If I were to chose a genre to begin my 2022 concert coverage I’m not sure how high on the list circus death-metal would be. However, this is how 2022 has begun and wow, what a spectacle it was as Swedish hair-rotators Avatar pumped up a freezing January evening with a thundering performance on the newly monikered KEMBA Live! indoor stage.
Fronted by terrifying singer-showman Johannes Eckerstrom, the five-piece of people you wouldn’t want to meet in a dark alley kicked off the evening with an intimidating rendition of Bruckner’s Symphony No.8: IV. Finale before diving head-first into an evening of hair spinning theatrics and heart-pounding metal.
Idaho’s mysteriously masked Magic Sword opened the evening with a set of epic JRPG boss fight inspired instrumentals that, much like an epic JRPG boss fight, started off enjoyable but went on a little long for my tastes.
Not a bad way to kick off the year.
Matt Ellis is a freelance photographer who covers bands that visit the city and the Columbus Crew MLS team. More about Matt can be found on his Instagram.
All photos by Matt Ellis