ATMO: Where music unites

Abstract

Modern day music lovers are presented with a variety of challenges when attending live shows: It starts with the ticketing prices that keep rising as concerts become more of a stadium spectacle rather than small or mid-scale events which leads to the gradual collapse of independent venues and the authenticity of going to a live music show. In order to sustain itself as a commercially successful and financially sustainable business, live music moved from the shabby bar at the corner of the street where you could feel the singer's breath in your ear to the vast arena where thousands of fans sing along to a performance no one can quite see with their own eyes, not only because the stage is too far away, but also because the air is filled with phone screens recording every moment. This symbolizes the sacrifice of intimacy and presence for scale and profit that live show attendees have to face all while the cities, these spectacles take place in, are dealing with a growing urban loneliness crisis. People are craving authentic connection, both to the artist and among the audience itself, but what they get is anonymized crowds and artist projections on huge screens that causes a deficit in bonding as well as in belonging. ATMO is a direct response to the digital fatigue in a sea of strangers disconnected from the artist and their art. By prioritizing presence, belonging and especially trust, the project refuses the trade-off between scale and soul. Built in Barcelona, a city known for its rich cultural landscape, facing the issue of fragmented audiences that don’t know where they belong and independent venues struggling to find their crowd in a fragmented scene where abundance and disconnection exist side by side. ATMO creates a third place for those that want to return to an intimate live music experience, where they are recognized and seen as part of a community that connects with one another and shares the same ideals. It’s a registered cultural association focused on presence, co-creation and the love for music. Each month we organize live shows to showcase the talent of emerging local artists inside of our partner venues through which ATMO rotates. Every performance is professionally recorded, providing artists with a high-quality document of their work and building a growing archive, representing our commitment to artist dignity. At our shows we invite attendees to be truly present by keeping their phones in their pockets so they can truly connect to the artists as well as each other. This phone-free policy is complimented by a programming that creates opportunities to get in touch with other attendees such as a chillout area featured by a variety of interactive pop-up experiences and a listening station for votings of upcoming live show artists. ATMO is where people feel welcome to relate to one another and empowered to shape the community they belong to by voting for upcoming artists, curatorial participation and the possibility of becoming a co-founder of the association itself. The name ATMO was chosen to represent the atmosphere of belonging, of meaningful human connection beyond the digital overload through the power of music and true presence. Founded by three music lovers craving real connection in an underserved scene, ATMO brings people together to share the same room, the same air and a truly authentic experience.