Friday night at the Beachland Ballroom, Ghost Light enticed the crowd through two sets of musical exploration. Hitting the stage with open-ended jams, they lured the audience into their journey—leading the caravan of sound from the tangible and defined to the ethereal.
Ghost Light consists of Holly Bowling on keys, Tom Hamilton and Raina Mullen on guitar, Steve Lyons on bass, and Scotty Zwang on drums. The band has a somewhat unique history. All the players had been previously connected through other projects or performances. They actively chose to bring this cast of characters together, formulating and exploring their connection as a cohesive entity in the recording studio before ever performing live. They truly examined their sound and relationship as musicians in a unique way before presenting it to an outward audience.
Their presence on stage reveals that personal connection and exploration as they deconstruct and reconstruct sound and song on stage. Creating what could be considered a study of music, they deliver their thesis to their audience. They reveal their interconnectedness as the artists on stage—intently look into one another, leading with their eyes and connecting with intensity as they follow one another through a journey of musical inquiry.
Ghost Light has obviously found the equation to create a following of eager and dedicated fans with people traveling across state lines to attend Friday night’s musical voyage. The artists on stage all carried fan bases from previous endeavors and the lasting dedication to those particular artists could be heard floating through conversation.
Throughout the night the inward perspective of the artists on stage created an outwards experience for the audience. The music washed over and into your mind and body, encouraging you to release the cerebral reality from which the sound came and relax into expression and feeling.
As the end of the night drew near, the energy and release from the audience infected the stage and musical bliss was evident in everybody’s expressions. When Ghost Light finally took to the mic to address the audience and introduce themselves, at the beginning of the encore, the roar of approval consumed the words from the stage. Ghost Light delivered a musical feast, which the audience quickly and appreciatively consumed.