See Also: • Twenty most gnarly metal shirts we saw last night • (Photos) Opeth at the Ogden Theatre, 10/11 • Q&A with Bill Kelliher of Mastodon • (Review) Mastodon at Ogden Theatre, 11/9/11 • (Review) Ghost at Marquis Theater, 1/27/12
The Mastodon, Opeth and Ghost tour may be the first one in which metalheads have to ask themselves: Should I really be moshing to this? Rodney Dangerfield once famously remarked: "I went to a fight and a hockey game broke out" - with this sentiment in mind, last night at the Fillmore Auditorium, Denver came for a metal show and a prog rock performance broke out. That's not to say that any of the bands weren't mosh-worthy, but seriously, if you were moshing during Mastodon's "The Hunter" then you were missing the real show: The band's instrumental prowess, not to mention a deeply moving song about guitarist Brent Hinds's brother, who died of a heart attack. Each band gave fans plenty to watch on stage. Page down to see the highlights through the lens of Brandon Marshall with additional commentary from Brad Lopez.
See Also: • Q&A with Ghost's Ghoul With No Name • (Review) Ghost at Marquis Theater, 1/27/12
First up last night was Ghost, exactly the kind of band Christians warn their kids about. The overtly Satanic stage act is led by the mysterious Papa Emeritus, who won't disclose his real identity. The rest of the band is equally as mysterious. Papa Emeritus is a Satanic priest who croons through ballad-esque songs like "Con Clavi Con Dio" and "Elizabeth" over a backdrop of 1960s and 70s style metal. Emeritus is also the only member who shows his face. The rest of the band plays in robes with hoods drawn so you can't see their faces. Emeritus and company ended with "Ritual" and then blew Satanic kisses on a crowd who chanted "Hail Satan" as the band left.
Page down for photos of Mastodon and Opeth
See Also: • Q&A with Bill Kelliher of Mastodon • (Review) Mastodon at Ogden Theatre, 11/9/11 • (Photos) Mastodon at Red Rocks, 10/4/10 • (Review) Mastodon at Fox Theatre, 4/14/09
Mastodon filled the middle slot last night at the Fillmore (Mastodon and Opeth are alternating middle and closing slots on this co-headlining tour) and played a variety of new and old material, and made sure to include the crowd-pleasing "Blood and Thunder." Interestingly, though, it wasn't the band's last song. Instead, Mastodon finished on a proggy note with "The Sparrow," the last track from its latest album, The Hunter.
Page down for photos Opeth
See Also: • The yin and yang of Opeth, one of metal's most fascinatingly complex acts. • (Photos) Opeth at the Ogden Theatre, 10/11
Opeth followed with their own take on progressive metal, which was actually more mosh-friendly than Mastodon. Alcohol could be a factor there, too. Anyone who missed Opeth's rendition of "The Grand Conjuration" blew it. Seriously, that shit's like gold. Performance aside, Mastodon and Opeth both made creative use of visuals. Opeth with four banners over the stage that acted as projection screens and Mastodon with a "bedazzling" light display that beamed obnoxious green lights into the crowd.
Page down for more pics of Opeth
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