Three shows down and one more to go. The Avatar Ages – An Impossible Concert Experience produced by Danny Wimmer Presents brought its final performance Age of Madness on January 30, 2021. This time, Avatar would be performing a fan voted set list fom their older albums Thoughts of No Tomorrow from 2006, Schlact from 2007, and the self-titled Avatar from 2009. Johannes Eckerström (vocals), John Alfredsson (drums), Henrik Sandelin (bass), Jonas Jarlsby (guitar), and Tim Öhrström (guitar) were going deep into the archives with this set of songs and what came out was unlike anything we watched and heard in the first three performances.
When we first come into the show, Johannes was speaking to the crowd laying on a couch. He explained how he was laying on a sofa that isn’t his, in a dark room. And as he gathered his bearings he recognizes they are in the rehearsal room where they practice and at least for once he knew he was on time. He continued into the story of how this room is a sacred place where they could forget about the world around them and focus and live on their music. They would perform in the dark so they never had to rely on their eyes to play their instruments and also in their underwear because the room was always so hot. And from that point briefly thanking everyone for joining before they jumped into their first song, “Schlact”, the title track from the 2007 album. This was a very different feel from the prior albums, so raw and full of angst, speedy drums and guitars, as if Avatar was trying to pull you into feeling how they felt back then. The change of pace was immediate with “My Shining Star” from Thoughts of No Tomorrow with their more rhythmic guitars while maintaining that guttural metal we’re so used to hearing.
But, right away, everything about this performance was alien compared to the priors. No uniforms for the band. Instead, they were decked out in black shirts and more casual pants. Johannes did not have the makeup, hat, or cane we’re so used to seeing. They used the door stage for this performance and it was littered with tour announcement posters on the walls like you would see at your local bar. Johannes spoke towards the camera about the next song saying he was writing something exactly like it before former member Simon Andersson delivered it to the band and that’s the one they kept. He hoped Simon was watching as they kicked ass on “Stranger” from Thoughts of No Tomorrow. It was soul shattering, mosh pit worthy, and had such a fantastic musical pace. But, it was “War Song” from that album that truly caught me with two separate guitar solos from Jonas and Tim. Johannes called it the first song they wrote from that album that didn’t suck.
It was a very short Act I before the intermission hit. Instead of the odd photos and stances we saw in the other three shows, this time Avatar brought us down a wonderful memory lane of photos and videos from their early years from when these three albums were out. Everything from stage performances, to backstage shots, to them in bars or on the streets. It was a glimpse back at a band in a their raw, rebellious times before becoming the band they are today. It was a wonderful experience to walk down their memory lane.
Act II was, for me unexpected. During the performance, Johannes explained the fans voted so heavily to hear songs from their 2009 self-titled album they just decided to play the album in its entirety. He thanked the fans for that, as they loved that album as much as the fans do. An album as Johannes said that was about drinking, fucking, and one song about video games. Very different from the likes of Feathers & Flesh and Avatar Country.
This performance took place fully on the stage with Avatar spelled out in lights on the back wall. There was something about the vibe in this room that made the performance feel and seem bigger than the prior ones. Maybe it was the passion and love they poured into this set for an album they loved so much. Maybe it was because they wanted to leave the fans wanting more. Especially when Johannes said he wanted to see proof from the fans how they rocked out and destroyed stuff while watching the livestream and if they showed it enough, they would bring some of these songs on the road when they toured again. And after watching this set I’ll simply say, “Avatar…BRING THIS ALBUM ON THE ROAD!”
From Henrik‘s wonderful bass and John‘s drumwork in “The Great Pretender” to the rarely played “Deeper Down” with Johannes higher than high vocals this was a fantastic act. “Reload” with Jonas and Tim playing some fantastic in-sync playing to the groovy beats in “Roadkill” this was an amazing album. But, it was “Pigfucker” that roared the metal in my veins. And finishing with “Lullaby (Death All Over)” with Johannes at the end screaming “Avatar fucking loves you!” before hitting the piano and then the rest of the band joining in before Johannes walked offstage, literally outside to view the city, and then ripped off his shirt to walk off into the night to close the show.
This may have been the best of the four performances. I truly enjoyed seeing them perform their music from years ago as their writing and play style was so drastically different than it is today. The full setlist is listed below:
Act I – Schlact & Thoughts of No Tomorrow
- Schlact
- My Shining Star
- Stranger
- Die With Me
- All Hail the Queen
- War Song
Act 2 – Avatar
- Queen of Blades
- The Great Pretender
- Shattered Wings
- Reload
- Out of Our Minds
- Deeper Down
- Revolution of Two
- Roadkill
- Pigfucker
- Lullaby (Death All Over)
If you want to buy merch or music from the band you can visit their website HERE. If we’re lucky, we’ll see all of these shows available for purchase one day digitally or on Blu-ray.
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