GHOST Mastodon Spiritbox Concert Review
Peoria Civic Center
Peoria, Illinois
Wednesday, September 21, 2022

 

The Imperatour continues and sold out Peoria Civic Center. Grammy award winner GHOST continues their success. Their song “Mary On A Cross” is finding new fans due to their TikTok sensationalism after being featured in a Stranger Things mash up.  Some people are shocked that the song is so blasphemous. “Mary On A Cross” is a release from a seven inch EP with only two songs on it. That EP, Seven Inches of Satanic Panic was released September 13, 2019. Their fifth studio album Impera is a concept album inspired by the book The Rule of Empires: Those Who Built Them, Those Who Endured Them, and Why They Always Fall by Timothy Parsons. Tobias Forge who is the man behind the Papa Emeritus IV and Cardinal Copa explains that the album is a creation on Empires and why they fall. He emphasizes that the album is fiction and entertainment.  Do not criticize Forge as he is just a rock artist and not a religious or a political leader. Instead we should listen to what he is talking about of his interpretation of Empires and their greed and their downfalls being cyclical in nature. 

 

Spiritbox is from Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.  The band was started by Courtney LaPlante vocalist and Mike Stringer guitarist, husband and wife.  Many fans were looking forward to seeing Spiritbox live for the first time.  Vocalist, Courtney LaPlante has an amazing clean singing and also great growling.  Her vocal skills are rare.  There are many vocalists who can do both singing and growling but not many sound as good as LaPlante.  Her clean singing is ethereal and beautiful.  Spiritbox debut album Eternal Blue was released September 17, 2021.  

The band took the stage with everyone clad in black.  Courtney LaPlante wore a black dress and fishnet tights and platform boots.  She walked around the stage with authority.  They sounded great during their set that consisted of the songs “Circle With Me”, “Hurt You”, “Yellow Jacket”, “Holy Roller”, “Rotoscope” and “Hysteria”.  The fans hope for a headlining tour so they can hear all their fantastic songs live.  See where they are performing next on their website: Spiritbox.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Grammy award winning metal band Mastodon has been around since 2000.  The band consists of bassist Troy Sanders, lead guitarist Brent Hinds, rhythm guitarist Bill Kelliher and drummer Brann Dailor.  Sanders, Hinds and Dailor all take turns at vocalist while Kelliher sings back-up.  Their style is definitely progressive metal and we consider them a metal jam band.  They have been featured in video games and Dailor, Hinds, and Kelliher were in Game of Thrones as wildlings and later Hinds and Kelliher appear as wights.  Their track “White Walker” was on the Games of Thrones soundtrack.  Mastodon‘s eight studio album, Hushed and Grim was released on October 29, 2021.   Their stage had two large horizontal led screens with images of octopi, wolves, zombies, moroccan temples, pyschedelic totems.  Mastodon was exiting the tour this night and we were lucky to see them. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

GHOST stage had a gray Kabuki Drop that revealed the band on a huge stage with large backdrop of stained glass featuring Papa Emeritus IV. The drum riser was high in the center with stairs surrounding it.  The nameless Ghouls were positioned on platforms behind the drum kit and to the side of the stage.  The nameless Ghouls were wearing gas masks and black uniforms with fringed shoulders and boots.  

GHOST‘s fans are ranged in age from eight years old to fans in their sixties and possibly older. They dressed in black t-shirt and jeans, dresses, costumes ranging nuns, Papas, and even a dominatrix. Fans came in from miles around to see the show.

Tobias Forge had seemless costume changes wearing a general uniform that corresponded to the name Ghouls attire.  His costumes also included some bat wings, Papal vestments and then a sequined suit jacket.  The theatrical stage performance included concussive blasts.  A Frankenstein Papa that had to be brought back to life.  During “Mummy Dust”, gold confetti was blasted into the crowd.  When Tobias Forge is in the sequined suit jacket he reminded of The Joker and if the stage lights had not been in his eyes, he might have done a dance down the stairs.  There was also flames blasted and colored confetti.  During the final song, a curtain of sparks ended the show.  The show had so many entertaining elements it was hard to say what was my favorite.  Hopefully, you will be able to make it to a show to see what you love yourself.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You can be featured on their website with your art by using the #IMPERAUnholyVestments 
Find out when the next tour happens on Ghost’s Website
 

                                

Sources: setlist.fm, wikipedia.org, https://youtu.be/KZ7dPYSetlI