Great Hall, Cardiff University Students Union
Sat 25 Mar
“Overall, it’s supposed to be a spectacle of joy: I want people to feel joyous.”
This is not, perhaps, the description of a Ghost show that the uninitiated might expect to hear, given the Satanic Swedes’ diabolic aesthetic and lyrical subject matter (sample: “This chapel of ritual smells of dead human sacrifices”) but it makes a peculiar logic, when explained by one of the group’s enigmatic Nameless Ghouls.
“We’re trying to emulate the feeling people experience going to a new-form, evangelical church. It’s supposed to be like a religious experience.”
And with their leader, Papa Emeritus III, delivering satanic sermons from the stage, decked out from head to toe in macabre papal garb, flanked by his faceless brothers and sisters, it’s clear to see why fans may indeed find a Ghost gig the spiritually uplifting experience that’s described.
The Nameless Ghoul on the other end of the phone is a charming, articulate man, with a soft Scandinavian accent and a considered approach to what his band does. Clearly a lot of thought has gone into how Ghost can provide a unique experience for their fans. “For years there’s been this debate about where we fit into metal, but I think the positivity of our shows is one of the things that separates us from the rest of that genre. Usually metal gigs have a darker feel, a cathartic, often angry venting, but ours are generally a euphoric experience; a space for positive venting.”
The Ghoul is enthusiastic about playing Cardiff’s Great Hall in March, as part of a UK tour that sees them playing to bigger crowds than ever before and talks passionately about the sort of fans they’ll be playing to. “Our crowd is not the sort of homogenous group you might see at, say, a Saxon show. We pull in a 60:40 female: male audience, from young kids to senior citizens, and that variety makes it more fun for everyone. I come from an underground, extreme metal background, so 300 guys moshing in a tiny club is cool, but this broader, bigger crowd is so much fun!”
Tickets: £25. Info: 029 2078 1458
words HUGH RUSSELL