THE ARMORY in Minneapolis, MN
October 5, 2019
Review and Pictures by Brett Zisler
One look at the streets of Minneapolis Saturday night let you know more than just a concert was going to happen at the Armory. Lines stretched for blocks as fans anxiously waited to get inside to see the Grammy award winning Swedish band GHOST. The Armory has hosted a plethora of popular acts but none quite like the event that GHOST puts on.
As soon as the house lights went dark to the intro of “Ashes” the frenzy of the crowd grew. There the Nameless Ghouls stood on their staircases observing their sold out crowd before the drums kicked into the ever so popular “Rats”. The tension was mounting until the moment everyone was waiting for finally happened. Cardinal Copia made his triumphant entrance dressed appropriately in a cardinal red velvet suit. Cardinal Copia, just like his predecessors, moved just seamlessly across the stage as the band went into hits “Absolution” and “Faith.”
GHOST’ setlist was perfectly crafted including some of their oldest hits like “Ritual” and “Satan’s Prayer” to their newest additions “Mary on a Cross” and “Kiss the Go-Goat.” Cardinal’s legion of fans he as built over the years never once let up lending their vocals. As the show started to wind down, GHOST didn’t let up. Ending the night with their ultimate one – two punch in “Dance Macabre” and “Square Hammer” couldn’t have been any better. Fans from the front to the back of the Armory bounced and bellowed out their vocal harmonies with Cardinal Copia.
All in all, the evolution of the band GHOST has been nothing but remarkable. From their early tour stops in Minnesota at Station 4 & opening for Mastodon at Myth in 2012, this band has done nothing but move onwards and upwards. Each tour has proven to be building blocks for putting on what is now one of the best live rock shows you can see. Never did I think I would see parents bringing their children dressed as Papa Emeritus or countless number of people walking in as a nameless ghoul to a GHOST concert. But it’s a testimony as to how good of a live show GHOST really is, and that live show is only getting better with every tour. Each time they have passed through Minnesota they have played a larger venue. And if Saturday night is any indication, that growth is showing no signs of stopping.
Opening the night GHOST brought along Texas natives NOTHING MORE. After touring almost all 2020 of their newest album “The stories we tell ourselves,” NOTHING MORE added an upbeat opening to the show that accommodated the GHOST crowd perfectly. Lead singer Johnny Hawkins displayed his wide range of vocals as they made their way through such hits as “Let’em Burn” “This is the Time” and the ever so personal “Jenny.” As Hawkins asked the crowd how many people had never seen NOTHING MORE before as many hands went up, it’s safe to say they made a large number of new fans after Saturday night.
SEE MORE OF BRETT's PHOTOS OF GHOST HERE!
SEE MORE OF BRETT's PHOTOS OF NOTHING MORE HERE!
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