Halloween may be over, but several fans braved the cold to show off their clown makeup and costumes at Kemba Live in Columbus on November 22.
First up were the bedazzled cowboy costumes, donned by the guys of Spiritworld. These guys can best be described as headbanging thrash meets matching western outfits. Sounds silly, but it works well. Spiritworld got the crowd pumped up in no time with their fast-paced performance and constant chanting. Be sure to check them out on this tour.
Next to the stage were Alien Weaponry, kicking off the hair whip portion of the night. A friend of mine in attendance told me how excited he was to see this “tribal band from New Zealand.” My interest was piqued, but I did not expect to be blown away. From the start of their set, featuring drummer Henry performing a Māori haka, they captured everyone’s attention and never let it go. Their lyrics (sung in their native tongue and English) give a beautiful history lesson of the Māori people, their culture, and the issues facing not only them but the rest of the world. The music was a raw and powerful blend of different heavy metal genres, perfect for singer/guitar player Lewis to whip his long dreads and bassist Tūranga to constantly shout at the crowd over. Alien Weaponry is such a fun and unique band. They should be seen live, though, to fully appreciate, so be sure to do so soon!
Now for the main event: Avatar! That’s right, the heavy metal freak show was in town and, as always, was an absolute blast. To say the crowd was pumped is an understatement. Everyone’s expectations for a good time were high, and of course, Avatar easily exceeded them. To start, singer Johannes floats to the stage in a black cloak and a lighted lantern, while behind him, the drum set of John joins together from opposite sides of the stage. From there, the set explodes into the fun-loving theatrics and synchronized hair whips we know and love. We were even treated to some beautiful piano playing from Johannes, with the rest of the band joining around him. Avatar is the total package between their musical talent and their live performance that has you hooked from start to finish. I can’t recommend seeing these guys enough, so get tickets to this tour while you can.
