Avatar brings their ‘In the Airwaves USA’ 2025 Tour with guests, Alien Weaponry and SpiritWorld in Denver, CO November 15, 2025

Terrell·November 17, 2025

I was excited to see Avatar again, It has been over two years since their last tour. This time they would take the stage at the Denver’s Fillmore Auditorium which is twice the size than the venue they were at last tour. The capacity of the Fillmore is 3900. I arrived about 30 minutes before doors and the line was down a long block and around the corner. No surprise here! I always enjoy covering a show at the Fillmore, a beautiful venue with 2 rows of large chandeliers, a very roomy stage and generous room in the pit.

Opening this evening was SpiritWorld from Las Vegas, Nevada. Lead singer Stu Folsom describes their music as, “death – western metal” with western themes and imagery. Three of the members wear the same outfits, yellow pants and sport coats with flowers and skulls lining the arms and legs. Lead Stu’s outfit is black the same flowers and skulls. They opened their set with “Relic of Damnation“ from their 2022 album, Deathwestern and I was a bit surprised by their hardcore thrash sound.

As they moved through their set, the audience was really getting into their sound as was I. With opening acts, their sets are shorter but the crowd but SpiritWorld made a great impression with the crowd and me. Again, I got turned on to a new band for me and I believe the same for many in the venue. A great opening set to start the night off.

SpiritWorld members:

Stu Folsom – vocals

Randy Moore – lead guitar

Nick Brundy – bass

Preston Harper – drums

Setlist:

Relic of Damnation

Waiting on the Reaper

Moonlit Torture

Lujuria Satánica

Comancheria

Unholy Passages

No Vacancy in Heaven

U L C E R

With a quick turnover on stage, New Zealand’s own Alien Weaponry continued with their, metal, groove metal sound. The band was founded in 2010 by brothers, Henry de Jong and Lewis de Jong, and as of 2020, Tūranga Morgan-Edmonds. The three of them are of Māori ancestry.

Māori are the indigenous people of New Zealand (Aotearoa), known for their rich culture, traditions, and language. This is interesting because some of their songs were sung in the Māori native language. They opened their set with “1000 Friends” from their latest 2025 album, Te Rā. Their music was easy to get into and listening to them singing in the Māori language, for me it made their sound that more interesting.

It was very obvious the crowd was into them as well by their enthusiasm in Alien Weaponry’s music. Another short but fun and interesting set of music. And yes, another new band for me. I love discovering new bands seeing them live for the first time.

Alien Weaponry members:

Henry de Jong – drums, backing vocals (2010–present)

Lewis de Jong – guitars, lead vocals (2010–present)

Tūranga Morgan-Edmonds – bass, backing vocals (2020–present)

Setlist:

1000 Friends

Mau Moko

Taniwha

Rū Ana Te Whenua

Kai Tangata

Te Riri o Tāwhirimātea

As Avatar’s popularity has grown over the years and so has their stage production and what was witnessed this night was no exception! A stage filled with heavy fog, almost no lighting, a curtain opens and a platform slowly rolls out with the five members on it, all wearing hooded capes.

Lead singer Johannes Eckerström held up a lighted lantern. As the platform moved closer to the front of the stage, lights from the back of the stage lit up. The closer they got, the more lights lit up. Reaching the front of the stage, each member stepped off and took their place while Johannes stayed on the platform. Opening the set with, “Silence in the Age of Apes” the back of the stage lit up with spot lights all across the back of the stage into the heavy fog.

The venue was going crazy with their fans cheering, waving their arms and headbanging! The first song ended and drummer John Alfredsson on his own platform right behind Johannes was lit up with bright lights. He sat there looking around, then bright lights poured out from behind him as Johannes took his cape off and the band broke into, “The Eagle Has Landed” and the volume in the venue was unreal.

Johannes stayed on the platform, wearing long black pants, black vest and arm length gloves. Along with his traditional face makeup he mesmerized the crowd with his amazing vocals, stage presence and some serious headbanging. (photo gallery) And, I’m not forgetting the amazing musicians throwing their hair and pouring out their awesome sounds, Jonas “Kungen” Jarlsby, Henrik Sandelin, Tim Öhrström.

At the end of that song, drummer John Alfredsson’s platform split in two to allow the main platform to return to behind the curtains. Then return together again. There was no slowing down Avatar and their fans loved it and let them know it after every song. And what a set list, “Bloody Angel” from 2014, “Colossus” 2020, “Legend of the King” 2018, “The Dirt I’m Buried” In 2023. I’ve said this before and I will say it again. To put on a tour like this and pour your hearts out every night for 25 dates, you have to take care of yourself!

I knew it was coming and I couldn’t wait to hear the song that led me to become a concert photographer. 11+ years later, and for the 5th time, I am covering Avatar and this is the song, “Let It Burn”! I still get goose bumps listening to this song live.

This high energy night was coming to a close and Avatar’s encore was 4 songs with the last one sending the crowd into a frenzy, 2014’s “Hail the Apocalypse”. With a deafening roar from their fans, Avatar said good night.

This tour is only half over, it is a “MUST” see show!

They never disappoint!

Avatar members:

John Alfredsson – drums (since 2001)

Jonas “Kungen” Jarlsby – guitars (since 2001)

Johannes Eckerström – lead vocals (since 2002), brass (since 2014), piano, keyboards (since 2021)

Henrik Sandelin – bass, backing vocals (since 2003)

Tim Öhrström – guitars, backing vocals (since 2011

Setlist:

Silence in the Age of Apes

The Eagle Has Landed

In the Airwaves