Ghost returns to the US to kick off their late summer Imperatour North American Tour at the Pechanga Arena in San Diego.
Swedish goth/theater rock band Ghost returned to the stage at the Pechanga Arena in San Diego to begin their North American tour dubbed Imperatour. This tour sees the Grammy Award-winning band brings the satanic ritual musical theater to their North American fans again in 2022.
Tobias Forge is the vocalist for Ghost and performs as the main characters, Papa Emeritus and Cardinal Copia. He once again brings those roles to life, much to the delight of all the dedicated fans in attendance, some in makeup and costume mimicking their onstage hero. The satanic faithful, gleefully singing along to the satanically-oriented lyrics. Forge’s onstage persona is ever evolving with new and updated characters. Part Liberace, part Siegfried and Roy, part twisted and evil clergyman, Forge is all showman. The effeminate character embodied by the showman moves across the stage with a grace and style that recalls a well-styled but twisted ballet or Broadway show. Forge has definitely taken the original goth rock style of Alice Cooper, stripped away the horror element, and put a theatrical and satirical twist of their take of the satanic/metal/goth genre.
Ghost is not just Forge but also comprises a very good hard rocking eight-member touring band, known as the Nameless Ghouls. The Ghouls, all wear virtually identical face-concealing costumes. Clad in all black, the jack-booted, jodhpur trouser-clad rockers, wore helmets, with large coke bottle goggles that looked like a cross between a video game nazi character, and a “Despicable Me” minion. Ghost brings with them on this tour a beautiful stage build made up like an old gothic church and a very well-programmed light show.
The Nameless Ghouls and Forge’s demonic anti-pope character, Papa Emeritus, and the dead (brought back to life with spark shooting AED paddles) sax-playing Papa Nihil, all made for quite an entertaining stage spectacle. Forge made several costume changes from the Cardinal Copia character to the Papa Emeritus back to a very Liberace-like Copia in a blue sequin dinner jacket. During Forge’s costume changes the band rocked the crowd with some great instrumental interludes. After each change Forge’s character sashayed and strut across the stage gracefully while the Ghouls stomped and rocked the crowd with arena rock anthems.
This band loves the spotlight and the aforementioned light show was a perfect compliment to theatrics. So many bands of this genre love to hide in the dark. This is not the case when you go to a Ghost show. This band loves the spotlight and was made for it. The Ghouls were well rehearsed and the show went off with the timing of a well-directed and rehearsed Broadway show. From the Kabuki curtain fall to the curtain call, with Forge tossing roses into the adoring crowd, this had all the making of well-played theater.
Whether you are a fan of the music, a believer in the lyrical content, or a fan of the theatrics, it is, above all, theater and is very entertaining. The northern Europeans have a rich tradition in the doom/goth/death metal genre, and Ghost is one of the bands that sits atop that group. Ghost’s creativity, character building, and live show are what sets them apart from most in this genre. This tour puts all their talents on display. Forge is the consummate showman, and the Nameless Ghouls band is excellent. So whether you are a satanic “believer,” you believe it’s just theater, or you are looking for a good entertaining theatrical rock show, check out Ghost as they swing through the US until late September.
