The Black Queen, Ghost Cop & Trace Amount at Le Poisson Rouge, New York City
“I slept in a flame because it made me feel strong.”
Shot on 22nd May 2026. Photography and words by Kyle Ostrander. Contact before any use.
A night of darkwave music engulfed NYC last Friday, as The Black Queen brought their intense live show to Le Poisson Rouge. The group is on tour to celebrate the ten year anniversary of their landmark debut album, Fever Daydream. Joining them for support were fellow industrial acts Ghost Cop and Trace Amount, creating a full evening of dark and danceable music.
Trace Amount
Up first was solo act Trace Amount. The stage went pitch black with only brief flashes of what strobe as the musician took the stage, gripped the microphone, and began gutturally chanting over deep ritualistic beats. The musician swayed back and forth in the darkness, leaping to the front of the stage to approving nods from the entranced crowd. Not much was said between songs, with the musician only briefly taking a moment to thank The Black Queen and their welcoming fans, before taking his electronic drum pad into the middle of the pit during the set’s final song.
Ghost Cop
Second to take the stage were Ghost Cop, who served up an infectious collection of synthwave pop tracks. The vocal and synth duo danced like shadows across the stage as colors of blue, red, and purple sparkled and saturated the venue. Video screens showing scenes of static and amorphous shapes cast an additional visual layer over the music as the audience danced to the rhythms. The group kept the energy high, rolling from one track into the next without pause, their vocalist holding the crowd’s gaze as she moved like someone being captured by the music.
The Black Queen
Closing out the night was the band everyone was anxiously awaiting, The Black Queen. By this point, the room was filled with die-hard fans, pushed tightly against the stage in an attempt to get as close as possible to vocalist Greg Puciato. The lights soon lowered and a red haze of light and smoke carried over the stage. The band’s logo emerged on the video screen at the side of the stage, while the band took the stage to monstrous applause. Wasting no time, the group dove straight into their set, flooding the room with their signature sound that’s equal parts brooding and euphoric. Electronic tracks were mixed seamlessly with live bass, drums, and guitar, bringing the live versions of each song a refreshing energy all their own, while maintaining the spirit of the recorded versions.
The fourteen song set pulled heavily from both Fever Daydream as well as the band’s sophomore album, Infinite Games. No matter the song, the band radiated a restless energy, with members constantly bouncing across the stage to interact with one another, before lunging to the front of the stage to meet the crowd. At one point, the group’s guitarist cast his guitar into the audience, letting the crowd pass it from hand to hand. Puciato in-turn would often clasp the outstretched hands of fans reaching toward him, occasionally even holding the mic out to let fans sing a few words as he floated across the stage in combat boots.
The Black Queen continue their North American tour through early June, joined by tourmate Trace Amount on all dates. Details on all shows can be found on their website.
