GHOST – VOLBEAT – TWIN TEMPLE LIVE @ THE DCU CENTER

Local Scene

2022-02-15

GHOST – VOLBEAT – TWIN TEMPLE LIVE @ THE DCU CENTER

Friday night I picked up my son Jagger and we headed to Worcester for the Ghost headlining tour. Jagger had first taken me to see them in 2018 and to this day is still the most pleasantly surprised I was at a show. Not knowing what to expect that day, the band thoroughly entertained. Fast forward four years and the energy, showmanship and music still does not disappoint. Tobias Forge (as Papa Emeritus IV) is really the only member we truly know. Onstage he is backed by faceless ghouls on the instruments. I sent my friend Nancy a video during the show and she made a great comment, very theatrical. Forge certainly fits that bill.

Ghost started their set with “Kaisarion” followed by “Rats”, “From the Pinnacle to the Pit” and “Mary on a Cross”. Forge left for a costume change and came back in his priest robes for “Devil Church” and “Cirice”. “Hunter’s Moon”, my favorite track off the new record was next, followed by “Faith” the intro to “Helvetesfonster” and “Year Zero”..

After another costume change back to the suit jacket, the main set finished with “Ritual” and “Mummy Dust”. The band did not leave the stage before the final three songs but Forge talked with the crowd for a while. Longer than most bands break away before they come back for their encore. The final three did not disappoint. First a cover of Metallica’s “Enter Sandman” followed by my personal favorite “Dance Macabre” and crowd favorite “Square Hammer”.

Volbeat, a rock band from Denmark, was the second of the two warmup bands, and could have been the headliner themselves. Featuring Michael Poulsen (Guitar, Vocals), Jon Larsen (Drums), Rob Caggiano (Guitar) and Kasper Boye Larson (Bass) they blistered through a 16 song set. Actually one song more than the main act. Highlights of the set included opening number “Seal the Deal”, “Lola Montez”, the tour debut of “Dead but Rising”, “Shotgun Blues”,”The Devil’s Bleeding Crown”, “Die to Live” and “Still Counting”.

Twin Temple opened the evening with a six song set. They were entertaining and the songs were good. I will credit Jagger for the best way to describe the band. As we were discussing the show, he said they were like a satanic lounge act. I don’t think anything could beat that truly accurate take.

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