By Robert Duguay

Ghouls lead vocalist and guitarist George Danahy on honoring Ozzy Osbourne, embracing theatrics, and building momentum on the local scene.

Ever since its initial installment in 2018, The Town and The City Festival has been bringing a distinctive entertainment experience to Lowell, a celebration in the spirit of the city’s favorite son, acclaimed and influential Beat Generation author Jack Kerouac. For a few days, numerous venues welcome on their stages various acts, ranging from hilarious comedians to full-fledged bands. The gathering is nothing if not electric and eclectic. This year’s edition runs from April 30 to May 2. The lineup will include John Doe and Los Angeles punk icons X, David Lowery of the Richmond, Virginia–based alt‑rock act Cracker, Upstate New York folk-rockers The Felice Brothers, Tanya Donelly from the Boston rock energizers Belly, and comedians such as Tony V, Patty Gould, and James Hamilton.

There will be numerous local bands and musicians performing as well. One of them is The Ghouls, who are going to be paying homage to music by heavy metal pioneers Black Sabbath. They’ll be taking the stage at the Smokehouse Tavern on 98 Middle Street on the final night at 8:30 p.m.

I talked with lead vocalist and guitarist George Danahy ahead of the extravaganza, asking about how this tribute to Black Sabbath came about, his thoughts on The Town and The City Festival, and what working on a new album was like.

The Arts Fuse: Who had the idea to do this set of Black Sabbath songs, and how has it been going rehearsing this array of material by such a legendary band?

George Danahy: A big reason why we picked Black Sabbath is that we wanted something that we could all get behind. We had a couple ideas, like performing music by Weezer or Ween or other bands but. with the recent passing of Ozzy Osbourne — and given how influential his music has been along with Black Sabbath’s— it became the obvious choice.

The Ghouls. Photo: Kira Emery

AF: For the upcoming show, do you guys plan on putting your own spin on Black Sabbath’s music, or will it be a lot louder than a usual Ghouls set?

Danahy: I guess what we’re looking to do is try to mimic Black Sabbath as much as possible. I don’t want to spoil too much, but we’re looking to get into costumes and stuff. We want to make it seem as if Black Sabbath and The Ghouls were being mixed together, if that makes sense. I don’t want to try to make it 100% Black Sabbath — but I also want to be faithful to the spirit of the band and its music.

AF: Being part of the music scene in Lowell, what are your thoughts on The Town and The City Festival as a whole?

Danahy: It’s absolutely insane and really cool. I’ve never actually seen a festival like it before. Being able to stop by a bunch of different venues to see one band at one place, and then go down the road to see another band at another place, is really interesting. There are a lot of local bands and a lot of people I know, a lot of friends and such, so it’s really fun. In a way, its almost like a music convention.

AF: Yeah, I’ve definitely gotten that vibe, especially with the festival happening at a bunch of different places. Over the past few years, The Ghouls have gotten to do some pretty cool stuff. You guys won the Rock & Roll Rumble in 2024, and your album Handle With Care generated a lot of buzz all over the New England region. What would you say is your proudest accomplishment so far?

Danahy: A big one that I’m proud of is winning “Rock Artist of the Year” at the 2024 Boston Music Awards and being able to perform at it. It’s one thing to win, but being able to perform there was the cherry on top. It was at the club Big Night Live, and it was really, really exciting. It was crazy having people help me move my stuff in; seeing the back areas of the place was really cool—definitely a big highlight.

AF: Looking forward, what would you say is the next thing you’re looking to accomplish with The Ghouls?

Danahy: I’d say that a huge goal for us is to try to play a bunch of new venues in new locations, or try to get bigger shows. A good example of us going in this direction is the other night. We got to open for this band called Couch Dog. It was a very popular gig, especially on a Wednesday, so we were very happy about that opportunity. Album two has been written; we just have to record it. We have a bunch of dates set for what we’re going to perform, so that’s definitely down the pipeline.

AF: What can people expect from the album? Where did you record it? Do you guys already have a name for it? What can you say about the upcoming release, without giving too much away?

Danahy: I’d say that the last album was a greatest hits made up of all the songs that I’ve ever written. The new one is going to have more of a consistent vibe. Mainly because all the songs were written during the same time frame. Also, this one is definitely going to have a slightly darker theme, while still remaining exciting and upbeat and all that. We’re very eager to get cracking on it.

Rob Duguay is an arts & entertainment journalist based in Providence who is originally from Shelton, CT. Outside of The Arts Fuse, he has also written for DigBoston, Aquarian Weekly, Providence Journal, Newport Daily News, Worcester Magazine, New Noise Magazine, Manchester Ink Link, and numerous other publications. While covering mostly music, he has also written about film, TV, comedy, theater, visual art, food, drink, sports, and cannabis.