Wacken

August 6, 2011

Performed at Hauptstrasse in Wacken, Germany

2011 Wacken Open Air Poster - Sold Out

Set List

Masked Ball

Con Clavi Con Dio

Elizabeth

Death Knell

Satan Prayer

Stand by Him

Prime Mover

Genesis

Here Comes the Sun (Son)*

Ritual

Listen on Spotify

**Note: Ghost's cover of Here Comes the Sun is not currently available for streaming in my region so it has been replaced by the original Beatles version

Watch on Youtube

Ghost was announced late in the season on June 15th[1] and were set to play. Presumably they were booked for Wacken before Szene, as on July 6th, Wacken announced a line-up change where Ghost and Excrementory Grindfuckers exchanged festival slots. Which meant that Ghost went from playing the Bullhead-City Wrestling stage from midnight on Friday, August 5th (the same night as the Szene Open Air ritual) to the W.E.T*. Stage/Headbangers Ballroom on Saturday, August 6th from 1:05am - 1:45am.[2][3]

Again, Satan tipped his hand in favor of the ministry as it started to rain, driving more converts-to-be into the tent:

“While GT found cover in the beer tent, I went to the W.E.T. Stage which ironically seemed to be the only dry spot to be at that time. Here I also found the reason for the sudden cloudburst: Ghost just started their ritual? I'm not superstitious or anything, but it just can't be coincidence that the forces of nature conspire against everyone not standing in front of the only sheltered stage on the festival grounds while Ghost commence their incantation on exactly this stage. And I don't think any spectators who involuntarily ended up in front of this stage regretted having come this way. The band of the faceless Papa Emeritus and the nameless ghosts played some psychedelically tinged heavy metal with a slight doom metal edge of high quality, not dissimilar to Grand Magus and Mercyful Fate. Despite lacking an identity, Ghost didn't appear dissociated from the crowd (unlike fellow occult rockers The Devil's Blood) and invited their parish to be witness to their rituals. One has to say, atmosphere-wise this band did everything right. And considering that the rainfall had waned once their set was over, they seemed to be doing something else right as well?”-Promonex[4]

“We wrapped up the music portion of our Wacken experience with Ghost, newcomers to the scene that should not be overlooked and will totally spin you off into a different dimension with their spacey experimental death music, if that’s the kind of thing you’re into.”-Zach Shaw[5]

Still, the ritual on the small stage was not enough for some and they were eager to see Ghost again on a bigger stage next year:

“[...}a festival like this is not only intended to rock out with the established acts like the famous Motörhead, but also awakens a desire for discovery in many. And so we might see a band like Ghost on a bigger stage again next year.” -Thorsten Zahn (via Microsoft Translator)[6]

*W.E.T. Stage is short for the Wacken Evolution Tent where the festival largely showcases bands that have not been signed or are newcomers[7]

Further Reading

Metal Hammer.de, Wacken 2011: die Krönung am Samstag by Tobias Gerber