On stage are three different Papa Emerituses - Papas II, III and V, to be precise - standing alongside an amused looking Sister Imperator, as yet another Papa Emeritus, this one dressed in Donald Trump attire, struts through a crowd of a few hundred cheering, jeering and laughing onlookers. Of said onlookers, about half are also in various states of fancy dress - we count dozens more Papas, a couple more Sister Imperators, Nameless Ghouls aplenty and various nuns, priests, demons and devils.
I haven't downed a bag of shrooms, stuck on Skeletá and started tripping my balls off. This is just the standard kind of scene you can expect to find at Ghost Con, the world's only fan convention dedicated entirely to everyone's favourite devilish, masked party metallers, Ghost.
Very much unofficial but apparently fully endorsed by Tobias Forge, the Oz-esque mastermind behind the actual Ghost, Ghost Con is now in its third year, having moved from its previous home in Sheffield to Salt Box in Nottingham. It's a local gig venue that, according to posters dotted around, will soon be hosting Slipknot and System Of A Down tribute gigs, as well as 'Britallica', the "ultimate Britney Spears metal tribute" (exactly how many Britney Spears metal tributes are currently on the circuit remains unconfirmed).
Around a dozen stalls are set up around the convention's two floors showing off everything from custom Papa Emeritus plushies and figures to fan art, jewellery and post cards. There's also a face painting booth (pick your favourite Papa!), tarot reading and a mini-exhibition featuring souvenirs, memorabilia (yes, the Ghost dildos are in there) and even a few Metal Hammer covers from across the years.
"We’re still quite modest," says Xander, the convention's founder and organiser as he greets us. Xander will be playing later with his own Ghost cover band, Popestars, but until then, he's running shop. "The first two Ghost Cons were about 200 people, this year we're almost at 400. Seeing everyone dancing and constantly smiling is such a relief.
"I wanted Popestars to be an immersive experience," he explains of how the original Ghost Con came together. "With Ghost having more merch than the Spice Girls, I brainstormed a load of silly ideas during lockdown. Eventually, it became a full on convention!"
Honestly, it makes perfect sense: Ghost's mixture of theatricality, world-building and a war chest of arena metal bangers has earned them one of the most devoted followings in music. Fans of all ages are here, from excited teens to parents with their Ghost battle jacket-donning toddlers, and people have travelled from as far as the US to be here. And I really can't overemphasise how many people have dressed up; I've been to comic cons with fewer costumes.
Entertainment comes in the form of, you guessed it, a lot of performances of Ghost songs, main-evented by both Popestars and Ireland's foremost Ghost cover band, Host. There's also a live Satanic ritual, a cosplay contest that ends up being more of a catwalk (that's where Papa Trump comes in) and an over-18s afterparty that includes a drag performance and a burlesque set from Ghost Con's main host, Vita DeVoid.
There are even on-stage appearances from two genuine Ghost alumni: the band's former studio drummer, Ludvig Kennberg, and beloved 'Cowbell Ghoul' (and, it should be said, respected producer and In Flames keyboardist) Niels Nielsen. Following a fan Q+A, the duo make cameos in Popestars' headline set, to a rapturous response.
"It’s a massive family, full of geeks, freaks and weirdos," beams Xander when I ask him what it is about the Ghost community that makes it special. "Ghost save a lot of lost people and invigorate everyone’s secret passions for dressing up and being crafty. It’s more than just awesome music."
You have to be passionate to be cool with hearing Square Hammer played in various forms about seven times in one afternoon, but that's the power of Ghost. Next year, I must remember to bring my mitre.
Ghost Con will return in 2026
