Ghost, 17th June 2023, Helviti, Copenhell Festival, Denmark

Photo: Urban Mescalero Photography www.urbanmescalero.com

Since releasing their debut album Opus Eponymous in 2010 it has only gone one way for Tobias Forge’s project – and that’s up. The band has in a record time become a global success and a brand of sorts. The whole thing seemed a bit like a joke to begin with, but as it gained some unexpected praise from prominent names in the music business, which is priceless promotion in itself. And that debut was fun and quite good. Since, the band has turned up for commercial aspects in their music and truth be told, released some solid albums along the way.

The whole masked concept and revolving door of musicians have been touring for increasingly big audiences.

The band played Copenhell several times like for instance back in 2015, when they played one hell of show. But unlike then, this year they got the earlier timeslot, meaning that the entire concert was in broad daylight. And that’s not the optimal setting for this sort of theatrical shows, but they did pull it off before.

The dramatic opening of the show comes across as watching Phantom Of The Opera recording on an iPad on a beach. But what genuinely spoiled the opening of the show was the weak sound of a constant low frequency buzzing noise, which contained through the entire show. It muddied the overall sound and in-between songs it was almost unbearable. But Forge or Papa Emeritus as he’s known, and the rest of the band took it professionally. That being said, Forge did run to the side of the stage to talk to the sound guy several times, but even then he was in character.

Unfortunately, professionalism aside, when there is loud freaking buzzing sound throughout the entire concert it affects the band, and no number of masks can hide that. All that affects the crowd, which affects the band additionally, and in the end this more often than not results in weak shows.

Forge’s changing of outfits did little to add to excitement and while the last two songs did get the crowd going some more, at no point was this an impressive performance of Ghost concept. Not when it comes to theatrical showmanship or the music. Ghost can do better live, much, much better – and this comes from someone who never really got into the band, but has seen them a number of times.

Ghost, the second-biggest name of the day, played only for an hour, which itself is odd. On the other hand, taking into the consideration that it was accompanied by an hour of minutes of buzzing noise, perhaps it’s good they didn’t play longer.

SETLIST:

1. Kaisarion
2. Rats
3. Spillways
4. Cirice
5. Hunter’s Moon
6. Watcher in the Sky
7. Year Zero
8. Mary on a Cross
9. Mummy Dust
10. Kiss the Go-Goat
11. Dance Macabre
12. Square Hammer