WEBSTER HALL IN NYC BECOMES AVATAR COUNTRY

All Photos By Jimmy Gubitosi

Let it be known, for on the day of May the 23rd, of the year 2023, Webster Hall in New York City was welcomed into Avatar Country. 

On tour to support their latest album “Dance Devil Dance”, Avatar brought their strange and quirky, yet hard and melodic vibes from Sweden, to a not quite sold out, but very excited and enthusiastic crowd. A lot of which had makeup on resembling frontman, Johannes Eckerström. Brought along with them were Veil of Maya, and fellow Swedish newcomers, Orbit Culture.

Avatar is an act unlike anything in music today, and you best believe you will be entertained as all hell, and walk out thinking that you underpaid for the wonderfully odd spectacle you just witnessed. 

The show included, Balloon Animals, Trombone solos, a Gimp mask wearing Man with a confetti gun, Johannes Eckerström coming out of a gift box holding balloons, helium inhaling, drinking gasoline, a rave dance party, dueling guitar solos, and an 18 song set that melted everyone’s faces off in the venue. 

  Dance Devil Dance Setlist

1.   The Eagle Has Landed

2.   Valley of Disease

3.   Scream Until You Wake

4.   Chimp Mosh Pit

5.   Bloody Angel

6.   For the Swarm

7.   Puppet Show

8.   When the Snow Lies Red

9.     Do You Feel in Control

10.     Black Waltz

11.     Tower

12.     Colossus

13.     Let It Burn

14.     A Statue of the King
    Encore:

15.     The Dirt I'm Buried In

16.     Smells Like a Freakshow

17.     Hail the Apocalypse

A highlight is that Johannes makes a point throughout the show to talk to the crowd, but in his own unique flavor. It connects him to the fans because he doesn’t just say a few words and the next song starts, he tells a story, says a few crude jokes, and then somehow segways whatever he’s talking about as random as it sounds, into introducing the next song. 

This is the second time I was fortunate to see Avatar, but the first time I’ve ever shot them. They have such a magnetic presence and the show itself just keeps getting more and more bonkers each tour. I can't recommend them enough, they are one of the few bands I don't miss when they come around, and you shouldn't miss them either! 

AVATAR: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | TikTok