Live report AVATAR, ALIEN WEAPONRY & AGABAS, Docks, Hamburg – March 13th, 2026

It’s a rainy night in Hamburg, the perfect setting for an dark and gloomy show at Docks. Gothenburg-based Avatar are currently on the road, and tonight is actually the final show of the “In the Airwaves EU ‘26” tour, so the timing is perfect. A Friday night and a sold-out venue are ideal for a tour finale. Already when arriving at the venue the queue of fans waiting to get in is rather long and looking in some of the faces also clearly shows who is playing tonight.

Joining Avatar on this road trip are Alien Weaponry and Agabas. It is the latter who must go on stage rather early, as the show starts at 17:30. They are a crossover band in the best meaning of the phrase. Their furious blend of technical, advanced metal, hardcore and punk, combined with the sound of a saxophone, creates a very special atmosphere. It’s a wild and furious start to the evening, and Agabas deliver a spot-on set bursting with energy, showcasing all the influences and genres of their music.

The core of their 30-minute set tonight is the recently released “Hard Anger” album, which adds four songs to tonight’s show. The opening song, “Jævla Menneske”, sets the tone for the band’s first performance in Hamburg. The way the band enters the stage is already unusual, as it seems like they are coming from all directions. The hall is pretty well filled and three of the six band members find their way through the crowd and onto the stage. The longer the Norwegian six-piece band plays, the more positive the reactions become. Agabas left their mark tonight, not least because the band went right into the crowd two time for performing from there – you couldn’t get any closer to your fans. Some in the audience may be overwhelmed by the band’s sheer energy. However, the big applause at the end shows that these guys have made some new friends in Hamburg.

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We’re going from Norway to the other side of the world in just 15 minutes. Musically, at least, this is an option, and it’s the plan for tonight. Alien Weaponry are next on stage, and it’s been years since I last saw them at the legendary Dynamo Metal Fest. Hailing from New Zealand, the band travelled all the way to Europe to join Avatar on this tour. Alien Weaponry consists of Lewis de Jong, Turanga Morgan-Edmonds and Henry de Jong. These three musicians bring rhythm-driven metal to Hamburg, inspired by the sounds of their homeland. From the start of their set, the heritage of New Zealand plays a role, and throughout the show, metal and cultural influences fuse together. In a way, Alien Weaponry are New Zealand’s answer to bands like Sepultura. Tribal influences are very much present in their music, giving this thunderous metal an irresistible groove and aggressiveness.

It takes a while for the fans to take in the band’s energy, and Lewis de Jong even asks if mosh pits are forbidden in Germany. Of course not, but the question is motivation enough for the fans to generate some extra energy and excitement during the performance. The longer Alien Weaponry play, the more adrenaline there is in the room, and as Agabas, the New Zealand trio, finish their 30-minute set with a warm applause.

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After a fairly quick changeover, everything is ready for the headliner, and the front row mirrors the stage. Fans wearing makeup show their appreciation for the headliner, singing each of the seventeen songs from start to finish. Avatar has obviously very loyal fans, and the combination of theater, rock, and heavy metal works extremely well.

The Swedes start the set with “Captain Goat,” a dark way to kick off the show. The song itself is a gloomy, slow-paced riff monster, and tonight, frontman Johannes Eckerström is dressed in a dark cape and carries a lamp, bringing some light into the darkness.

Avatar’s setlist tonight focuses more on their recent releases, with their latest album, “Don’t Go In the Forest,” being the centerpiece. The opener is from this album, followed by “Silence Is the Age of Apes,” which brings us back to 2020.

Avatar is much more than just a concert. It’s an entertaining rock show that combines music and theatrical elements into a great whole. One important factor is frontman Johannes Eckerström. He is not only a great singer. He is also a great entertainer who, by the way, speaks perfect German. He delivers all of his speeches tonight in German, which everyone in the room much appreciates. The humor he brings to his interactions with fans also makes this show a holistic experience.

With a powerful and dense sound, Avatar give fans a great overview of their latest albums, and the fans sing along to new songs and earlier classics like “Bloody Angel” while four songs from “Black Waltz” take everyone back to 2012. However, it is a seamless live experience with special moments.

There is a freeze moment at the end of “Death and Glitz” that is fun, and Eckerström’s response to the “Ausziehen” shout is pure humor. He replies with a twinkle in his eye that it is a sold-out show. So, there is no need to undress. Another hypnotizing moment occurs when Avatar plays “Collosum.” A smaller drum kit is brought on stage, and all five band members line up for this throbbing tune with its marching rhythm. It is a great moment tonight, as is the piano-driven “Howling at the Waves.” Avatar offers so much that time flies. The throne during “Legend of the King” is legendary too, as are the costumes.

The encore starts with a red balloon crossing the stage, reminding everyone of the latest album, which features a similar balloon on the front cover. The balloon perfectly announces “Don’t Go In the Forest” before “Smells Like a Freak Show” and a furious version of “Hail the Apocalypse” ends the two-hour rock show.

After a long tour, Avatar delivered a superb finale at Docks in Hamburg. The sold-out show was extra motivation for the energetic band to give everything they still had in the tank, and the fans got exactly what they were looking for. Great music with all kinds of different shades and twists, combined with a stunning stage show – that’s what Avatar stand for, and that’s exactly what they delivered tonight.