GHOST, the acclaimed Swedish rock band, is set to embark on the U.S. leg of its highly anticipated “Skeletour” world tour in support of the group’s sixth studio album, “Skeletá”, which came out in April. Marking a bold evolution in GHOST‘s live performances, the tour is the band’s most theatrical and cinematic production yet. Designed by Tobias Rylander and GHOST mastermind Tobias Forge, the tour embraces a grander and more ambitious scale than ever before.
The set design is a striking blend of gothic symbolism and brutalist architecture, melding the ornate drama of cathedrals with the stark lines of modernist concrete forms. Inspired by brutalist cathedrals across Europe, the stage transforms into a sanctum of dark majesty: part sacred temple and part rock coliseum.
At the core of the design is the “Grucifix” — GHOST‘s reimagined crucifix inspired by their iconic logo. Suspended above the band, this colossal structure functions as both a visual centerpiece and a dynamic lighting rig, casting an ethereal glow over the stage.
Rylander‘s design includes sculptural scenic facades on the lighting pods, echoing the textures and verticality of cathedral interiors, further reinforcing the ecclesiastical themes central to GHOST‘s identity.
The lighting leans into a retro-rock aesthetic, with visual nods to classical QUEEN and VAN HALEN. The tour also represents a milestone for the band as it’s the first time a full-scale video production led by Rylander and video director Amir Chamdin. With video content by Green Wall Designs, the creative direction transcends the physical stage, evolving into a fully immersive multimedia experience.
In keeping with the show’s theatricality, the stage itself has been engineered to perform as much as the artist. Multiple elevated performance platforms, mechanical lifts, and concealed entrances are strategically placed to accommodate dramatic reveals and character transitions. A living, breathing cathedral of performance, “Skeletour” redefines the GHOST live experience, where sacred architecture collides with the raw energy of rock and roll.
Renowned for his work across live music world tours, fashion, theatre and art installations, Rylander has collaborated with artists such as Beyoncé, THE 1975, Childish Gambino, Chappell Roan, The XX and FKA Twigs. “Skeletour” marks his first creative partnership with the Grammy Award-winning band, bringing a new dimension to GHOST‘s already-iconic stage presence.
The European leg of GHOST‘s 2025 world tour kicked off on April 15 in Manchester, United Kingdom and concluded on May 24 in Oslo, Norway. The North American leg of GHOST‘s 2025 tour will launch on July 9 in Baltimore, Maryland and wrap up on August 16 in Houston, Texas.
GHOST announced last fall that the band’s 2025 world tour would be “a phone-free experience”, with guests maintaining possession of their phones at all times, secured in Yondr pouches.
Through the use of technology like Yondr, fans are able to place their phones in a pouch that unlocks only after they leave the no-cell-phone zone. The pouch can also be unlocked at specific cell phone stations inside the venue.
Phones, Apple watches and other communication devices are placed in the pouch and sealed using a magnetized lock, which can be opened with an unlocking base.
This past May, “Skeletá” landed at position No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart with 86,000 equivalent album units earned in the United States in the LP’s first week of release. According to Billboard, 89% of that figure (77,000) consisted of traditional album sales, with vinyl purchases accounting for over 44,000 copies. Notably, “Skeletá” was the first hard rock album to reach the No. 1 spot on the Billboard 200 since AC/DC‘s “Power Up” in 2020.
The music video for the LP’s first single, “Satanized”, introduced the new character who is fronting GHOST for its 2025 touring cycle: Papa V Perpetua.
Forge performed as a “new” Papa Emeritus on each of the band’s first three LPs, with each version of Papa replacing the one that came before it. Papa Emeritus III was retired in favor of Cardinal Copia before the release of 2018’s “Prequelle”. In March 2020, at final show of GHOST‘s “Prequelle” tour in Mexico City, Mexico, the band officially introduced Papa Emeritus IV, the character who fronted the act for its “Impera” (2022) album phase.
Photo credit: official GHOST tour photographer Ryan Chang (courtesy of Motif PR for Tobias Rylander)
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