Review and Photos by Fred Kuhlman
Promoter: Live Nation (https://www.livenation.com/ )
Venue: Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre (https://www.facebook.com/TalkingStickResortAmphitheatre/ )
Date: Friday September 8th, 2023
Tour: “Re-Imperatour” summer 2023 U.S. tour
Let’s get the bad over first: It was damn hot. Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre (previously Ak-Chin Pavilion) is an outdoor venue in Phoenix, Arizona. Today it was 104 degrees (40 degrees Celsius) so by concert time it was probably just over 100. The venue was huge ceiling fans in the covered area which helped move the air. The reason I bring this up here you will discover later in the review. But as an audience member, it was very warm and I had to drink a lot of water. Otherwise, it was a fantastic concert.
This was in reality a 2-headliner concert. Both Amon Amarth and Ghost are major acts. Amon Amarth was first up and played for about 50 minutes. The stage was then torn down and the stage for Ghost was setup. I was amazed that it only took 30 minutes to perform this, but I am sure the road crews had done this many times and had it well-rehearsed. This was the final tour stop for the combined tour for Ghost and Amon Amarth. Finally, Ghost came on stage just after 9pm. They played for about 2 hours including a 3-song encore.
Overall, it was one of the great concerts not only of September but of 2023. This is saying something considering all of the great concerts this year. The about 12,000 fans got to see 2 incredible metal bands. Each band did not disappoint. Both played to the audience and seemed to really enjoy being here. Many times, the front person for each band would interact and talk directly with the audience. There was even an interaction between Ghost’s Papa Emeritus IV and members of the pit about how many songs they should perform for the encore. They settled on 3 songs.
Ghost
Ghost is a Heavy Metal band out of Linköping, Sweden. They were formed in 2006 but didn’t release their first album until 2010. A friend told me that they first performed here in Arizona in 2013. Since then, they have produced 5 studio albums. But the real strength of Ghost is their live shows. At our show they had a large backdrop that displayed different “stained glass” church style windows. In the back was the drum kit on its riser. Joining the drummer were 2 keyboardists on both sides. On stage left next to the keyboardist was one of the backup singers. On the other side (stage right) was another backup singer that at times played rhythm guitar. Up front were the 2 lead guitarists and the bass player. Ghost is fronted by Papa Emeritus IV. All of the other members of Ghost other than Papa Emeritus IV are referred to as the “Nameless Ghouls”.
The Nameless Ghouls were all dressed in black jump suits with long pants and long sleeves. They also wore a head mask that looked like something out of an S&M movie crossed with a stream-punk event. This is where the temperature comes in. I know I was hot and I had shorts and tee-shirt on. But how these musicians made it through the almost 2 hours on stage dress like this amazed me. Also, at the end of the main set, they shot off numerous fire pots multiple times. Being about 30 feet from them, I could feel the intense heat. These musicians’ costumes have always been part of the Ghost mistic, no one knows for sure who the Nameless Ghouls really are.
The stage had an extension in the middle that came out into the crowd. At numerous times different band members would move out onto it. Being the lead singer and frontman, Papa Emeritus IV spent most of his time out front singing to the crowd. Papa changed outfits multiple times during the show including into his Satanic Pope outfit. At one point they brought out the old (and dead) Papa Emeritus. They wheeled him out on stage, jump started him and he then played saxophone until they put him back on the slab and rolled him off stage.
To the delight of the fans, they performed a mixture of songs from all of their albums including their platinum hit “Mary on a Cross”. Having seen Marilyn Manson in the past, I thing that the Ghost concert was much better. Ghost will be touring in South America during the last part of September and in Australia in October. If you get the chance to see them, highly recommend it. They put on a great performance. You can see if they are coming to a city near you on either their website of Facebook page.
Ghost Social Media Sites:
Website: https://ghost-official.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thebandghost/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebandghost/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thebandghost
YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@thebandGhost/featured
Ghost
Photos by Fred Kuhlman 2023, All Rights Reserved
Amon Amarth
I am a huge fan of the metal bands that are currently coming out of the Scandinavian countries. Sweden especially seems to be generating a number of outstanding metal bands. This is my first-time seeing Amon Amarth live. I have listened to their music on the different streaming services for the last 5 years. They have been around since 1992 and have generated 12 albums.
Amon Amarth consists of lead singer Johan Hegg, lead guitarist Olavi Mikkonen, rhythm guitarist Johan Söderberg, bass player Ted Lundström and drummer Jocke Wallgren. The band’s name comes from J.R.R. Tolken’s middle-earth name for Mount Doom. Most of their lyrics deal with Viking mythology and history. For this reason, they are considered part of the “League of Viking Metal bands”.
Normally during the song “Put Your Back Into the Oar” the audience in the pit sit on the ground and “row the Viking Ship”. But due to the small pit, Johan Hegg requested that we all rowed in our seats. I was really hoping to capture the ground rowing event, but it was something to see everyone in the crowd join in. I did not see the people on the green, but I am sure they joined in.
At another point in the show, Johan told the crowd to “Raise Their Horn”. At which point he drained his and most of the people around me also drained their cups and bottles.
They ended their part of the show with “Twilight of the Thunder God” which is based on Thor’s battle with the serpent Jörmungandr during Ragnarök. They had the giant blown up serpent on the side of the stage. Johan give battle with Jörmungandr using Thor’s hammer Mjölnir.
I loved Amon Amarth. Both the stage setup, the performance and the setlist. Maybe I have a little Viking blood in me and this pulls me to that style of music. Whatever, it is still great music and performed by one of the premier metal bands. Amon Amarth is no longer touring, but I am sure they will announce a new fall/winter tour. Check out their website to see where and when they will be touring again. I am very happy that I finally got to see them perform and I will definitely be going back to see them again.
Amon Amarth Social Media Sites:
Website: https://www.amonamarth.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amonamarth
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amonamarth/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@amonamarthband
YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@AmonAmarthOfficial
Amon Amarth
Photos by Fred Kuhlman 2023, All Rights Reserved
Ghost Setlist (Album)
Kaisarion (Impera)
Rats (Prequelle)
From the Pinnacle to the Pit (Meliora)
Spillways (Impera)
Cirice (Meliora)
Absolution (Meliora)
Ritual (Opus Eponymous)
Call Me Little Sunshine (Impera)
Con Clavi Con Dio (Opus Eponymous)
Watcher in the Sky (Impera)
Year Zero (Infestissumam)
Spöksonat
He Is (Meliora)
Miasma (Prequelle)
Mary on a Cross (Seven Inches of Satanic Panic)
Mummy Dust (Meliora)
Respite on the Spitalfields (Impera)
Encore:
Kiss the Go-Goat (Seven Inches of Satanic Panic)
Dance Macabre (Prequelle)
Square Hammer (Popestar)
Amon Amarth Setlist (Album)
Raven’s Flight (Berserker)
Shield Wall (Berserker)
Heidrun (The Great Heathen Army)
Deceiver of the Gods (Deceiver of the Gods)
Put Your Back Into the Oar (Put Your Back Into the Oar (Single))
The Way of Vikings (Jomsviking)
Guardians of Asgaard (Twilight of the Thunder God)
Raise Your Horns (Jomsviking)
Twilight of the Thunder God (Twilight of the Thunder God)
