GHOST @ Utilita Arena, Birmingham - The UK Leg Of The Skeletour Comes To A Dazzling Close

A theatrical spectacle for the books [photo: Ryan Chang / Ghost]

The people of Birmingham and beyond have gathered here tonight at the Utilita Arena, as Tobias Forge and co deliver the final show in the UK leg of GHOST's Skeletour. The tour has seen stops at Manchester, Glasgow and London, arriving in Birmingham before moving to mainland Europe.

Whilst the queue outside is indescribably snaking, the atmosphere inside is testament to the fanbase that have congregated. Everyone is here to celebrate all things Ghost, and await with baited breath the arrival of the band's sixth studio album, Skeleta.

In a merch queue, I end up chatting to a couple of people who are seeing Ghost for the first time tonight. It's a short conversation, but it shows the band's ability to always attract newcomers to their self described "rituals".

Whereas previous UK tours saw bands such as Tribulation and Twin Temple supporting, tonight sees Ghost going solo. Maybe part of the queueing issue.

By the time opener "Peacefield" starts, the audience are fully in the palm of Papa V Perpetua, the new enigmatic frontman leading this era of Ghost. It's a bold choice opening with an as-of-yet unreleased track, but this is familiar territory for the band, following a similar trend with their Pre-Imperatour in the US.

Pyros! [Photo: Ryan Chang]

This is also the first incarnation of the Papa character to incorporate a half mask as opposed to a full mask, making for a lot more dynamic vocal performance. It's strangely a big deal seeing the singer of a band smile and show emotion.

The setlist tonight shies away from more newer songs, preferring to focus predominantly on third studio album Meliora. Other highlights include "Future is a Foreign Land", and the only Impera track from the set, "Darkness at the Heart of My Love". Elsewhere, new tracks "Satanized" and "Lachryma" cement themselves as live staples, with "Umbra" probably needing a few more listens (and a studio version) to wriggle its way into the brain just right.

The theatrics and staging from previous tours haven't gone away in the slightest. A Grucifix light rig adorns the top of the stage, and Papa's wardrobe is sure to make any 80s metal band envious.

As the final notes of "Square Hammer" bring the night to a close, one thing is for sure: the congregation tonight have embraced this new era of Ghost, welcoming V with open arms. And with only a half mask to blur the line between artist and character, Forge's enjoyment and pride is all the more noticeable.

SKELETA releases 25th April