Avatar welcomes Los Angeles to Avatar Country
Avatar are a melodic death metal band from Sweden. In 2020, they released their eighth studio titled Hunter Gatherer. Due to the ongoing pandemic, they have been unable to tour for the album. Now that things have calmed down a bit and bands are touring again and Avatar took no time in announcing a USA tour. It's been two years since Avatar last toured the USA and their fans were super excited to have them come back. The choice of venue for the Los Angeles show is the Wiltern which would also celebrate its 90th birthday the next day. Los Angeles was more than ready for the return of Avatar.
The lights went out and the audience cheered as the members of Avatar came out and took center stage in the form of a V. Even joining them on stage was drummer John Alfredsson who had a small drum kit set up so he can be next to his bandmates. Avatar started their performance with Colossus, the third single from their newest album. Up next was the fan-favorite, Let It Burn. 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, Silence in the Age of Apes. 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. He even told one man in the audience that he was beautiful and if he's ever had a 6'4" Swede in yoga pants tell him that. Avatar played nothing but hits as well as songs from the newest album. Avatar rocked the house as they played hits like Paint Me Red, The Eagle Has Landed and A Secret Door. Everyone left the stage except for Eckerström who stayed behind as a roadie brought out a piano for him. Eckerström sat down and spoke to the audience once more. The next song of choice is one of Avatar's most beautiful songs Gun from the newest album. It's a piano solo song and it's way more beautiful live than it is hearing it from the album. Nearing the end of the show, Avatar went back to their previous album Avatar Country and played A Statue of the King. The final song of the night was the fan-favorite The King Welcomes You to Avatar Country and it's one of their more cheerful songs that's also fun to sing along to. As if that wasn't enough, they had bubble machines and covered the audience with bubbles. The song ended and the members left the stage. After a little while, Eckerström came back out to speak to the audience some more and after some convincing from the audience, decided to treat them to some encores. The rest of the band came back out to play Wormhole, the final song from the newest album. Eckerström was once again 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. Sadly, the show had to come to an end for real. 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.
Setlist:
Colossus
Let It Burn
Silence in the Age of Apes
Bloody Angel
Child
The Eagle Has Landed
Paint Me Red
A Secret Door
For the Swarm
Torn Apart
Gun
Going Hunting
Pigfucker
A Statue of the King
The King Welcomes You to Avatar Country
Wormhole
Smells Like a Freakshow
Hail the Apocalypse
