It’s a very rare thing for a band to have toured Australia on several occasions without ever playing their own headlining tour, but is a situation that funnily enough, theatrical metal/rock band Ghost has experienced, having been to Australia on three prior occasions and only played festival shows (or shows in support of that Festival). With October housing Halloween and being colloquially referred to as Spooky Season, it’s an incredible period that covers all things frightening and mysterious – so it couldn’t have been a better time to have scheduled the first headlining tour for Ghost(and the last tour dates for the band’s Impertour) which rolled into Brisbane this past Saturday evening.

The first act of the night Southeast Desert Metal were a perfect choice for an opener. Touted as “the most isolated heavy metal band in the world” the Northern Territorians took little time in grabbing the attention of a crowd that had probably never heard of them before. Opening with tracks that had rollicking basslines accentuated by incredible riffs, the quartet didn’t take a sideward step from the moment they took the stage. Their hard-hitting sound culminated in tracks like Giant and Boogeyman, where the addition of a harsh vocalist brought a soaring power to their already massive sound. Fans lapped up every moment of their performance, which is a true feat for a band that that lets their music, rather than impressive showmanship do the talking.

Now there has been a lot said to Australians about Ghost’s full-production live performances, but it’s something that has never fully been realized here. So, the prospect of seeing a full production headlining performance was something new and unique for the Australian fans, but I don’t think there was anybody in the crowd that expected the spectacle that a full production show was.

While originally shrouded by a large curtain, the stage had an air of mystery about it as an instrumental opening beckoned that the show was about to begin. However, once the curtain dropped fans bore witness to the immensely detailed stage layout which had so much to take in. The focal point was easily the massive cathedral backdrop with stained glass panels that alternated between graphical illustrations; the various risers that housed some of the Nameless Ghouls and Ghoulettes; the stair centerpiece drum-riser; and even the little cut-out section of the stage towards the front where Papa Emeritus spent a large amount of time singing were all intricate details that helped breathe that extra spark of life into the performance – and what a performance it was!

Emerging from the doors of the Cathedral to the opening tunes of Kaisarion, Papa Emeritus IV skipped down to the front of the stage to thunderous cheers. From this moment on the charismatic singer was mesmerizing to watch, leading the legions of fans like a pastor leading a flock. Everything from his interactions with the Nameless Ghouls and Ghoulettes, his gleeful skip or charming gait, or his diverse vocal delivery throughout the night just commanded attention befitting of such a character. Even the moments which he paused to have a conversation with the crowd were enthralling, often containing hilarious puns, discussing the adventurous journey of an ice cube inside his pants, acknowledging that this was the final performance of Papa Emeritus IV, or just sharing wholesome anecdotes with the crowd and his affection for the country. His whole performance was supremely engaging.

However, as commanding a presence as Papa Emeritus IV was on stage, there is a lot that needs to be said about the Nameless Ghouls and Ghoulettes supporting instrumentally – with each being as engaging at times as Emeritus himself. Each of the guitar and bass-playing ghouls spent time interacting with the fans in the crowd while also performing and interacting with their incomparable leader; while the Ghoulettes a bit further in the background as backing vocalists; tambourine players; or keyboardists spent time dancing with each other and just being an absolute vibe. There was never a dull moment on the stage and whether your attention was focused on Papa himself, or the other members, there was always something to watch.

The performance of all members was impeccable. While there can be little doubt in knowing that this full-scale production is a well-oiled machine, it was so impressive watching all members nail absolutely every moment. Even a brief cameo where Papa Nihil was ‘resurrected’ to play the saxophone section of Miasma was perfectly implemented, giving some comedy and magnitude to the track, but being indicative of the nature of the overall set.

The set list offered something for new and old fans covering songs from their latest album Impera all the way back through to debut Opus Eponymous. This mix of tracks made every song’s conclusion exciting to know what was coming next.

As the night began to draw to a close, the conversations with Papa Emeritus became more and more frequent, culminating in his proclamation that Respite on the Spitalfields would be the last song. However, in true theatrical fashion, following a brief interlude and then a return to the stage, the enigmatic frontman afforded the crowd extra tracks before calling the night to a final close. Taking this time to share his own magic trick where he turned his “post-show” jacket into an “encore” jacket, the band embarked on a three-song salvo of Kiss The Go-Goat, Dance Macabre, and Square Hammer, with the final track eliciting the largest crowd reaction of the night.

It may have taken Ghost more than a decade to come to Australia for their own headlining tour, but it was refreshing to see them finally get the tour down here that they have longed deserved. With their full-scale production showcasing something that Australian audiences had never seen, and a remarkably captivating performance that will stick in the minds of many for years to come this was definitely a show for the ages – even if it was the final one for Papa Emeritus IV. Hopefully, it doesn’t take Australia another 10 years to see a performance on this level from the band again.