Ghost @ Prudential Center

GHOST - NEWARK, NJ - 2.10.22

Swedish satanic metal band Ghost made a fitting stop at the home of the Jersey Devils last Thursday at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ. The Grammy award winning group of ghouls was joined by co-headlining Danish rock band Volbeat as well as special guests Twin Temple.

Traditionally, opening acts are a wild card that can be dull, drab or downright amateur. However, none of that describes Los Angeles based doo-wop group Twin Temple. Husband and wife duo Alexandra and Zachary James arrived on stage dressed in black and red bedazzled outfits. They began their set with a ritual featuring swords, skulls and holy water. While Alexandra’s hair rivaled that of Elvira, her vocals were the real star. The band's music was fun and upbeat, even featuring a saxophone, which playfully juxtaposed the content of their songs. Their set was short and sweet and while surprisingly unexpected, their inclusion on the tour was a perfect fit.

Continuing the retro vibe, co-headliners Volbeat were next to take the stage. The four piece group pumped up the crowd with a large visual display and double bass drums. Their music was part arena rock with metal guitar riffs peppered in and a splash of groovy bass. Fans in the crowd started small circle pits to their heavier leaning tracks. It was the perfect bridge to transition the show from rockabilly-esque Twin Temple into the heavier metal that was to come from Ghost. 

Saving the best for last, Ghost was the perfect finale to the evening. While this was billed as a co-headlining tour, the majority of the crowd was there for Papa Emiritus IV and his infamous ghouls. They began their set with one nameless ghoul backlit behind a curtain and once that curtain dropped, the audience erupted. Their set featured crowd favorites like “Square Hammer” and “Cirice” as well as newer releases like “Hunter’s Moon” from the Halloween Kills soundtrack and their cover of “Enter Sandman” from the Metallica Tribute Blacklist album. The band continued their longstanding tradition of elaborate costumes with the timely addition of gas masks. While they certainly put on an incredible show, it was a shorter set than they have played in the past when touring on their own with no other acts. Ghost truly went out with a bang that included pyrotechnics and confetti. While walking out of the arena, you could see fans dressed in various styles of Ghost’s past personas. They recently announced their new album Impera to be released in March of this year, and hopefully that means another true headlining tour is on the horizon.

Twin Temple

Volbeat

Ghost