Avatar, Motionless in White, and everything Amazing Nightmares are Made Of

If true nightmare circuses are anything like Avatar's stage representation, then get me tickets to the circus anytime.  And wherever Halloween exists that represents Motionless in White's disturbed stage setting, bring me there EVERY October.  Because Avatar and Motionless in White rocked the show at The Palace Theatre.

Opening for In This Moment, these two bands made sure to hold their own with performances that not just brought the heaviness but also created an atmosphere, and made the setting of Albany disappear to a nightmare world full of candles, jackolanterns, one beautifully disturbing Ringmaster.

Avatar were on point setting the scene of a horrific vintage nightmare circus, down to the fact that even their entire stage crew and merchandise crew were dressed in costume.  As a ringmaster vocalist, Johannes Eckerstrom resembled the horror movie character the  'Babadook' ["Sinster"], with a perfectly creepy intonation when speaking to the crowd between songs.  Their set seemed perfectly planned and professional, and by their last song, the crowd was SCREAMING for more.  As someone who has never seen Avatar live, I'm hooked as a fan.

With a tough act to follow, Motionless in White did not disappoint, playing more of a heavy metal set from their newest hit "Loud" to older favorites like "Reincarnate."  Already a huge MIW fan, I had seen the band twice on Warped Tour this summer, but never with the elaborate stage setting as they provide at an indoor venue.  With a stage full of candles, jackolanterns, and candy being thrown out into the audience, I almost felt left out for not being in costume.  While they did play a more melodic "Eternally Yours," they strayed for the most part from their metalcore songs and brought in some of the heavy metal songs from their catalog.  It was a refreshing change to see, and fit the bill perfectly for this tour line-up.  All in all, by the end of their set my neck was blown from dancing, my voice was shot from screaming along, and I'm pretty sure the people in the seats behind me were probably annoyed from my constant hand throwing.

I left the show still loving headliners In This Moment, loving Motionless in White EVEN more (and with new purchased band merchandise in hand), and a new HUGE fan of Avatar.