I first came face to face (or rather, mask) with Ghost back in 2013 when they headlined the Jägermeister Tour. At the time, I had never heard of Ghost and had no idea what to expect. Frankly, I anticipated something dark and strange. Imagine my delight when the band hit the stage: beautiful lighting, painted faces, Nameless Ghouls in their silver masks—it was visually stunning. There was plenty of smoke, but not the thin, hazy kind that makes photography a nightmare. This was the good kind: thick, rolling smoke that hugged the stage floor and made every shot look twice as dramatic. And the sound? Far from the crushing heaviness I had imagined. Most of the songs were surprisingly catchy and infectious. I walked home humming their tunes, excited to edit the photos—a sure sign of a memorable show.

Since then, Ghost’s popularity has skyrocketed, and I found myself photographing them again on their headline arena tour. Just like in 2013, there was meticulous attention to detail in production—lighting, costumes, and stagecraft—but everything scaled up to match their elevated status.

The Birmingham date was my second on this tour; I had previously shot Manchester for Classic Rock, and in Birmingham I was commissioned by Metal Hammer. On both nights, I was fortunate enough to shoot the full show, capturing every costume change, pyrotechnic moment, and theatrical flourish. Each frame reflected not just the band’s energy, but the incredible visual and production values that make Ghost such a compelling live act.