in between” ties directly into that narrative. Green’s quote about the songs being “the silver lining to an otherwise sad story” points to a performance that balances darkness with celebration.
The Cities on the Map
The tour touches major markets across North America. Here is the full schedule:
| Date | City | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| Nov. 5 | San Francisco | The Masonic |
| Nov. 7 | Los Angeles | The Wiltern |
| Nov. 10 | Atlanta | Coca-Cola Roxy |
| Nov. 13 | Detroit | The Fillmore Detroit |
| Nov. 15 | Boston | House of Blues |
| Nov. 19 | Silver Spring, Md. | The Fillmore Silver Spring |
| Nov. 22 | Toronto | HISTORY |
| Nov. 24 | New York | Irving Plaza |
| Nov. 28 | Chicago | House of Blues |
The run starts in the Bay Area and moves east, hitting Los Angeles, Atlanta, Detroit, Boston, Silver Spring, Toronto, New York, and Chicago before wrapping.
The Ticket Window Opens Soon
Tickets go on sale Thursday (Sept. 24) through livenation.com. Fans who have waited 18 years will likely move fast, so securing seats early is wise.
The band’s statement about celebrating “together the beautiful madness of it all” captures the spirit of the tour. It is a return to the stage after a long break, and the music is meant to reflect that journey.
What the Tour Means
This is a significant moment for the duo. A 18-year gap is a long time in music. Green and Danger Mouse have done so, and now they are playing live again.
The tour is a chance to hear Atlanta in full. It is also a chance to revisit older material, since the band’s statement suggests the set will explore the “universal matters of life, death and everything in between.”
Green’s quote about the songs being “the silver lining to an otherwise sad story” points to a performance that balances darkness with celebration.
The Setlist Speculation
The band has not announced a full setlist yet. But given the tour’s title, the “open book” framing, and the “universal matters of life, death and everything in between” language in the statement, fans can expect a mix of new material from Atlanta alongside classic tracks from the duo’s earlier work.
The “Pictures” single is likely to appear. So is “Crazy,” the massive hit from their debut album St. Elsewhere, which topped the U.K. charts for nine weeks. The statement’s emphasis on exploring life, death, and everything in between suggests the setlist could touch on the darker themes that have defined the duo’s catalog throughout their career.
The Road Ahead
The dates are set, the tickets are coming, and the album is out. Gnarls Barkley have done the hard part: they made the record, and they are ready to play it live.
The tour runs for nine nights across nine cities. That is a lot of shows in a short window. But after 18 years, the wait is finally over.
Gnarls Barkley are back on the road, and the music is ready. The band has a new album to promote, a long history to honor, and a group of loyal fans who have waited patiently. This is their moment, and they are taking it.
Source material: “Gnarls Barkley Back on the Road for First Time in 18 Years: See the Dates,” Billboard.
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