If you were anywhere near the Kia Forum from the early morning of September 11 through the late night of September 12, you may have spotted the Children of Ghost congregating on the sidewalks in their unholy vestments. Starting around 4:00 - 5:00 AM, fans of the Swedish Satanic metal group began camping out for a chance to be on the highly-coveted barricade, trading kandi bracelets adorned with charms and phrases such as “Hail Satan” and the names of their favorite Ghouls and songs. As the sun came up and the line continued to grow, so did the excitement and chaos as the venue had no idea there would be such a massive turnout so early in the day. As crowds of fans were shuffled around the parking lot, it was clear that this show was not one to be missed by Ghost fans, local or international. Three local fans even organized a masquerade-themed event the weekend prior to celebrate the band's performances and meet fellow fans who traveled from out of town. Over the last few months, Ghost’s frontman Tobias Forge has hinted at the Forum shows being different from the rest of the tour and that they’d potentially be recording the entire show professionally. After much speculation of what these differences would entail - new songs? new Papa? - all was revealed on Monday night and it was a sight to be seen. Prior to entering the venue, fans were instructed to put their phones in Yondr pouches which is much easier and more streamlined than one might think. Amon Amarth did not join Ghost as the opener for these two shows, most likely in order to dedicate all the crew’s time and energy to the recording of the show. About 10 minutes prior to curtain drop, there was an announcement explaining to fans that this show, or as Ghost fans call it, “ritual,” would be unlike any Ghost ritual they’d seen before, as there would be no phones allowed, and if fans wanted to show people the performance, they’d have to tell them instead, “just like the 80s,” or as some might say, "just like a bunch of Satanic evangelists." This was followed by a stern warning of the venue’s preparations to eject anyone who broke the no-phones policy, which did end up happening. The Forum buzzed with energy while waiting for the show to start. One fan dressed as Jesus received repeated cheers and chants from the audience every time he stood up from his seats. Another fan dressed as a now retired Papa Emeritus II received similar excitement from the crowd, showing just how supportive and humorous of a group they are. After what felt like an eternity due to fans having no phones and very little sense of time, “Imperium” began to play, but this time, there was a documentary-style black and white video projected on the curtain, showing Papa and the Ghouls driving into the Forum’s loading docks which had the crowd going wild. The show proceeded as normal with a few differences. During “Watcher in the Sky” the lighting rig lowered down, right on top of their drummer ghoul (nicknamed "Mountain") before slowly rising upward in a cloud of fog and lights, much like a rocket taking off. Papa then disappeared momentarily before reappearing on the B stage right in the center of the Forum, surrounded on all sides by adoring fans, there was truly not a bad seat in the house that night. He was joined by Ghoulettes providing cello and piano support to an emotional rendition of a longtime fan favorite, “If You Have Ghosts.” Since the show didn’t allow cell phones, fans had organized to distribute white glowing bracelets to simulate flashlights during Ghost’s slower songs which were turned on at this time. Papa gave the Forum a heartfelt speech about not always feeling happy 100% of the time simply being a part of life, and that we should hold onto the moments that do make us happy, such as that beautiful moment we were all sharing together. During night 2, it seemed that Papa became emotional during this song and was unable to finish it, so it was cut short. Next came “Dominion,” an ominous interlude that leads into “Twenties” on the Impera album. It was at this time that Papa was briefly clothed with a Rocky-style blue satin boxing robe and matching gold boxing gloves before waltzing through the side of the pit back to the main stage where history was about to be made.
For months, fans of the song “Twenties” have been hoping to hear the Broadway-esque tune, even starting the hashtag #TwentiesInBrazil, imploring the band to add it to the setlist. During shows leading up to LA, fans heard Ghost soundchecking “Twenties” and were hopeful to hear it at these shows, but it seems these soundchecks were serving as rehearsals for the LA shows. Once the first note of the song’s brass section began, the audience exploded into a sea of screaming, dancing fans. To add to the excitement, Ghost enlisted a troupe of dancers for this song, almost nude except for thongs and nipple pasties for the women, painted head to toe (or baldcap to toe) as skeletons, providing the perfect theatrical ambience for the song including army-like stomping for the second chorus which Tobias had previously shared was a major part of his vision if he were ever to add the song to their setlist. One of the most exciting parts of the skeletons’ performance was the moment in the second chorus when there’s a distinct buildup during which they lifted Papa into the air in a position that looked as if he were seated on a throne. The excitement in the Forum was palpable, which made for a great precursor to “Year Zero.” The show carried on as usual and Papa was rejoined by the skeleton dancers, now donning body glitter and black trousers, during “Dance Macabre” where he was lifted once again, this time in a more dramatic laid-out position, similar to the lift performed by a female dancer in the song’s music video. The show was closed out with the usual “Square Hammer,” followed by a curtain being dropped as Papa gave the crowd one final solo bow. The smell of sulfur filled the air as fans scooped confetti and fake dollar bills, known as “Mummy Dust,” from the floor and distributed them to one another. Sweaty and covered in melted facepaint, fans scuttled out to the parking lot where phones were unlocked from their Yondr pouches as bootleg merch and hotdogs were eagerly offered by vendors. These shows included exclusive location-specific merch - a T-shirt and a poster both designed by Aaron Lea, depicting Papa holding the Forum and listing the location and dates of both shows. The performance was followed up by a post on Ghost’s Instagram confirming that they did record the show and that a film was underway. Although we attended both nights, we are already looking forward to seeing it all again on film and we’re excited for those who didn’t attend to finally witness the new additions and surprises from the LA rituals.
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