Swedish heavy metalists Avatar rolled through Huntington NY on their In The Airwaves tour, a stop which proved the loyalty of Avatar Country’s beloved citizens as fans began lining up as early as 10:30am to secure their spots at the barricade. Contrasting the sunny, temperate queue conditions at their previous show in Silver Spring MD, this group had to contend with the cold November wind and rain, with only the venue’s marquee to keep them relatively dry. While the most devoted lined up gloomy and early, the opening acts still had to work with a sparsely populated pit as the rest of the audience gradually filled in, though it never reached packed status.
Those openers were Spiritworld, a self-described “death western” band, and Alien Weaponry, a trio out of New Zealand who whipped the crowd up with Te Reo Māori metal.
The smaller crowd size had no impact on the effort Avatar put forth though. Shifting from last tour’s sudden and intense opener Dance Devil Dance, the melodic epic Captain Goat warmed the crowd up with fog and chanted choruses, only adding to the tightly wound tension that had built during the wait for them to come on stage. That tension was then snapped by one of their heaviest headbangers, Silence in the Age of Apes, and the energy that brought out of the crowd was only briefly calmed when Eckerström treated us to an intimate performance of two piano-led songs, Howling at the Waves and Tower.
Huntington’s crowd was the epitome of both pit etiquette and frontman Johannes Eckerström’s decree at the close of every show: “Take care of yourselves and take care of each other.” Everyone I saw and encountered exemplified this message, from letting kids and shorter folks up to the rail to see, to the back of the pit where rowdy moshers gleefully ricocheted off each other, but always picked up anyone who stumbled. This attitude was displayed by the venue staff as well; The Paramount had some of the most helpful and friendly personnel I’ve ever had the pleasure of working alongside.
Having seen Avatar live and up close multiple times, this current manifestation is the best I’ve witnessed. If you’ve ever thought about seeing them live, let this review from a brand-new fan help you decide:
I’m really glad I ended up with a ticket to see Avatar with friends after all because they were absolutely brilliant live.
The energy, variety, fun, and skill every member has is more than enough to make up for any vocal techniques not being my favorite style.
I can’t wait to see them again, next time up close at the barrier.
I fully agree that this is a tour you won’t want to miss. But if you do, don’t worry, I’m sure the next one will blow this experience out of the water.