Avatar - Los Angeles, CA - 5/4/23

Swedish melodic death metal band Avatar released their ninth studio album Dance Devil Dance on February 17, 2023. The venue this time was the Belasco in Los Angeles, California. This time, Avatar brought with them metalcore band Veil of Maya and Orbitculture. Even a Thursday was perfect for a show like this and even better that it was almost sold out so for sure it would be a packed and hot show. After both opening bands warmed up the audience, it was time for Avatar to hit the stage.

The lights went out and the audience cheered as the members of Avatar came out and took center stage. Avatar started their performance with Dance Devil Dance, the opening song from their new album. Up next was the fan-favorite, The Eagle Has Landed. With this song, Avatar reverted back to their regular selves and started moving around more, banging their heads and whipping their long hair around and around. Singer Johannes Eckerström is the most energetic member of the band as he constantly dances on stage and is most known for the many different faces he makes while performing. The third song was the first single from the new album, Valley of Disease. Avatar is a highly energetic band as the constantly interact with each other and entertain the audience every chance they get. Their lighting is also beautiful, and it was shown when they played Bloody Angel; the stage was bathed in a beautiful red light. In between songs, Eckerström would speak to the audience and usually make them laugh with jokes and puns. Avatar played nothing but hits as well as songs from the new album. Avatar rocked the house as they played hits like Puppetshow, Chimp Mosh Pit and Let It Burn. A little more than halfway through the show and Eckerström spoke to the audience how this show is as close as it gets to Swedish Straight Outta Compton. Nearing the end of the show, Avatar went back to their album Avatar Country and played A Statue of the King. A nice taste of speed metal. Eckerström was left on stage by himself talking to the audience and addressed how it smells. He smelled his own armpits and said it smells like a freakshow. Fans knew the next song, which is one of Avatar's best songs, Smells Like a Freakshow. The show seemed to come to an end, and all was quiet. Eckerström once again had the stage to himself and needed convincing from the audience that they wanted one more song. After cheering loudly a few times, the rest of Avatar came out for one last song, and they saved the best for last. To end the show, Avatar played their best song, Hail the Apocalypse. Mosh pits happened, hair flipping was everywhere, horns were raised and everything else that makes a metal show metal. Avatar gathered together, bowed before their fans and left the stage. Fans were left with nothing but smiles and even though they just finished playing, couldn't wait for them to come back again.

Photos and review by Misael Ruiz