Avatar Unleash a Sinister Spectacle at RiverWorks on their Don’t Go in the Forest ’26 Tour

Avatar brought pure theatrical derangement to Buffalo RiverWorks with a performance that felt like stepping into a dark carnival fever dream. Between the swirling fog, moving stage setup, blistering musicianship, and an unforgettable stage presence, the Don’t Go in the Forest ’26 tour stop delivered chaos, spectacle, and crushing metal from start to finish.

Avatar transformed Buffalo RiverWorks into a dark theatrical fever dream when the Swedish metal visionaries brought their Don’t Go in the Forest ’26 tour to Buffalo, New York. Touring behind their tenth studio album of the same name, Don’t Go in the Forest, the band delivered a performance that felt less like a traditional concert and more like stepping directly into a twisted carnival nightmare fueled by thunderous riffs, dramatic spectacle, and absolute musical precision.

Before a single note rang out, the atmosphere inside the venue was already suffocating in the best possible way. Deep blue lighting swallowed the stage while rolling fog drifted across the floor like smoke creeping through a haunted forest. A wheeled riser carrying vocalist Johannes Eckerström, guitarists Jonas Jarlsby and Tim Öhrström, and bassist Henrik Sandelin slowly emerged toward the crowd, appearing almost ghostlike as they floated through the haze. Eckerström stood motionless at the center with a lantern raised beside his painted face, his grin illuminated through the darkness like some deranged storyteller welcoming the audience into his world.

The simple production was nothing short of extraordinary. The moving drum riser continuously shifted positions between songs, creating a stage setup that constantly evolved before the audience’s eyes. At times, half the set rolled left while the other half moved right, opening a pathway through the center that allowed the band to disappear behind the upstage circus tent curtain for quick instrument changes or brief moments out of sight. It made the entire performance feel alive and unpredictable, as though the stage itself was another character in the show.

“Captain Goat” boomed open with its stomping sea shanty swagger and immediately established the mood for the evening ahead. The set moved through every possible shade of darkness, from gloomy and haunting to relentless and chaotic. Avatar have perfected a balance few modern metal bands can achieve. Their music crushes with pure force while embracing absurd theatricality without apology. Somewhere between Broadway and a back alley brawl exists the strange universe Avatar inhabit, and they command it masterfully.

Eckerström remains one of the most captivating frontmen in heavy music today. Covered in his unsettling jester inspired makeup, he stalked across the stage with exaggerated movements that somehow felt both completely ridiculous and utterly magnetic. Every dramatic pause felt intentional. Every stare into the crowd carried intensity. He does not simply perform songs. He inhabits them like an actor disappearing into different characters throughout a play. Whether he was sneering through the venom of “The Eagle Has Landed” or whipping the audience into frenzy during “Smells Like a Freakshow” Eckerström controlled the room with frightening ease.

His theatrical presence never overshadowed the musicianship surrounding him either. Guitarists Jonas Jarlsby and Tim Öhrström were phenomenal all night long. The chemistry between the two was impossible to miss as they traded riffs and harmonized leads with razor sharp precision. Jarlsby attacked his guitar with wild confidence while Öhrström brought a smooth technical balance that elevated every song. During “Colossus” and “Let It Burn” their interplay became almost hypnotic as they locked together through punishing rhythms and soaring melodic sections without missing a beat.

Jarlsby also delivered one of the most entertaining moments of the night when he was crowned “Kungen” and brought out seated on a throne with guitar in hand for “Glory to Our King” and “Legend of the King.” The crowd erupted as the band leaned fully into the over the top theatrical absurdity that makes Avatar so unique. Somehow it was both hilarious and genuinely epic at the same time.

Bassist Henrik Sandelin was equally essential to the performance. His thick bass tone held the entire set together beneath the chaos while his backing vocals added another layer of depth throughout the evening. Sandelin never faded into the background either. He constantly moved across the stage with confidence, feeding off the energy of the crowd while anchoring the massive sound Avatar created.

Behind the entire spectacle sat drummer and founding member John Alfredsson, who played like a man attempting to physically overpower gravity itself. His performance was relentless from beginning to end. The sheer force behind every fill and double bass run shook the room while still maintaining incredible precision. Watching Alfredsson attack the kit during songs like “Hail the Apocalypse” and “Silence in the Age of Apes” felt almost exhausting just to witness. He provided the heartbeat of the chaos unfolding around him.

One of the most unexpectedly beautiful moments arrived during “Howling at the Waves” when Eckerström sat at the piano, stripping away the madness momentarily to showcase a sincere display of musicianship and brotherhood between the band members. It served as a reminder that beneath the costumes, fog, and theatrical insanity lies a group of truly gifted musicians who understand dynamics just as well as destruction.

Even the confetti cannons somehow made perfect sense. At most metal shows they would feel completely unnecessary. In Avatar’s world they fit naturally into the madness surrounding the stage.

Just before the encore, the crowd was asked how many more songs they wanted. One fan screamed “ten,” prompting Eckerström to jokingly accuse them of being greedy and threaten to remove a song from the set. Moments like that highlighted the genuine connection Avatar maintain with their audience even amid the chaos and spectacle.

The night closed in appropriately unhinged fashion. “Smells Like a Freakshow” turned Buffalo Riverworks into a full blown carnival riot as the entire crowd screamed every word while bodies crashed together across the floor. Finally, “Hail the Apocalypse” delivered the perfect finale with pure explosive energy and towering musicianship from every member of the band.

Avatar are more than simply a metal band. They are a full visual and emotional experience. Every member contributes something essential, from Eckerström’s magnetic theatrical presence to the incredible musicianship displayed by Jarlsby, Öhrström, Sandelin, and Alfredsson. They are completely mesmerizing to watch, impossible to ignore, and somehow continue finding new ways to push their performances into even grander territory.

Avatar remain one of the most unique live acts in modern metal, and seeing them live is always worth every penny.

Avatar setlist :

• Captain Goat
• Silence in the Age of Apes
• The Eagle Has Landed
• In the Airwaves
• Bloody Angel
• Death and Glitz
• Get in Line
• The Dirt I’m Buried In
• Colossus
• Torn Apart
• Howling at the Waves
• Glory to Our King
• Legend of the King
• Let It Burn
• Tonight We Must Be Warriors
• Don’t Go in the Forest
• Smells Like a Freakshow
• Hail the Apocalypse