Papa Emeritus III and some Nameless Ghouls holding court.
I caught Swedish Death/Doom Metal band, Ghost over the weekend at the Riv, on a US tour around their third album, Meliora. They played to a sold-out, all ages show, and owned the room.
Purson opened for them, did their own credible neo-psychedelic rock music — they look and sound like a fusion of Alice Cooper Group, Heart, and Kate Bush, but rocked pretty well, got things rolling ahead of Ghost.
It was a great set, and Papa Emeritus III and his Nameless Ghouls worked the crowd well, with good humor and grand showmanship that epitomizes their style. Great songs with catchy hooks, performed with power and presence. Ghost are a delight to see and to listen to.
I have all of Ghost’s albums and EPs, and was pleased to hear how punchy their new songs were, where the poppy elements were given more teeth via live performance.
Ghost manages to rob the graves of some of the best 70s Metal motifs, and to give them new life in their whole Satanic majesty. I hope this latest tour is a big success for them, and look forward to hearing and seeing them again.
Ghost’s setlist was:
- Spirit
- From the Pinnacle to the Pit
- Ritual
- Con Clavi Con Dio
- Per Aspera ad Inferi
- Majesty
- Prime Mover
- Stand by Him
- Body and Blood
- Devil Church
- Cirice
- Year Zero
- He Is
- Absolution
- Mummy Dust
- Jigolo Har Megiddo
- Ghuleh/Zombie Queen
- If You Have Ghosts
- Monstrance Clock
*d