Ghost: Give Us Your Reverent

Ghost w/ Marissa Nadler
Moore Theater, Seattle, WA
10.14.16

The papal carnival that is Swedish heavy metal band Ghost turned Seattle’s Moore Theatre into a reverent mass of followers. For their Popestar tour, they came, they sang, they conquered; though they certainly didn’t have to beg for it. The crowd arrived with painted faces, gothic veils, and masks aplenty, ready to worship the occult rockers.

The set opened with gorgeous instrumentals from a shroud of fog and purple light. An entire fifteen minutes passed before the sextet – comprised of five Nameless Ghouls and lead vocalist Papa Emeritus III – took the stage, opening with “Square Hammer,” the lead track from 2016’s Popestar EP. Prior to the band’s arrival on stage, the crowd was whipped into a frenzy of anticipation. By the end of the first track, the pyro, the smoke, the sweeping light, everything combined to create a haunting and devilish atmosphere for the show.

Having won the 2016 Grammy for Best Metal Performance, Ghost has been gathering the accolades and celebrity fans alike for the last few years, and their live show proves why. This isn’t just straight up heavy metal. The band’s ghoulish mix of metal, classic rock, and anthemic pop hooks makes for a uniquely bombastic mashup of genres. It’s the perfect potion for mimicking and mocking religious symbolism. It created a sensational arena for the committed fans and new initiates alike. The venue’s vertical balconies and intimate feel lent themselves to the overall feeling of worship.

Hits like “Stand By Him,” and the Grammy-winning “Cirice” – during which Papa let the audience sing for him – saw everyone’s arms in the air, fists pumping, some seemingly in prayer. Their set swung from the carnival-like “Secular Haze” to the anthemic “Absolution.” There was plenty of pyro, a shower of metallic confetti and “Ghost dollars,” and humorous banter that only added to the band’s showmanship.

With plenty of fans across the world and their genre-crossing sound, Ghost have clearly hit upon a tempting chord with their devilish smirk, and their live show is worth every penny.

Opening for Ghost was Marissa Nadler, a Boston-based gothic-folk vocalist and talented guitarist, who delivered a half-hour set of compellingly lush tracks. Her voice is supremely haunting, while her guitar works its way from plucky folk to an almost soothing psych-rock cover of Black Sabbath’s “Solitude” and back.

On her latest album, 2016’s Strangers, Nadler’s seventh LP, she has moved from past confessional work to a more storytelling affair, without leaving behind her obvious connection. Everything she performed felt personal, evocative, and unpretentious. When speaking to the crowd, her voice barely audible, she was brief and appreciative, keeping the focus on the music.

Review by Stephanie Dore
Photos by Sunny Martini

Ghost