For the final time this year I boarded the 5:25 to Glasgow, heading once again to the city’s O2 ABC venue. Ending the year exactly where my gig calendar began way back in January.

It’s no secret – the O2 ABC is my favourite venue in the city.

The headline band for the evening were Ghost, those nameless, masked Swedish ghouls led by Papa Emeritus III.

Neither Boy Child, my chaperone for the evening, nor I really knew what to expect.

Even as we stood in the queue on a surprisingly mild December night, we were struggling to gauge things as we surveyed the folk joining the queue behind us.

The show was a sell-out so the line was soon snaking up the hill behind us.

A hint of things to come was to be found at the merchandise stall. Among the usual CDs, vinyl, T-shirts and hoodies were rosary beads for sale. A first for me at a rock show.

There was only one support act, Dead Soul, a trio from Sweden. Boy Child and I had been chatting in the queue outside to a guy who has been following the Ghost tour round the UK and had asked him about Dead Soul. We had asked him to describe Dead Soul’s genre. He couldn’t. Having heard their blessedly short set, I too struggle to describe them. They comprise two guitarists, synth and drum tracking al accompanied by a vocalist who has an OK voice but who looked like Tommy Flanagan (Chibs from SOA) impersonating Jake from The Blues Brothers.

I’m sorry, these guys failed to touch my soul. The atmosphere in the rapidly filling room was pretty dead too.

Apart from a disappointing support band, so far, all had seemed pretty normal….then someone lit an incense stick on stage. Another first!

While the stage crews turned the stage around ready for the arrival of Ghost, the PA system was playing “church music” – hymnal organs, Gregorian chants et al. All that was missing were the pews and hassocks!

The lights remained dimmed. The incense smoke drifted out over the crowd. The air of expectation grew.

Boy Child’s face was a study!

At half past eight, the lights dimmed even further and intro tape played Misere Mei, Deus followed by Masked Ball. The smoke began to creep out as the masked ghouls appeared on stage, starting their ninety-minute set with Spirit. This was swiftly followed by From The Pinnacle To The Pit, one of the highlights from their current album Meliora, and one I’d expected to sound heavier than it did played live. Awesome song!

Papa Emeritus was resplendent in his robes as he presided over proceedings, subtly converting the Glasgow crowd. The ghouls looked sensational in their black suits, spats and metallic sheen masks.

About half an hour in, Papa brought the Sisters of Sin (two young local ladies dressed as nun) for the evening out on stage. He advised that those lucky enough to be in the front row would be invited to participate in the next song – Body And Blood. While the ghouls played and Papa preached.. sorry sang… the Sisters of Sin came down into the pit and offered “communion” to those of us lining the barrier.

Never in my life did I expect to experience that at a rock show!!

Devil Church, an instrumental track from Meliora, allowed Papa time to slip off stage for a change of costume. He re-appeared for Cirice immaculately dressed in a tail coat, white waistcoat and spats.

After a recording of the haunting Spoksonat as played, Ghost performed He Is. This is one of my favourites from Meliora and conjures up images of Justin Hayward’s War of the Worlds. The crowd were singing along passionately.

At one point during the latter stages of the set Papa came over to my side of the stage and sang to me. His eyes, even with all his make-up on were boring into my very soul, then he smiled and blew me a kiss before heading back across the stage.

Mummy Dust, highlight of the set, really got the crowd going. One glance behind me informed me, as expected, that Boy Child had vanished. No surprise as the mosh pit had opened up behind me and off to the right. The riff from Mummy Dust was certainly blowing all dust away. It’s a monster and sounds awesome live.

Up until them the security personnel had enjoyed an easy evening. Mummy Dust was the catalyst the crowd surfers had been waiting for. Flailing bodies were coming over thick and fast. Crowd surfers make me nervous, having been kicked in the head and on the shoulder on a previous memorable occasion. The security guys did a sterling job here.

The main set concluded with a Roky Erickson cover “If You Have Ghosts.”

Yes, we’d had Ghosts!

Papa was in a playful mood as he introduced the encore song, Monstrance Clock, a homage to Lucifer’s love and the female orgasm. The set played out with a recording of The Host of Seraphim.

A bizarrely brilliant night. The crowd trooped home feeling suitably blessed.