Swedish heavy metal visionaries Avatar transformed Nottingham’s Rock City into a dark theatrical spectacle on February 17th — delivering one of the most visually captivating and musically explosive shows the venue has seen in recent memory.
Opening the night were Norway’s uncompromising black metal collective Witch Club Satan, whose ritualistic stage presence and searing political undertones made for a confrontational and gripping set. Their raw, satanic growls echoed through the room with unsettling intensity. New Zealand trio Alien Weaponry followed with a powerful blend of groove-laden metal and Māori heritage, seamlessly weaving indigenous language and culture into thunderous riffs — a combination that felt both culturally significant and sonically ferocious.
When Avatar finally emerged, the atmosphere shifted entirely. The band took the stage cloaked in darkness, faces hidden beneath deep hoods, the lighting low and ominous. It felt less like the start of a gig and more like the opening scene of a gothic theatre production. Then, with dramatic precision during the second song, the cloaks were cast aside — and the full spectacle began.
Frontman Johannes Eckerström instantly commanded attention. With his sinister clown-inspired make-up and elastic, expressive presence, he dominated the stage with theatrical flair. Charismatic and unpredictable, he moved between menace and mischief effortlessly, locking eyes with fans and pulling them deeper into Avatar’s twisted carnival world. He prowled the stage, leaned into the front rows, and maintained a constant dialogue with the crowd, ensuring the connection never wavered.
Behind him, the band matched the drama with razor-sharp musicianship. Crushing riffs, tight rhythms and soaring melodies collided in a set that showcased Avatar’s genre-blurring ambition — from melodic hooks to ferocious heaviness, often within the same song. Every moment felt deliberate, every movement choreographed yet alive.
Avatar aren’t just a band — they’re an experience. The packed Rock City crowd knew it, feeding off the spectacle and giving it right back. If this tour rolls into your city, don’t hesitate. Few live acts combine theatre, precision and pure metal energy quite like Avatar.
Setlist:
Captain Goat
Silence in the Age of Apes
The Eagle Has Landed
In the Airwaves
Bloody Angel
Death and Glitz
Blod
The Dirt I’m Buried In
Colossus
Torn Apart
Howling at the Waves
Glory to Our King
Legend of the King
Let It Burn
Tonight We Must Be Warriors
Don’t Go in the Forest
Smells Like a Freakshow
Hail the Apocalypse
Be the first to comment