### Ghost: 2012-07-05

#### 12/07/12 || sincan

Ghost is by now a well known phenomena, by reading or hearing the band’s name you should feel like when you were six years old during (anti)christmas waiting for that fucking pink pony you always wanted. If you don’t, well, fuck it, I don’t know what to do with you except convincing you by my review. However it is not my mission nor my will to do so.

This was actually my second time I saw Ghost and since the first gig I attended to was fucking awesome my expectation was pretty goddam fucken huge, as your sorry ass. It was an outside gig and it was more or less as light as it can get during a Swedish summer. Some might think that it ain’t that suitable with Ghost playing out in the bright, well I get what you’re thinking but you’re partly wrong. Of course it is easier to get their kind of show to fit in darkness, but by the way they pulled it off at this gig I just salute them because no matter how light it is, they will fill your heart with darkness.

Before the nameless ghouls entered the smoke filled stage the area close to it got filled with the smell of incense. And out they came totally dressed in white, except for Papa Emeritus I who also was decorated with some golden Ghost crosses and his pope hat. Using white as their main color for their hooded capes was a bit surprising and yet perfect (yeah, I know that they used the same clothes during some earlier gigs). They opened with the first song from their first and (by now) only album Opus eponymous (not counting the intro) and you don’t need to be more than a vegetable to understand how good that song works as an opener. The base kicks in and you just know that the anti divine service has begun before hell breaks out.

Some weak-minded fucktards say that Ghost’s sound on the album isn’t heavy enough, or that it sounds too thin or similar nonsense, however during live shows everything is a bit more, the vocals even grows. I know people who got converted into liking or loving Ghost because of the whole experience their shows brings. I love the production on the album, I also love how they sound live and in the end I must say that they sound even better live actually.

They played every song from their album, except for the album intro Deus culpa. This they did in a different order compared to the album and they also played their fantastic and dark cover of Beatles “Here comes the sun”, included on the Japanese CD version. It is pretty amazing that one album can be played entirely without the situation where it feels like some tracks are just fillers. Instead it is the opposite, every song is a fucking super hit which would make Lady Gaga green with envy. This mixed with the way the entire band acts on the stage is just pure eye and ear candy. Papa Emeritus I were slowly moving together with the music and waiving and using his hands in his characteristic way while the other nameless ghouls were more or less being pretty fucking nameless (in a good way) while doing their part. During the instrumental song “Genesis” Papa Emeritus I left the stage and this gave room for the other Ghouls to shine, what an instrumental track!

I’m aware that it sounds like if I was praising them without trying to be objective, well it’s because the gig was so fucking good. But if I shall point out something that wasn’t perfect, and also ruining parts of the mysticism, the “presentation” of the band members were Papa pope-hat was walking around and in a cheesy manner pointing at the members is more or less the only thing I can recall. Maybe the fact that he said “God afton” (Swedish for “good evening”) and also thanked the audience after one song helped to hurt the charade of Ghost, I don’t really know my opinion on the subject here.

Before leaving the stage the crowd got tons of kisses from Papa Emeritus I, which most likely means that you didn’t. So if you haven’t seen a Ghost gig, walk through fire and flames, mountains, oceans, heaven and hell, bear nests, radio music fans, your mother in law and so forth until you get to one.

Score: 10 out of 10 inverted crucifixes shaped out of male genitals.

- Who: Ghost
- When: 5 July, 2012
- Where: Getaway Rock festival, Sweden

- Setlist
- 01. Con clavi con dio
- 02. Elizabeth
- 03. Prime mover
- 04. Stand by him
- 05. Death knell
- 06. Satan prayer
- 07. Genesis
- 08. Here comes the sun (the Beatles cover)
- 09. Ritual