I’ve been lucky enough to get to see almost every band I enjoy live with the exception of a few. For the longest time Ghost had been on that list as their previous visits had them at a venue that wasn’t wheelchair accessible or just bad timing. But when it was announced that they were going to play the newly reopened Kings Theatre in my hometown of Brooklyn I was definitely going to be there.
Going into the show this Saturday all I knew was that I’d finally be able to fully decide where Ghost fits in rock and metal. Sure their albums have been good and consistent but if you can’t carry through live then you just can’t truly make it long term in the industry.
Ghost came out strong with “Square Hammer”, the single off the Popestar EP, and I knew instantly the show was going to be impressive. Sounding as good as the album does. Not perfect good where you’d question if it’s live or fed in through the sound board but good where you can hear that the talent is real.
The didn’t rely on the new EP or its predecessor Meliora for this show. They brought something from each album to the show. This is a rare move by many bands but smart because it excites the fans who have followed Ghost since Opus Eponymous and turning the newer fans on to the older stuff they might not be familiar with. So of course I and several others went nuts for “Con Clavi Con Dio”. A song I often go to when DJing and played often when I first stumbled upon Ghost.
Another go to song of mine that I enjoyed hearing live was “Ghuleh/Zombie Queen”. I enjoy how it’s both heavy and haunting on Infestissumam and it delivered the same live. Moving the crowd to sing along as if it’s a decades old song that everyone knows. Which is also astonishing since the single from that album is “Secular Haze”, which was also just as haunting live as the album.
As Ghost played “Monstrance Clock” to end the night I realized why they are growing at a rapid speed. First, and some might hate this reference, they are pulling a KISS by keeping their true identities a secret in a day when secrets are almost a thing of legend. It was this mystery that helped KISS grow in the 70s and I truly feel that’s a big key in Ghost‘s growth. Second, and most importantly, they have more than just singles to pull from. Their fans have found and appreciate the deeper cuts and the band knows it which results in everyone enjoying themselves. Ghost isn’t going to fade away anytime soon and will be rocking us for years to come.
