Mark McGauley Photography

On the second leg of their “Black To The Future,” Grammy Award winners Ghost stopped in New Haven, CT on Saturday, April 16^th. After winning the Grammy for “Best Metal Performance” for their song “Cirice” off of their latest album Meliora, Ghost went right back on the road. Once they finished dates in South America, which included a performance at Lollapalooza Argentina, Ghost headed back to the United States to haunt cities they didn’t get to last leg of the tour.

The night was opened by Swedish death metal band Tribulation. Forming in 2005, there wasn’t much of a Tribulation fan presence but they certainly put on one hell of a show. Sporting the makeup and clothing to fit the part, Tribulation put on an entertaining 45 minute set. Even with lyrics that no one in the crowd could understand, the band got everyone head banging with them. The highlight of their set was the charisma they showed on stage. When Tribulation finished their set, the crowd cheered and showed much respect for the guys from Sweden who made the trip to open for fellow Swedish rockers, Ghost.

As the lights dimmed and the church music came over the speakers, the atmosphere in the College Street Music Hall grew dark. While the crowd anxiously waited for Papa Emeritus III to take the stage, the Nameless Ghouls came out on stage one by one, opening the night with “Spirit.” After a minute of the Ghouls jamming on stage behind flashing strobe lights, Papa emerged from the back of the stage between their drummer “Earth” and keyboardist “Air.” After the opening song, Ghost wasted no time and went right into their bass driven song, “From The Pinnacle To The Pit.” Opening the night with two new tracks off Meliora set the night off at a high note that put the crowd in a daze.

Mark McGauley Photography

The night’s setlist, although heavy with 7 Meliora tracks, featured a good mix of Ghost’s 3 albums plus their EP If You Have Ghost. The band dug into tracks off their first album Opus Eponymous such as “Con Clavi Con Dio,” which is another bass driven song that immediately makes one bang their head. The middle of their three albums, Infestissumam, got 5 tracks played, which included the encore “Monstrance Clock.” Papa and his Nameless Ghouls essentially put together a setlist that highlighted both, all their albums and the musical styles that they possess.

Mark McGauley Photography

Although the Nameless Ghouls don’t speak, the stage interaction between Papa Emeritus III and them is both entertaining as well as comical. Papa Emeritus III is easily one of the best front men in the music business. Even within his costumes, hidden behind a mask and makeup, Papa expresses himself onstage flawlessly. Not often does a concertgoer get both an awesome stage show and a great live musical performance, but that is what fans of Ghost get when they go see them live. If Ghost were to ever get rid of the outfits and makeup, like Kiss once did, the musical genius would still be there. Ghost has one of the best rhythm sections in music today. Even if none of the Ghouls have faces or real names, they can still play and play well. The drum and bass sound that Earth and Water make is a powerful force that hits right in the chest. Then when Alpha and Omega, the guitarists, get added in who harmonize with ease and trade of guitar licks, the formula is pretty much complete. Completing that formula is keyboardist Air, who fills in those eerie backing tracks along with an occasional keytar solo. Mixing the 5 Ghouls behind Papa Emeritus III’s vocals is just simply put, a winning combination. Which now after their release of Meliora, they have won one of the most respected awards in music, a Grammy.

Mark McGauley Photography

Papa Emeritus III took the time in the middle of their Roky Erickson cover of, “If You Have Ghosts”, to introduce his Ghouls and tell the background story of each of them. Papa went one by one, introducing every one of the Ghouls, including those who weren’t on stage for the almost acoustic song. Drummer Earth and Keyboardist Air weren’t on stage for the cover but the rest of the Nameless Ghouls were. The stories of the lead guitarist known as Alpha/Fire, the rhythm guitarist known as Omega and the Bassist Water were all told one by one. After each introduction the crowd roared and each Ghoul took note with a respectful bow.

The night ended with a sexual song known as “Monstrance Clock,” which the entire venue knew quite well. As the entire crowd sang the words, “To the sound of the monstrance clock” with Papa, the Nameless Ghouls came in with their musical piece. This was the perfect way to end the night and send the fans of Ghost off into the night singing, “Come together, together as one.”

Although Ghost is wrapping up another leg of this tour, there are still plenty of chances to see them in the United States. With the tour heading down south, Ghost gets to warm up a little bit before taking part of The World’s Loudest Month, which features sets at Welcome to Rockville, Carolina Rebellion, Rock On The Range and more.

Mark McGauley Photography

Mark McGauley Photography

Mark McGauley Photography

Mark McGauley Photography

Ghost Setlist:

Spirit

From The Pinnacle To The Pit

Stand By Him

Con Clavi Con Dio

Per Aspera Ad Inferi

Body And Blood

Devil Church

Cirice

Year Zero

Spöksonat

He Is

Absolution

Mummy Dust

If You Have Ghosts

Ghuleh/Zombie Queen

Ritual

Monstrance Clock

Mark McGauley Photography

Mark McGauley Photography

Mark McGauley Photography

Mark McGauley Photography

Mark McGauley Photography

Mark McGauley Photography

Mark McGauley Photography

Mark McGauley Photography

Mark McGauley Photography

Mark McGauley Photography

Mark McGauley Photography

Mark McGauley Photography

Mark McGauley Photography

Mark McGauley Photography

Mark McGauley Photography

Mark McGauley Photography