When I first got word several months back that not only was the legendary band GOBLIN about to kick off a North American tour, but that their first stop was going to be a mere 30 minute drive from where I live, the initial reaction was “f*ck yeah!” I’d never seen the band in person before but have been a fan for decades. Their distinct and innovative soundtrack work on such classic films as DEEP RED, SUSPIRIA, TENEBREA, and DAWN OF THE DEAD (an absolute all time favorite) is near mythical, as is their long running collaborations with Italian horror master Dario Argento, not to mention Lucio Fulci, Lamberto Bava, and other notable directors. The band has also been cited as an influence on the works of director/musician John Carpenter. Their mark on prog-rock and cinema is well established.
So I drove the winding country back roads on my way to the concert as thunderstorms brewed overhead, reminding me of the rainy opening sequence in SUSPIRIA. Thankfully, I arrived safely at my destination, not a ballet recital but the historic ARTCRAFT THEATER in the cozy and quaint city of Franklin, Indiana. Early fall sun now broke through the clouds as the beautifully old fashioned marquee read: “GOBLIN PERFORMING DEMONS – 8PM.” My phone declared that it was only 6PM, and I was very early, despite taking the scenic route. Thus, I stood in line with 10 or so other people as we waited for the doors to open with no idea what to expect. Would the crowd, like in the movie we were about to watch, turn into a blood thirsty frenzy of demons? Only time would tell.
Slowly but surely, another ten people arrived, and then another ten, all wearing their horror tees and attire for the evening (I was wearing a THEY LIVE shirt). By the time the doors opened, with the smell of fresh popcorn in the air, there were 50 people in line, and by the time the show started 300 fans comfortably crowded into the ample theater. As mentioned, the ARTCRAFT THEATER is a historic location, which celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2022. It’s been renovated several times over the years and ran as a movie house for 78 consecutive years before closing. It reopened in 2004, retaining the classic décor, and now regularly screens cult classic films and hosts events with a capacity of upwards of 600 people. Tonight, it was the first stop on the North American tour of Claudio Simonetti’s GOBLIN!
Finding my seat in the 3rd row, David Bowie playing in the background, everyone settled in and got comfortable with the intimate surroundings. It was an evenly mixed representation of age groups with kids, parents, and a general spattering of weirdos. The merch table was slinging shirts and vinyl, as a local caterer sold beer and cocktails at prices to be expected of such an event. Then, to much applause and appreciation, the band took the stage and DEMONS began playing on the big screen. Their timing was impeccable, the sound levels extremely well mixed, and you instantly understood just how integral a part the band had played on so many classic horror films. There was a level of professionalism and concise experience that takes you back to 1975 when the band first gained notoriety, mixed in with the somewhat trashy visual spectacle which is DEMONS.
DEMONS, of course, is the cult classic 1985 Italian horror film produced by Dario Argento, and directed by Lamberto Bava. In it, we see a movie theater overtaken by DEMONS (surprise!), as the viewers are watching the special screening of a movie about people being possessed by demons due to an ancient book and mask. Witnessing this for the first time in an actual theater, with GOBLIN playing the original score live, was a giant exercise in meta. A film within a film within a film.; would I be driven totally insane and become a demon before the night was over? Would the person sitting next to me rip my heart out and eat it? Was I the next to get a giant, pulsating puss filled sore on my neck, and then conveniently bleed into someone’s mouth? All bets were off at this point and I kept nervously asking myself these important questions over and over again as the night progressed. Not even Nostradamus himself, crypt recently disturbed, could foretell. I needed a $6 dollar can of warm beer to ease anxiety.
With a bit of good fortune, we all survived the encounter with this campy gross out classic, and GOBLIN then played a set of “best of” material from other significant films and album releases. I’m pretty sure nobody died that night, and that the band moved on to the next stop on the tour. No throats were slit, no eyeballs gouged, nor a murder mystery to be solved; everyone had a good time. The band has hopes of releasing a new album next year and touring again in the near future, this time performing alongside the complete soundtrack to DAWN OF THE DEAD. Rest assured, if they come through Indiana, I’ll be one of the first in line. As far as I’m concerned, GOBLIN is right up there with Danny Elfman and Carpenter when it comes to memorable film scores, and it’s always a treat to play when the leaves start changing color and the air gets crisp with the ever spooky arrival of October.
Ultimately I came away with a better appreciation of the pacing and timing necessary to really hit at the right moments of a film score. At its greatest representation, such as is the case with the collaborations between the band, Dario Argento and George Romero, the soundtrack works in a symbiotic relationship with the director and cinematographer to elevate the entire production. Would PSYCHO have been as potent a film without the timeless score from composer Bernard Herrmann? What about JAWS without the memorable theme song by John Williams? There is perhaps no better genre of cinema besides horror, which so deftly utilizes musical composition to help establish mood and atmosphere. After 50 years, GOBLIN still stands as one of the best, and most consistent examples of this artform.
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Michael A. Dyer is the host of the HORROR TO CULTURE podcast and website.
