Ghost
House of Blues
Boston, MA
September 28, 2015

Ghost makes their return to Boston for the first time in two years, with their new singer, Papa Emeritus III. With a new album and a new singer, how did this show compare to their prior visits?

Purson

A psychedelic rock band from London, Purson kicked off the night. Their music definitely has a 60’s/70’s vibe to it, a la Iron Butterfly, but singer Rosalie Cunningham’s vocals set them apart from some of the other stoner-rock bands out there.

Setlist
Danse Macabre
Spiderwood Farm
Leaning on a Bear
Electric Landlady
Rocking Horse
Well Spoiled Machine
Tragic Catastrophe
Wanted Man

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Ghost

Ghost recently released their third album, Meliora, which we reviewed here. Once again they have “replaced” their singer, Papa Emeritus II, this time with his “three month younger brother,” Papa Emeritus III.

Compared to their last headlining stop in Boston, they’re now headlining a venue about twice as large. It’s obvious they have made a connection with fans, and their new album is winning more of them over. Having seen prior incarnations of Ghost a half-dozen times, this was certainly the most impressive show I’ve seen. The show clocked in at just shy of two hours long, and the overall production was tighter and more impressive than I’ve seen from them.

A little more than halfway through the set, Papa III changed from his cleric robes into a more casual suit, with his hair slicked back. This portion of the set included an acoustic performance of “Jigolo Har Megiddo,” which was absolutely fantastic.

Nearly every track off of Meliora was played, with highlights including “From the Pinnacle to the Pit,” “Majesty,” and what surprised me the most to hear was “He Is.”

Ghost has grown a lot over the last few years, and as this night showed, they’ve become an unstoppable force.

Setlist
Spirit
From the Pinnacle to the Pit
Ritual
Con Clavi Con Dio
Per Aspera ad Inferi
Majesty
Stand by Him
Prime Mover
Body and Blood
Devil Church
Cirice
Year Zero
Spöksonat
He Is
Absolution
Mummy Dust
Jigolo Har Megiddo
Ghuleh/Zombie Queen
If You Have Ghosts
—–
Monstrance Clock

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