BY DREW SINCOCK
Avatar packed out The Underground for their 1001st show in Charlotte, NC on the “Wicked Tour Title” 2022 US tour. The merch lines ran from the back table all the way to the front entrance. It was set to be a crazy night.
First to kick things off for the night are a band named The Callous Daoboys from Atlanta, GA. I hadn’t listened to these guys before but I did catch their name on the So What?! Music Festival lineup back in May so I knew it was going to be a show. They hit the stage and to my surprise, there were seven of them. Even with the limited amount of space that comes with having that many bodies on stage, their set was nothing but high energy from start to finish. I really enjoyed catching The Callous Daoboys, especially their song Flip Flops at a Funeral, and I hope to see them again soon. You can catch them on the rest of the “Wicked Tour Title” with Avatar & Light The Torch. Their music can be found here and their Instagram is here.
Lineup: Carson Pace (vocals), Maddie Caffrey (guitar), Daniel Hodson (guitar), Amber Christman (violin), Jackie Buckalew (bass), Abby Sherman (synth), Matthew Ryan (drums)
Light The Torch is a supergroup formed in Los Angeles, CA in 2012 (known as Devil You Know until 2017). The band consists of frontman Howard Jones (formerly Killswitch Engage), lead/rhythm guitarist Francesco Artusato (formerly All Shall Perish), bassist Ryan Wombacher, and drummer Alex Rüdinger (worked for Monuments, Whitechapel, and more). I’d never seen Light The Torch live before, but I’ve been a fan of much of the individual members’ past work, so expectations were high. It was an electrifying performance, especially noticeable in Howard Jones’ high-energy movement throughout their set. This was not a show to miss. If you aren’t able to catch them on tour check out their latest album, You Will Be The Death of Me, which peaked at number 33 on the US Mainstream Rock Chart. Their music can be found here. Their Instagram is linked here.
Light The Torch Setlist: More Than Dreaming / Calm Before the Storm / Let Me Fall Apart / The Bitter End / Death of Me / Living With a Ghost / Become the Martyr / The Safety of Disbelief / Wilting in the Light / Die Alone
Avatar is a Swedish metal band, formed in Gothenburg in 2001. They’re known for their grease-painted aesthetic, matching theatrical costumes and of course, whipping their hair around. Avatar is still one of my favorite bands to see live year after year, although it has certainly been a while. Now that they’re able to tour again, they’ve managed to complete a total of over 1000 live performances in 21 years. Avatar hit the stage with their song Colossus, where they all stood in a semi-circle formation and stared straight ahead while performing for the entirety of the first song. By the end of the second or third song fans were already beginning to crowd surf to the front. If you have a chacne to catch Avatar, they’ll be on the road through July 31st. You can find tickets and check out their music here. Their Instagram is linked here.
Lineup: Jonas “Kungen” Jarlsby (guitars), John Alfredsson (drums), Johannes Eckerström (lead vocals), Henrik Sandelin (bass, backing vocals), Tim Öhrström (guitars, backing vocals)
Avatar Setlist: Colossus, Let It Burn, Silence in the Age of Apes, Bloody Angel, Child, The Eagle Has Landed, Paint Me Red, A Secret Door, For The Swarm, Torn Apart, Tower, Puppet Show, Tsar Bomba, A Statue of the King, The King Welcomes You to Avatar Country, Going Hunting, Smells Like a Freakshow, Hail The Apocalypse.
