Tony Shaloub? is that you? GHOST 101

 WELL - I see I had a post I never published about the Nightwish Concert - I'll save that for later. 

We took the pop up to the tip of Door County with trepidation.  The forecast was cool with a TON of rain Wednesday but off we went.  

We got to The Wagon Trail which was pretty empty of campers and they gave us a primo spot.  I backed down the entrance but it opened up to more campers seasonal campers at the bottom so we decided on another camp site near the top. 

Ate pizza at The Wild Tomato Monday night and cooked breakfast Tuesday morning at the site.  Got cool but we put the BIG furnace on the pop up on for 10 minutes and then used the tiny electric heater for the night.  It got down to 38 but inside in was a convey 62.

Wednesday at noon the rain started and for 19 straight hours it was moderate to heavy rain.  We drove around and took photos 

And this is near our property 

So after we tired of driving we went back to camp and hunkered down.  It was actually sort of magical.  Loud rain on the pop up - we were warm, had food and alcohol and lots of music we could play rather loud. 

The rain was a constant 75 decibels so we partied all night to music.  At 7 in the morning the rain finally stopped.  Rivers of water everywhere. My brother who was near us had a river going through their fire pit and our original campsite was all water.

We cleaned things up and about 1:00 went to Mink River Basin for some food. The sun came out and it was awesome on the patio.  A group was being seated right before us and we sat down and were looking at the menu (GREAT burgers) and wait. . . that guy sitting 10 feet from me looks just like Tony Shaloub.  

Can't be - we'll wait until he talks . .   WHAT? he sounds exactly like Tony Shaloub.  IT IS Tony Shaloub.  We sit there with mouths open and they are talking about a new house they build right near our property  . . .somewhere.  Not that we were listening.     

Not wanting to be a fan boy or girl we were good . . for the most part.  

They all got up to leave after they ate and talked and I popped up and went over to their table and apologized for interrupting and said "Tony, I just want to say I'm so happy you chose acting as a profession"  and he said as he would . . . " I really had no choice" and everybody laughed.  

But it gets worse.  As they were actually leaving DJ says "Tony I love you". and he turns and says  "I love you too"  and we all laughed again.  

THEN - his sister (one of 8) starts petting Gus and is talking to DJ about dogs and how she also has a golden doodle and yada yada. I tell ya - a dog is a reason for people to talk to each other.   

SO SO many people pet Gus and talk about missing their dog while on vacation and Gus is an amazing good traveler.  He knows English better then I do I believe. I'm always amazed how he follows directions.  Amazing.

So we get back and it seems our NEW favorite band Ghost is coming to Green Bay in September - WEIRD.  AND . . . we got Special VIP tickets WHOO HOO.   

below is the story of Ghost - it's pretty interesting 

weaving together ’60s psychedelia, ’70s doom, and ’80s New Wave of British Heavy Metal

https://youtu.be/K5Lp-yVt19M

Surprisingly accessible metal and pop-driven hard rock, Swedish outfit Ghost deliver tongue-in-cheek sonic sermons centered on horror imagery, the occult, and occasionally Satanic themes.

Members of the band originally maintained a strict vow of anonymity, both on record and on-stage, obscuring themselves with cloaks and heavy makeup.

Ghost is fronted by lead singer Tobias Forge, first known only as Papa Emeritus, whose anti-Pope appearance was recognizable with skull-faced makeup, cardinal robes, miter, and thurible. Subsequent incarnations of this alter ego appeared with each album, as Forge changed from Emeritus II and III into Cardinal Copia for 2018′s Prequelle .

Formed in 2008 in Linköping, Ghost began playing underground shows and sharpening their sound. Given their occult ritual-styled performances, their popularity with metal fans in their home country flourished. In 2010, they issued a three-track demo, followed by the single “Elizabeth,” and both quickly sold out. Their debut album, Opus Eponymous, on Rise Above Ltd., defied expectations with a surprisingly welcoming melodic sound, weaving together ’60s psychedelia, ’70s doom, and ’80s New Wave of British Heavy Metal, and their reputation spread.

They took to the road, touring internationally. For a short while, they were urged to take the Ghost B.C. moniker in the U.S. to disambiguate themselves. Though it was a tad confusing, it didn’t hurt their reputation for wildly theatrical performances, and their identities remained cloaked in mystery. (Ghost eventually reverted to their name without the “B.C.” suffix in late 2015.)

After a wait of over two years, Ghost issued the single “Secular Haze,” followed by their sophomore album, Infestissumam, in January 2013, and the band debuted Papa Emeritus II. Infestissumam caused plenty of controversy during the recording process. Begun in Nashville, its Satanic themes caused it to be boycotted by virtually every backing chorus — an important aspect of the album. These vocals had to be recorded in Hollywood. The critical and fan acclaim was nearly universal, however, and the release increased their profile across the globe and won them many fans who didn’t necessarily claim heavy metal as a favorite style.

The album debuted on some charts at number one. Later in the year, they released a covers EP, If You Have Ghost , produced by Dave Grohl . A festival tour followed in 2014, including appearances at Coachella, Lollapalooza, and Rock on the Range. The band re-entered the studio later that year. In May of 2015 it was announced that Papa Emeritus II had been fired and was succeeded by his younger brother (by three months), Papa Emeritus III, adding to the band’s shtick.

A new single, “Cirice,” was issued in May of 2015, followed in August by their third album, Meliora, on Loma Vista Recordings. It was produced by pop heavy-hitter Klas Åhlund (Katy Perry , Usher , Kesha , Madonna ) and mixed by Andy Wallace. Album single “Cirice” scored a Grammy for Best Metal Performance in 2016, months before a deluxe reissue added two new songs and a handful of covers, including one of the Eurythmics ’ “Missionary Man.” Those bonuses were also released as a separate EP, Popestar , which was followed by a tour of the same name.

In 2017, a new crop of legal issues hit the band. Previously, the identities of Ghost’s musicians remained a secret. However, when frontman Tobias Forge was sued by former bandmembers Simon Soderberg, Mauro Rubino, Martin Hjertstedt, and Henrik Palm over royalties, the shadow of anonymity disappeared. After the year-end release of live album Ceremony and Devotion , Forge moved forward with other musicians.

For the next project, Forge introduced a new identity, Cardinal Copia, who became the face of their fourth effort, 2018′s Prequelle , which was produced and recorded by Tom Dalgrin. Unlike previous efforts, this date abandoned the occult and left the Satanic worship kitsch behind, instead focusing on their own brand of sinister arena rock in a deliberate attempt, as Forge explained in an interview, ”…to sound like the best 1970s band you never heard….”

In addition to sweeping, radio-friendly hard rock swagger, they also employed funk basslines and disco beats, fat horns, and analog synths. Their songs readily referenced themes and tragedies from the Dark Ages of European history, including an anthem about the Bubonic plague. Prequelle debuted in the Top Three of the Billboard 200 upon release, and eventually soared to the number one slot, making it their highest-charting effort to date. 2019 saw the release of Seven Inches of Satanic Panic , a two-song EP/single featuring the fiendish and retro-sounding “Kiss the Go-Goat” and “Mary on a Cross.” ~ Eduardo Rivadavia & Thom Jurek