Hum Are Hitting the Road in 2027

Illinois-based shoegaze pioneers Hum are preparing to embark on a comprehensive U.S. tour in 2027, marking their first full-scale series of live dates since 2015. This forthcoming itinerary, reported by Pitchfork, will see the band travel extensively across the country from early spring through midsummer, indicating a significant return to widespread live performance.

The tour is set to begin in Atlanta on March 3 and will traverse major cities including Houston, Dallas, Austin, Denver, Kansas City, Philadelphia, Washington D.C., New York, Boston, Seattle, and will culminate in San Francisco on July 17. This routing underscores the band’s intent to reconnect with a broad fanbase across diverse regional markets.

Supporting Hum throughout their journey will be Kansas City’s indie rock outfit the Life and Times, who will accompany the band at every stop. Additionally, the tour will feature Chicago post-hardcore group Pelican and Brooklyn-based trio Spotlights, who are slated to open the East and West Coast dates respectively. This lineup suggests a curated blend of complementary acts that align with Hum’s genre and aesthetic.

Notably, this tour follows Hum’s recent live appearances at the Slide Away festival earlier in 2023. Those performances were particularly meaningful as they represented the band’s first live shows in nearly seven years and introduced audiences to material from their 2020 album Inlet in a live setting for the first time. Before Inlet, Hum’s discography had a long pause after 1997’s Downward Is Heavenward, which itself succeeded their celebrated albums You’d Prefer An Astronaut (1995) and Electra 2000 (1993).

Hum’s hiatus was marked by significant changes, most notably the passing of their original drummer Bryan St. Pere in 2021. Since then, Jason Gerken, known for his work with Shiner and who previously joined Hum on drums during their 2015 tour and the 2023 Slide Away festival, has been confirmed to resume drumming duties for the upcoming tour.

The announcement of this extensive tour not only signals a renewed phase of activity for Hum but also reinforces their enduring presence within the shoegaze and alternative rock communities. Their ability to draw support from a diverse array of artists and cover a wide geographic area highlights their ongoing influence and relevance.

While specific setlists for the shows remain undisclosed, the band’s recent live performances suggest a balanced mix of classic tracks alongside selections from Inlet, providing both longtime followers and newer fans with a rich concert experience. The tour’s schedule, spanning over four months, indicates a commitment to an intensive live presence that fans have eagerly awaited since their last full tour.

With this 2027 tour, Hum is poised to reaffirm its legacy while navigating the evolving landscape of alternative music. Details remain limited regarding potential festival appearances or additional tour extensions, but the current itinerary already represents a major milestone in the band’s ongoing career.

As the band prepares to hit stages coast to coast, the upcoming shows will offer a valuable opportunity to witness a group that has successfully bridged decades of shoegaze evolution while persevering through personal and professional challenges. This tour is not only a celebration of Hum’s past achievements but also a clear indicator of their future trajectory within the music scene.