In 2023, American pop band AJR performed various shows without an ongoing concert tour, taking place between the OK Orchestra Tour (2021–2022) and the Maybe Man Tour (2024). They primarily played various festivals and appeared as an opening act for the final leg of Imagine Dragons' Mercury World Tour. The year saw their first shows in Asia, including a broadcast performance with Seo Eun-kwang. In addition, they headlined a series of special performances in the United States with support from Chelsea Cutler, Lawrence, Livingston, Jeremy Zucker, Em Beihold, and Almost Monday.
In early July, the band's father died. AJR publicly announced the death and took time away from touring to grieve and support family, leading to the cancellation of several scheduled appearances, including their headlining performance at Summerfest, NBA Con in Las Vegas, and Roc the Lake Music Festival. AJR wrapped up the year with performances for KIIS-FM's Jingle Ball in Los Angeles, and Y100's Jingle Ball in Florida.
History AJR's first concert of 2023 came as part of headlining the Beale Street Music Festival, playing one of its main stages on May 7. They continued with a baseball post-game concert on May 19 for the Tampa Bay Rays home game against the Milwaukee Brewers, and an appearance on May 20 at Hangout Music Festival. AJR then traveled to Asia to perform at Greenroom Festival in Japan on May 27 and the Seoul Jazz Festival in South Korea on May 28. Band member Jack Met and touring member Arnetta Johnson performed acoustic renditions of "The Dumb Song" and "World's Smallest Violin" for the radio show Bae Cheol-soo's Music Camp on May 29, preceding a full band performance later the same day of "The Dumb Song" with Seo Eun-kwang for the television channel JTBC. AJR returned to the United States for a headlining show on June 9 at Westville Music Bowl, featuring Chelsea Cutler as an opening act, followed by another baseball post-game concert on June 10 for the Philadelphia Phillies home game against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The band performed a headlining show opened by Lawrence and Livingston on June 23 at MegaCorp Pavilion, then played a concert at Weidner Field on June 24 with support from Jeremy Zucker, Em Beihold, and Almost Monday. Through July, AJR was scheduled to perform at Summerfest on July 6, Roc the Lake Music Festival on July 7, and open for Imagine Dragons on July 8. They were initially an opener for Imagine Dragons at Summerfest before later being designated a headliner to replace Jimmy Buffett. On July 1, the band disclosed via social media that their father's health was worsening, simultaneously announcing the cancellation of all shows in July to spend time with him. The same day as his death on July 3, they surprise released the single "God Is Really Real".
Em Beihold returned to support AJR for their performance at the Orange County Fair on August 2, followed by the band headlining the preview night of Musikfest on August 3. Starting on August 5, AJR began performing as a supporting act of Imagine Dragons' Mercury World Tour, appearing on 9 dates in Europe through August and September. In-between these shows, the band additionally played at Sziget Festival on August 13, FM4 Frequency Festival on August 19, and on August 23. They finished their set of shows in Europe with Lollapalooza Berlin on September 10, headlining Abercrombie & Fitch's Challenge fundraiser in the United States on September 22. They performed two release shows for The Maybe Man (2023) on November 12.
Show dates List of 2023 concerts Date (2023) City Country Venue Attendance Revenue TypeUnited StatesMay 7MemphisUnited StatesBeale Street Music Festivalrowspan="3" colspan="2" FestivalMay 19St. PetersburgTropicana FieldBaseball post-game concertMay 20Gulf ShoresHangout Music FestivalFestivalAsiaMay 27YokohamaJapanGreenroom Festivalrowspan="4" colspan="2" FestivalMay 28SeoulSouth KoreaSeoul Jazz FestivalMay 29Bae Cheol-soo's Music CampBroadcast performanceJTBC StudiosUnited StatesJune 9New HavenUnited StatesWestville Music Bowlrowspan="2" colspan="2" Headline showJune 10PhiladelphiaCitizens Bank ParkBaseball post-game concertJune 23NewportMegaCorp Pavilion4,321 / 6,500$231,763Headline showJune 24Colorado SpringsWeidner Fieldcolspan="2" August 2Costa MesaOrange County Fair8,088 / 8,088$570,836August 3BethlehemMusikfest6,400 / 6,400 FestivalEurope & Middle EastAugust 5RomeItalyCircus Maximus68,494 / 68,570$5,034,088Opened for Imagine DragonsAugust 8PulaCroatiaPula Arena8,156 / 8,167$739,097August 98,168 / 8,189$740,133August 13BudapestHungarySziget Festivalcolspan="2" FestivalAugust 14WarsawPolandStadion Narodowy54,403 / 54,543$4,597,699Opened for Imagine DragonsAugust 16VilniusLithuaniaVingis Park42,013 / 42,185$3,613,291August 19Sankt PöltenAustriaGreen Park50,000 / 50,000$3,555,000FestivalAugust 22ParisFranceParis La Défense Arena40,290 / 40,340$3,816,850Opened for Imagine DragonsAugust 23ZurichSwitzerlandcolspan="2" FestivalAugust 29Tel AvivIsraelYarkon Park59,051 / 59,148$6,598,855Opened for Imagine DragonsSeptember 6AthensGreeceAthens Olympic Sports Complexrowspan="3" colspan="2" September 8ChambordFranceChâteau de ChambordSeptember 10BerlinGermanyLollapalooza BerlinFestivalUnited StatesSeptember 22New AlbanyUnited StatesAbercrombie & Fitch Home Officerowspan="7" colspan="2" FestivalNovember 2New York CitySiriusXM StudiosBroadcast performanceNovember 4Las VegasSEMA FestFestivalNovember 9New York CityThe Tonight Show Starring Jimmy FallonBroadcast performanceBrooklynAmazon Music StudiosRecording of AJR: City Sessions (2024)November 10New York CityLive with Kelly and MarkBroadcast performanceNovember 12Madison Square ParkHeadline showIrving Plaza1,200 / 1,200TBANovember 16Rough Trade Records colspan="2" December 1InglewoodKia Forum 16,654 / 16,654$2,206,928FestivalDecember 16SunriseAmerant Bank Arena rowspan="2" colspan="2" December 17Universal CityThe VoiceBroadcast performance
Cancelled dates Cancelled shows Date City Country Venue ReasonJuly 6MilwaukeeUnited StatesSummerfest (American Family Insurance Amphitheater)Illness and death of AJR's fatherJuly 7CanandaiguaRoc the Lake Music Festival (Constellation Brands – Marvin Sands Performing Arts Center)July 8MilwaukeeSummerfest (American Family Insurance Amphitheater)July 9Las VegasNBA Con (Las Vegas Convention Center)July 12OttawaCanadaRBC Ottawa Bluesfest (LeBreton Flats)July 13CalgaryCalgary Stampede (Coca‑Cola Stage / Big Four Roadhouse)July 15MinneapolisUnited StatesTarget Field
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