On September 9th, 2022, Ghost performed in Trenton New Jersey at the Cure Insurance Arena. The opening acts were Spiritbox and Mastodon. When I walked into the arena I was looking forward to seeing both opening bands, especially Spiritbox. To prepare for the show I listened to all the music for each band and loved being able to hear an iconic women-fronted metal band. Both opening acts were amazing segues into Ghost’s performance.
After Mastodon’s set, Ghost and the lighting and sound crew started to set up. Even behind a curtain, the band was creating intense anticipation. At first, the band was quiet. Then, the keyboard player started playing on an organ-inspired synth. After the insane display of talent, the songs “Klara stjarnor” and “Miserere Mei, Deus” started to play. The songs are choral church hymns that included crazy harmonies that filled the stadium.
The crowd started to cheer as they heard the hymns of Ghost.
The lights shut off and the guitarists and drummer started to play. The arena roared as the curtains fell down and the lights turned on bright with a bang. The anticipation for the set to start and the love the crowd had for Ghost made the crowd feel alive. The momentum Ghost had with the crowd came through with the infamous song “Rats” and their third song “Faith.” In the third song, we had a view of a Catholic-styled set with church window art.
Before the fourth song, “Spillways,” the guitarist had an epic guitar duel. Both of the guitarists were playing back and forth with the spotlight moving between them. They had to crowd infatuated by their guitar hero-type solos. The solos had a level of mystery with a synth drone playing in the background to add texture and an ominous vibe and reverberance.
“Devil’s Church” was my personal favorite. The lights filled the stage with red while the guitar parts sounded heavy metal. During the song “Con Clavi Con Dio,” Papa Emeritus IV came on stage wearing a crown and robe and the crowd went ballistic. To finish off the night, Ghost played “Mary on a Cross” which caused the whole arena to sing. The last songs were, “Mummy Dust,” and “Dance Macabre,” and a special encore song “Square Hammer.”
Ghost is a band worth seeing live, and I would do so again in a heartbeat.
Set List
- Kaisarion
- Rats
- Faith
- Spillways
- Devil Church
- Circe
- Hunter’s Moon
- Ritual
- Call Me Little Sunshine
- Con Clavi Con Dio
- Prime Mover
- Watcher in the Sky
- Year Zero
- He Is
- Miasma
- Mary on a Cross
- Mummy Dust
- Dance Macabre
- Square Hammer
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