GHOST – Day-to-Day Reports from the Skeletour (Europe) – EXCLUSIVE

GHOST – The World’s Greatest Rock Band – is back on the road in Europe this spring with a brand new album under their arms. Meanwhile, The World’s Greatest Webzine – Junkyard Rock Stories – is bringing you exclusive day-to-day coverage of all things GHOST on the hottest European tour of 2025.

From the release of Lachryma to the final show of this leg of the tour, we’re delivering news, reports, fan stories, and everything that happens in between on this legendary no-phone caravan.

And you thought not having phones would be a problem for us?
Well guys.….think again.

You’re not going to find this anywhere else — so dig in, enjoy, and share it with the world of GHOST.

WE CIRICED EVERY DAMN NIGHT AND DAY – just for you!

APRIL 11

LACRHYMA – the second single from the upcoming album Skeleta – has been released. The song and video crashed the charts immediately, gaining 2 million views on YouTube in the first two days after release, taking the #1 spot on the iTunes Worldwide Charts, and racking up 1 million streams on Spotify in the same time frame.

APRIL 11 – 15

A week before the tour kicked off, Tobias Forge gave interviews to major media outlets such as Rolling Stone UK, Rock Sound, and Chaoszine, discussing the new album Skeleta.

The May 2025 issue of Metal Hammer hit the stands with Ghost on the cover, featuring a special in-depth interview with Tobias and a track-by-track breakdown of the album. A special edition of the magazine included an exclusive vinyl variant of Skeletá, an overhauled cover, a numbered art print, and a sticker set.

APRIL 15 – MANCHESTER

The video appears on Ghost’s social media platforms, featuring legendary MTV host Vanessa Warwick announcing GTV Ghoulbangers Ball all-area access coverage of the European Tour. With the no-phone policy in effect, is Tobias trying to give back to the fans in an old-school way?

The tour kicks off at Manchester’s AO Arena. Sold-out show. Phone-free experience with face paint permitted. People start gathering in front of the arena from 6 AM. Metalheads pour into Manchester. Huge crowds reported. People who spoke with Vanessa for GTV are thrilled and posting online. Some fans are angry because they had to print tickets due to the no-phone rule. Massive crowds, long lines to get in, queues even inside the arena.

New merch was revealed along with the newest addition to the museum: the body of Sister Imperator was unveiled. All of this came from fans posting on social media. The Rolling Stone magazine album cover featuring Papa V was also revealed at the merch booth.

Ghost performed a magnificent set of 21 songs on the opening date of the Skeletour. Amazing show. Fans were blown away — quite literally. Darkness At The Heart Of My Love, Lachryma, Satanized, and The Future Is A Foreign Land were performed live for the first time. Pacefield and Umbra – got their world premiere. Two-hour set, no support act, no break in the middle. Monstrance Clock was played for the first time since 2019.

Manchester set-list:

Peacefield(world premiere)
Lachryma(live debut)
Spirit(first time since 2019)
From the Pinnacle to the Pit
Majesty(first time since 2019)
The Future Is a Foreign Land(live debut)
Devil Church
Cirice
Darkness at the Heart of My Love(live debut)
Satanized(live debut)
Ritual
Umbra(world premiere)
Year Zero
Spöksonat
He Is
Rats
Kiss the Go-Goat
Mummy Dust
Monstrance Clock(first time since 2019)
Encore:
Mary on a Cross
Dance Macabre
Square Hammer

FAN REPORTS: Papa asked at one point, “Do you like the things that go boom?” following cannon explosions. It was hot as hell. (Some fans thought it was not cool to say that since this arena got boomed in 2015.) He asked if they were going to be gentle with him since it was his first time. Fake Ghost 666 money was spread around the arena, and fans were collecting the bills.

Papa first impressions and more fan reports:
He has an accent like Copia’s, he wobbles, he likes booms, he wants it rough.
New things (spoilers at that moment): Monstrance Clock, Ritual, DATHOML, several new BANGERS!
He is…
The stage is insane — several scene changes and a FLOATING PAPA .
Big “G” logo lighting rig.
Fake-out backdrop for the first few songs.
Replaced with what looked like a static cathedral backdrop —
UNTIL THE FREAKING GLASS SHATTERED.
Full animated backdrops.

It really looks like that people are actually enjoying the no-phone experience, according to the reports and reactions on social media.

Kerrang! described the Ghost ritual as magical 70s retro-futuristic sci-fi, rooted in bones, wings, sparkling and bedazzled macabre gore — adding that this might be their moment, like when Iron Maiden launched the World Slavery Tour or Metallica exploded during the early ‘90s Black Album run.

Rockflesh stated the concert was a magnificent spectacle that never once sagged in its two-hour duration. A sensory feast, masterfully executed and diligently constructed.
“This is the tour people will talk about for decades — the moment Ghost became the band of their generation.”

APRIL 16 – GLASGOW

The second day of the tour continued at the OVO Hydro Arena in Glasgow, Scotland.

According to some reports, the show ran late. There was a mess in the VIP area, with a lot of delays and mishaps — but nothing major enough to ruin the experience. One fan reported:

Fan reactions:
“Great show,” “amazing,” “phenomenal experience,” “emotional and overwhelming” — those are just a few ways fans described the night. Impeccable vibes. A total banger of a show. “Totally worth it.” “Insane experience — wanna go back and do it again.”

Papa was reportedly a bit more unhinged in Glasgow. He needed time to “defrost” and was nervy in Manchester. After Kiss the Go-Goat, he made “mwah” noises. Papa and the Ghouls were shining like disco balls all night.

Papa also mentioned Cathouse, a goth/rock club in Glasgow, and asked if it was still around.

Phantom was in full control of the crowd between songs — running from one side of the stage to the other, getting fans to cheer, then suddenly stopping them, only to do the same with the opposite side. He also had the crowd building up with “oooooOOOOOOO” sounds, only to cut them off at the perfect moment.

Setlist: It was the same as in Manchester.

APRIL 17

Tobias appears at HMV on Oxford Street in London for a sold-out fan Q&A session. He’s spotted wearing a Merciless – The Awakening (1990) album t-shirt.

APRIL 18

On April 17, the first edition of Ghoulbangers Ball – Manchester is released, followed by the Glasgow edition the next day. Fans went wild on social media.

Now you see how cool it really was back in the ’80s and ’90s, right?

Thanks to Ghost, some lucky fans even received free ticket upgrades.

In total, 17 trucks are involved in transporting the stage equipment.

APRIL 19 – LONDON

Due to high demand, Ghost released extra standing tickets for their show at the O2 in London — O2 reported this just a few hours before the concert.

At the concert Tobias talked about playing Underground in Camden 15 years ago, reminiscing about the band’s first gig in London. He apparently said Primo was his uncle, and fans went crazy, accusing him of mixing up the lore.

The band played “Faith” (tour debut) instead of “From the Pinnacle to the Pit”. The rest of the setlist remained the same.

The fire effect during Year Zero didn’t work until the end of the song. Phantom was moving around like a spider.

London setlist:

One of the first things Papa said was:

Before “Watcher in the Sky”, he said:

Fan Reports:

FANS’ BEST MOMENTS: When asked about the highlights, (we actually asked fans online) fans pointed to the moment the curtains dropped all the way through to the final bows. Darkness at the Heart of My Love was a standout for many. One person said the most magical moment came when the sun rose and light poured through the stage’s church backdrop. A lot of fans commented on how the phone ban made them feel more present and connected — like being part of one massive party.

Hotel Hobbies reported: “Pacefield and Lachryma both received a marvellous reception, with the crowd singing along enthusiastically to the latter. Choosing highlights was difficult, but the debut of Faith and a powerful performance of Year Zero, which built up to the crowd roaring “Beelzebub!”, were major peaks.”

They concluded: “Ghost at the O2 was a grand, multi-sensory sermon wrapped in darkness and light, sound and silence. In a world of fleeting digital moments, this was a wonderful vindication of performance art: an entertaining spectacle, yes — but one backed up with exceptional songs that brought an audience together as one. Dark, dramatic, and hypnotising.”

APRIL 20 – BIRMINGHAM

Ghost kicked off the sold-out show at Utilita Arena in Birmingham, UK. No major changes on the setlist reported this time.

Queuing problems were again reported by fans — only this time near the famous Birmingham canals.

It was confirmed at this show that Dew (Sodo) broke his foot during the London concert. Dew struggled to press his pedal due to the injury, so Phantom was seen helping out by pressing Dew’s pedals during the show. He soldiered through the set despite the pain, and Papa made the crowd cheer for the injured Ghoul, who performed with a leg cast.

FAN REPORTS: Phantom was once again in full control of the crowd. Papa jokingly referred to Dew as “Mr. Old Boot Man.” During Mummy Dust, a fight nearly broke out in the pit involving a drunk guy pushing people around. Papa also called out the crowd at one point, complaining about a lack of spirit.

Birmingham Mail reported: The Skeletour is Ghost’s biggest to date, and Brummies showed up in their thousands, joining queues that snaked along the cut in the direction of Edgbaston and, in the other direction, almost all the way to the back of the Library of Birmingham.

Noah News writes: In between songs, Papa V Perpetua, known offstage as Tobias Forge, addressed the audience, introducing himself anew in his current guise and sharing anecdotes, including a playful nod to “Mary On A Cross,” which he described as “an old B-side my dad used to sing.”

The Razor’s Edge stated: If there was ever doubt that Ghost could fill arenas without sacrificing their eerie intimacy or tongue-in-cheek grandeur, tonight proved otherwise. The Skeletour isn’t just a celebration of their growing legacy – it’s a challenge to anyone who thinks rock theatre is dead.

Metal Hammer, in their review of the London show, described Umbra as an utterly synth-drenched, neon-coloured track.

APRIL 21

“Children of Birmingham, the last UK show—this time around—ended up being one to remember forever,” Ghost posted on their Instagram.

Sodo (Dew), the White Stratocaster Ghoul, is reported to be okay and will continue the tour. He suffered two fractures caused by an on-stage injury during the London concert.

Numerous websites are reporting on the massive queues in Birmingham, which once again sparked fan frustrations.

Meanwhile, fans from the EU/US got into a verbal fight with LATAM fans on social media over show access, merch, and behavior at concerts.

With the Birmingham show wrapped up, the UK leg of the tour is officially complete.

APRIL 22 – ANTWERP

“Peacefield,” the third single from the upcoming album Skeleta, was released just three days before the full album drop.

The tour continued at Sportpaleis in Antwerp, Belgium. There were no major changes on the setlist in comparison to the previous shows.

New photos of Papa and the Ghouls were published in the Australian magazine Mixdown.

Fan reports described the crowd as very lively, with Tobias clearly enjoying the energy.

There are reports that Swiss did not perform at this concert. According to a fan:

Jitty Taylor, who fans believe to be Swiss, posted a gig announcement for his band for July 21st at the Roxy, then later wrote that it was canceled. This follows the sexual allegations against him, stemming from a Twitter post at the end of the last tour. As of now, the band has not addressed his absence publicly.

Phantom? He played his guitar in every possible way—he even made love to it.
During Kiss the Go-Goat, when the line “He is the guy you wanna do” came up, Phantom pointed at Rain. He also chased Cirrus after her Mummy Dust solo, and played acoustic guitar on the stairs in front of the drums—“à la” Guns N’ Roses Patience style.

On the other hand, Sodo (Dew) performed despite his foot injury. He jammed with the Ghoulettes and even smacked Papa’s ass. Rain looked confused during the Umbra duel solos.

According to fans attending the ritual, Skeleta was available at merch booths during the Antwerp show—three days ahead of its official release.

Meanwhile, fans have started selling fake Ghost money on eBay.

APRIL 23 – FRANKFURT

The tour continued at Festhalle in Frankfurt, Germany. The band replaced Majesty with Call Me Little Sunshine from Impera. Justin Taylor (Swiss) was again reported absent from the stage. Faith was also played instead of From the Pinnacle to the Pit. They soundchecked songs like Nocturnal Me, Elizabeth, and Depth of Satan’s Eyes. Full setlist – here

Despite the full album not being released yet, Skeleta is already topping charts with just three songs:

No.1 in Finland
No.2 in Sweden
No.3 in Norway on Apple Music

Peacefield hit No.1 on Apple Music in the US, Canada, Germany, Norway, Ireland, Switzerland, Mexico, Sweden, and the Netherlands—just one day after release.

Rumors surrounding the “Swiss” situation continue, as fans accuse each other of spreading false accusations and misinformation.

The Ghoulbangers Ball: Birmingham Edition has been released. According to Vanessa Warwick, Flushies were in such high demand they sold out completely.

Fan reports:
Papa was very pleased and energetic—super hyper.
There appears to be a new Ghoulette (unconfirmed), who played cowbell during Umbra.
Rain may have played acoustic guitar (also unconfirmed).
Papa also spoke in German during the show.

GTV announced “Skeleta Rocking Eve” for April 24th at 10:00 PM CET.

Lost in the Pit writes in their review: “One major takeaway from these shows is the sense of community with this band. The way people dress up, talk to one another (even more so now with the phone ban), and just share their joy is something you don’t see very often. And for those worried about missing out on the action during Skeletour, keep an eye out for GTV!”

APRIL 24 – MUNICH

The tour continued in Munich at Olympiahalle. It was a very energetic concert—both the crowd and the band thoroughly enjoyed it. No major changes on the setlist for this ritual.

Fan reports:

Swiss was absent again.
Phantom kept the crowd hyped, dividing them into cheering sections.
The vibes were insane.
Phantom played acoustic guitar on The Future Is A Promise Land

Junkyard Rock Stories published an article titled “Six Reasons Why Ghost Is the Best Band in the World Right Now.”

Skeleta Rocking Eve began at 10 PM CET, with fans gathering in record stores around the world to celebrate the release.

Papa Emeritus V appeared on the infamous cover of King Kong magazine, holding a shield and a gasoline pump.

APRIL 25

Skeleta is released.

It’s finally Friday, the official release day—and the album immediately began dominating the charts.

No. 1 on Apple Music in 11 countries, including Norway, Finland, and the UK.
Later the same day, Skeleta topped the Apple Music charts in 22 countries.

Skeleta also reached the top of the iTunes charts, becoming Ghost’s best debut ever on the platform.
It debuted in 42 countries and hit No. 1 in 23 of them.

The GTV Antwerp episode reported that the injured Ghoul guitarist “fell into the underworld” during the O2 Arena show in London, which is how he injured his foot.

Tobias held a meet-and-greet conversation with fans in Lyon, France, at Fnac Lyon Bellecour.

APRIL 26 – LYON

The Ghost show in Madrid, scheduled for April 30th at Palacio Vistalegre, was canceled due to complex production issues related to accommodating the weight and size of the band’s stage setup. No new venue has been selected, as the Movistar Arena is currently occupied by a sports event.

Fans are going wild on social media, accusing the venue of unprofessionalism.

The tour continued in Lyon, France, at LDLC Arena.

Lyon setlist:

Fan reports:

Rain mocked Dew’s medical boot.
Papa spanked someone (?)
The Ghouls were completely unleashed.
Phantom had a little fun with himself while Papa was offstage changing.
Sodo was pure fire, even with his leg injury.
The sound was album-quality, according to a fan.
The Ghoulettes truly made a big difference in the overall sonic experience.

APRIL 27 – TOULOUSE

Next stop on the tour was Zénith Toulouse Métropole, the band’s second show in France. Once again, “Faith” and “Call Me Little Sunshine” were played instead of “From the Pinnacle to the Pit” and “Majesty”.

Toulouse setlist:

Skeleta is reported to be Ghost’s biggest Spotify debut, with 6.2 million streams.

The Ghoulbangers Ball – Frankfurt episode has been released.

Fan reports:

Perpetua was in heat again.
The Swiss platform was still empty.
Papa was very active, running across the stage.
He bumped fists with Dew.
Phantom was also running a lot across the stage.

APRIL 28

The Peacefield music video has been released.

Vanessa Warwick confirmed in a comment—either on social media or under a YouTube video—that Swiss, a.k.a. Justin Taylor, left the tour due to PERSONAL REASONS. He will no longer be part of the Skeletour show.

Skeletá has surpassed 50 million global streams, counting only Spotify and YouTube, making it the fastest Ghost album to reach this milestone!

APRIL 29 – LISBON

Skeletour continued in Lisbon, Portugal, at MEO Arena, despite concerns that the show might be canceled due to the major electricity blackout that affected much of Portugal and Spain. There were huge queues at ATMs, and supermarkets were almost empty in some areas. One commentator remarked that Lisbon turned into a ghost town—even before Ghost arrived.

Tobias Forge said in a BBC radio interview that “Lachryma” is one of his favorite songs he’s ever written.

Fan reports:

The song “Cirice” was played during soundcheck.
Papa joked about the blackout: “Things were not looking BRIGHT for you.”
During “Year Zero,” Papa and Rain had a funny moment where:
- Papa wanted to go one direction.
- Rain shook his head, signaling to go the other way.
- They went back and forth playfully.
“From the Pinnacle to the Pit” and “Call Me Little Sunshine” were played.
Papa Perpetua flew during “Call Me Little Sunshine.”

Lisbon setlist – here

APRIL 30 – MADRID

The day when the concert in Madrid was supposed to happen:

Ghost appeared in the Roblox game Rushed Out. It was announced the day before, and today, fans have already started posting screenshots from the game.

Even though the concert in Madrid did not take place, fans took to social media to do what they always do — celebrate a ritual.

MAY 1

The Ghoulbangers Ball: Munich episode was released.

In this episode Vanessa told us that the kabuki curtain (the one that goes off at the start of the show) weighs 500 kg.

MAY 2

Offizielle Deutsche Charts revealed that Ghost’s Skeleta is the number 1 album for week 18 (April 28 – May 4), ahead of new releases from Billy Idol, Phillip Boa, Machine Head, and many others. This marks the second time Ghost has achieved this success, the first being in 2022.

ARIA – Austrian Recording Industry also revealed that Skeleta is number 1 on their Debut Vinyl Charts.

Sveriges Officiella Topplista announced that Skeleta is the number 1 album in Sweden this week.

Ghost released the official Spotify and Apple Music playlists for the Skeletour.

The Ghoulbangers Ball: Lyon edition was released. Plushies are back in stock.

Ghost also appeared on the cover of Horror Hound Magazine.

MAY 3 – ZURICH

After four days without a concert, the Skeletour continued in Zurich, Switzerland, where Ghost delivered a powerful show at Hallenstadion Zürich.

Fan reports:

Papa was acting like a vampire, joking that Dew broke his foot from kicking the audience’s ass.
Papa floated during “Majesty.”
He spoke about their first show in Zurich, noting that it wasn’t him but another Papa, 14 years ago — and that there were only 100 people in the audience back then.

“Faith” was performed instead of “From the Pinnacle to the Pit”, and “Majesty” replaced “Call Me Little Sunshine.”

Zurich setlist – here

MAY 4 – MILAN

Next stop: Milan, Italy. Ghost played at Unipol Forum. The setlist remained the same as in previous shows – see here.

Fan reports:

Papa asked the crowd to stop shouting and clapping so he could say “marijuana”, but the crowd wouldn’t listen.
He said he loves the spirit of Italy.
Before one song, he remarked: “That’s my father’s song.” (Kiss The Go Goat)
Phantom hyped up the audience, lay on the ground, and encouraged clapping.
Rain’s hat almost fell off when he threw his head back.
Papa told the crowd: “You Italians are always so passionate — that’s how I like it.”

Meanwhile, Secondo was reported missing from his coffin at the museum.

In other news, 666 “Papa” sex toys called Ghildo were made available — priced at $130 each, and fans bought them all immediately !?

MAY 5

At 00:00 (CET), news started appearing: ‘Skeletá’ by Ghost debuts at #1 on the Billboard 200 with 86,000 units (including 77,000 pure sales). Ghost now has a Billboard No. 1 album — their first ever!

GONST released a new edition of the Skeletá Fanzine, dedicated completely to the new album. You can read the full publication HERE.

Fans all over the world are celebrating the huge success their favorite band has achieved with this release.

MAY 6

Ghost announced pop-up stores: Select cities will host exclusive Ghost pop-up shops, offering limited edition items that can’t be found anywhere else.

They also topped the Billboard 100 Artist Chart, further cementing their dominance during the Skeletá era.

MAY 7 – BERLIN

The tour continues in Berlin, Germany. From the Pinnacle to the Pit and Call Me Little Sunshine were both played at the Uber Arena. Full setlist – here.

Fan reports:

Before TFiAFL, Tobias made a comment about the current situation with electing the new German chancellor.
He grinned mischievously during the “Blasphemy! Heresy!” part of Satanized.
He was about to do his usual “tomorrow is a school day” shtick but didn’t realize it’s a public holiday in Berlin the next day. The crowd managed to communicate this to him somehow, so he just dropped it.
One fan noted that Tobias is really starting to “find a character” for Papa V, saying he’s speaking much more compared to the early shows of the tour.

Ghost posted photos from Mulberry Iconic Magazine’s newsstand with just one word in the caption – “Awesomeness!”

Ghoulbangers Ball: Toulouse edition was also released.

MAY 8 – AMSTERDAM

The tour continues at the Ziggo Dome in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Faith was played instead of From the Pinnacle to the Pit, and Call Me Little Sunshine replaced Majesty. Full setlist here.

During the day, a video appeared on social media showing fans chanting to Vanessa and her cameraman in front of the Ziggo Dome. Someone dressed as Papa was seen throwing flowers to the fans from the same spot.

Fan reports:

Papa was being sassy with the Ghouls.
Phantom played guitar behind his back and under his leg.
Dew had his arm around Perpetua while Papa joked about his foot injury, saying he broke it twice because “he tickled too much.”
Rain was seen talking to Phantom, seemingly about him showing off.
Papa spoke some Dutch, saying “dankjewel.”
Rain muted Sodo’s (Dew’s) guitar and asked him to play afterward.
Sodo threw all his picks into the crowd and even signed a Mummy Dust bill during the show, handing it to a fan.
Phantom accidentally hit a fan in the head with a pick.
During the Umbra solo, Rain looked disappointed with Sodo, shaking his head. Both Rain and Phantom sat down to watch. When Sodo tried to throw a plectrum into the crowd and missed, Rain laughed and shook his head again.
Papa said: “We only have a few songs left, and they aren’t good. They’re sellouts. You want us to play a shitty song or pack our bags?” Then he added: “No, wait—we have one good one. My daddy sang this,” referring to Kiss the Go-Goat.

Ghoulbangers Ball: Lisbon edition was also released.

MAY 9

Ghost posted a very cool video on their socials showing a massive “Skeletá is No. 1” Billboard at the top of the Whisky a Go Go, with a skeleton balloon flying over the venue.

Dutch magazine OOR called Tobias Forge the “baptized chameleon of pop metal” in their review of the Ziggo Dome show. “And where the Vatican relies on white smoke and cardinal consensus, Ghost relies on gothic grandeur and musical conviction. Tobias Forge makes us kneel on the edge of the abyss — but with style,” they added.

MAY 10 – Łódź

At the show in Atlas Arena in Łódź, Poland, Faith and Majesty were back on the setlist. Majesty and Peacefield were played during the soundcheck. Full setlist here.

Fan reports:

The crowd started singing loudly from the very beginning of Peacefield, which made Papa very happy.
During Rats, Papa walked an IKEA rat across the stage.
Fans yelled “fuck you” or “fuck yeah,” and Papa responded by talking about people misinterpreting his words.
Fans also yelled in Polish, which confused Papa, especially when he saw a JÄTTEBRA sign (meaning “very good” in Swedish).
He rolled a Mummy Dust bill like a joint and threw it into the crowd.
He thanked the audience in Polish.
Papa asked the crowd to sing the Monstrance Clock chorus. After they did, he said, “It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t good either,” prompting them to sing louder.
Before Umbra, Papa emerged from the crowd and handed a cowbell to Haze.
A poster was seen in the crowd reading “fuck Live Nation.”
One fan called the concert “brilliant” and said the emotions were incredible.

Many reports mentioned how good and energetic the Polish audience was, which clearly made an impact on Tobias himself on stage. It was clear he tried hard not to smile when everyone jumped from their seats and started dancing during the encore. The concert was brilliant, and the emotions were incredible, as one fan wrote!

Junkyard Rock Stories: We are just chiming in here to say: Bravo Polska!

In the morning before the Łódź ritual, a message from GTV appeared in which Vanessa clarified the misunderstanding that had been spreading online. Due to Polish security regulations, masks were forbidden for the show, while face paint was allowed.

MAY 11 – PRAGUE

Next stop on the Skeletour is Prague,Czech Republic and a ritual to be satanized at O2 Arena.There was no new songs on the setlist this night.

Reports said that there were problems with the confetti cannon during Dance Macabre—it didn’t work properly.

Fan reports:

Before Monstrance Clock, Papa said: “Don’t you be fucking whimpering now.”
The crowd was very loud before the song, and Papa also said: “We were wasting time.”
Papa spoke some Czech.
Rain gave the middle finger to someone in the crowd.
Papa called Dew “the best nut.”
Phantom was sitting on the stairs playing acoustic guitar.
Papa walked like Nosferatu.
Dew used a cane when bowing and exiting the stage.
He also threw picks toward the confetti cannon.
As usual, Phantom played a lot with his guitar.
Papa was smiling and bumping fists with the Ghoul crew.

MAY 12

Vanessa Warwick answered a fan question about how the stage equipment will be transported to America. The answer was, let’s say, simple: it will be shipped in 14 containers by sea, and it will take two weeks to get there.

MAY 13 – PARIS

The band returned to France once again for the show in the capital, Paris, at Accor Arena. No keytar solo on Mummy Dust. Dew played a Firebird (not confirmed). Call Me Little Sunshine was played instead of Majesty, and From the Pinnacle instead of Faith. Full setlist here.

Ghoulbangers Ball Zurich was released. Vanessa Warwick pointed out an interesting fact: Ghost‘s production is so big that the local power suppliers are unable to provide enough electricity, so the crew needs to bring their own generators with them for every concert.

French outlet Franceinfo wrote an article about the upcoming concert in Paris, in which Tobias Forge commented on the success of Skeletá being the number one album on the Billboard 200:

Fan reports:

They all have A LOT of charisma, also with the characters they are playing. And Tobias is an absolute showman — he has a lot of stage presence, it’s insane.
After Year Zero, the screens had stars all over them and the crowd started singing Star Wars.
Papa V seemed really confident compared to what I’d read here a few weeks ago. He seemed to enjoy talking to the crowd and just messing around.
Papa spoke lots of French and did a silly English-French accent.
Papa made a joint with Mummy Dust and licked it.
He said: “My daddy sang this song” before Mary on a Cross.
“You know what you don’t have? A KISS” – Kiss the Goat
At the end of Call Me Little Sunshine, Papa posed like on the photo from King Kong Magazine.
Costumes were BEAUTIFUL and GLOWING — it felt unreal. The stage design was beautiful as well. Everyone moved all around the stage and interacted a lot.
Rain goes HARD with his bass — it’s so cool to see. He went everywhere, shaking his head, but also seemed very focused and in his own world. He got a bit dramatic too.
There was a Sodo/Rain “choke” moment, and yeah, it was INTENSE between those two.
Rain stopped and stared at Sodo when he started playing his guitar.
But it’s literal theatre — they all have their little reactions.
Phantom flies EVERYWHERE. He plays so well and even played underneath his leg, but he almost tripped!
Phantom ALMOST FELL when he was going on top of his little stage.
Phantom interacted with the crowd SO MUCH, and we didn’t listen when he told us to shut up.
Rain, Phantom, and Dew all pointed at each other during Kiss the Go-Goat.

One fan concluded: “Fantastic and amazing concert… These guys are the rock stars of the coming years…”

MAY 14 – OBERHAUSEN

Next stop is Oberhausen. Ghost returns to Germany once again, performing at the Rudolf Weber Arena. During Peacefield and Lachryma, the synths sounded louder. In Monstrance Clock, the Ghoulette vocals were more prominent. Check the full setlist here.

Perpetua was mad that 14 years ago people in Oberhausen booed Ghost.

Fan reports:

Not much new, though Umbra has an outro where Phantom kills it on guitar.
Not much thrusting during Mummy Dust.
Papa said: “Don’t you wanna kiss?”
Rain played Dew‘s guitar.
Cirrus stuck her tongue out during the key solo.
There was a keytar solo.
Papa knocked over the mic stand at one point.
Confetti got stuck in his hair.
Rain made an airplane from a Mummy Dust bill and asked Phantom to throw it, but he didn’t want to.
Phantom and Dew were bumping hats.

Papa also said:

Papa also mistakenly said:

It is reported that all of the Ghouls have wings, but not all of them use them.

In Chapter 21 of the lore, it is revealed that Papa Emeritus wants to meet with Perpetua, who is going to be available in December 2026. Fans have started speculating whether the tour is going to last until then.

Ghoulbangers Ball Live in Milan was released. Interestingly, it was found that there was no soundcheck before that show.

MAY 15 – HANNOVER

The tour continues at the ZAG Arena in Hannover. This marks the sixth and final show in Germany on this leg of the Skeletour. Full setlist of the show can be seen here.

Fan reports:

Papa said: “Don’t wet your panties.”
Sodo was interacting with Haze a lot and gave her flowers.
At the end of Year Zero, Phantom was lying on a speaker while playing guitar. He almost fell off one.
Rain told Papa to move during Year Zero, and he obeyed.
Papa was smelling his own armpit.
Papa was absolutely feral at this concert.

It was also announced that Ghost will be performing Queen on May 27 at the Polar Music Prize Awards, with Fredrik Åkesson from Opeth.

Photos of unmasked Sodo apperaed online showing him walking with a cane. JRS: If this really is Sodo/Dew the white Stratocaster Ghoul – then we guess it’s a SPOILER ALERT!

MAY 16

Vanessa posted a video featuring a poster/book made by fans to show their appreciation for her work and GTV.

Ghoulbangers Ball Berlin was released today. Vanessa was seen walking by the legendary Berlin Wall. She even played Phantom’s guitar during soundcheck — and Mountain’s drums too!

Ghost officially revealed that prior to the album’s release, 50 souls were gathered in Stockholm for a special album playback to celebrate the band’s sixth psalm: ‘SKELETÁ’.

MAY 17 – COPENHAGEN

The tour continues at Royal Arena in Copenhagen, Denmark. From the Pinnacle to the Pit and Majesty were played this time. Full setlist here.

The curtain didn’t fall fully during the opening. Some fans claim it actually fell over them.

Fan reports:

Papa humped the speakers during Mummy Dust.
He said encores are always “bad songs” and called Mary On A Cross a grower.
Papa was very silly and goofy throughout the show.
He said: “We fucked up the demographic” because there were so many Swedes at the Danish concert.
Toward the end, he added: “Ah, you waited. You knew you’d get more songs. Usually people are stupid and walk out.”
His silver jacket had a grucifix on the back.

Best moments of the show (according to some fans):

The pyro during Year Zero.
Papa emerging from the floor with a cowbell, handing it to a Ghoulette.

MAY 18

No significant things happened. A rest for everyone — including us.

MAY 19

Another free day. The band and the equipment are on their way to the last four concerts of the European leg of the tour.

‘Skeletá’ has surpassed the 100 million global streams mark, counting only Spotify and YouTube.

MAY 20 – TAMPERE

After a three-day pause, the Skeletour continued at Nokia Arena, Tampere, Finland. From the Pinnacle to the Pit and Call Me Little Sunshine were on the setlist tonight. Cirice was soundchecked. You can see the full setlist here.

The exclusive Tampere t-shirt was released.

Fan reports:

Papa was bricked.
He asked the crowd to give Dew a little clap.
Rain admired Dew playing his guitar.
Papa fingered the mic stand during Cirice and pretended it was wet.
A fan threw a small black cat plushie toward Phantom, and he caught it.
Haze got a bracelet.
During Year Zero, Perpetua stood on his tiptoes.

A great set of photos from Finnish version of Chaoszine covering the show can be seen [here]. English version of the same webzine called the Ghost show magnificent and provided some more exclusive photos.

MAY 21

Kerrang! released a feature on Ghost that originally appeared in the special edition Kerrang! Presents Ghost magazine.

Ghoulbangers Ball Amsterdam was released — finally, after several days without any new content from GTV.

MAY 22 – LINKÖPING – GROUND ZERO

The tour continues in Saab Arena in Linköping, Sweden, the hometown of Tobias Forge. Both shows in Sweden, Linköping and Sandviken, are sold out. Faith and Call Me Little Sunshine were played. No new songs were added for this special night — as expected by many fans. See the full set-list.

Most intriguing moment: Tobias, during his final speech, completely broke character and started speaking Swedish. He shared a story from his life about how he used to go ice skating at a place just like the arena (a hockey rink, presumably), and how he once thought to himself that he was going to play there one day. Then he switched to English for the non-Swedish speakers and said, “I was just complimenting them on the food.”

Fan reports:

Tobias bumped his head during Satanized.
He said, “And now an old one,” but started playing Mary On A Cross.
He let out an inhuman growl at the beginning of Faith.
He nearly tripped on the drum stairs.
Papa told the crowd to give it up for Dewdrop before Squammer because “look at this guy, he broke his foot and he’s still playing for you,” or something like that.
Papa had to stop fans from cheering because of how many congratulations he was getting.
He asked how many people came from out of town (most of the crowd), and how many came from out of the country (some). He then said he wouldn’t practice Swedish too much (liar), despite having been studying a lot on the app.
He apologized at least twice for not playing in town for 10 years.
He licked a Mummy Dust buck, rolled it up, asked a girl if she wanted it, and threw it to her. Then turned around and said, “DON’T SMOKE THAT.”
He also called out the after-party at Platens: “I heard about that. Ya’ll going to party in the basement at Platens?”

Tobias’ family was present at the concert.

During the day, fans reported seeing many posters all over town saying: Welcome home Ghost.

Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet wrote a review of the show and asked the crucial question: When do we think Ghost is ready to play at Ullevi Stadion?

Hey, we at Junkyard can answer that for you: right f’n now!!!!

Ghoulbangers Ball: Łódź Edition was released today.

MAY 23 – SANDVIKEN

On May 23rd, it was time for the 23rd show of the Skeletour — another one in Sweden, this time in Göransson Arena in Sandviken. Majesty and From The Pinnacle to the Pit were played. Full set-list here.

Fan reports:

Cirrus had a reflection of herself on the ceiling thanks to the amazing work of the lighting crew.
Papa was feisty.
There are still some issues reported with the Grucifix, but the red lights are at least fixed.
The Peacefield backing track started playing while Phantom was trying to hype up the crowd?
At the beginning, Papa asked the crowd if they had been drinking. The crowd said YES, and he replied, “Well, me too.”
He asked the crowd to chant RICHIE RICHIE RICHIE after Mummy Dust (lol), and said that Dew “kicked your ass all night despite having a fucking broken foot — how about that!”
Papa also told the crowd that “people up north always show up so that we don’t have to do all this big shit alone (it would be fucking embarrassing!), and this warms our hearts.”
There were a lot of technical difficulties tonight.
The Peacefield choir started during the quiet bit between Pinnacle and Majesty, and Dew’s guitar (I think?) didn’t work during The Future Is a Foreign Land.

Sandviken is probably the most interesting place that Ghost has visited on this tour. Located around 190 km north of Stockholm, it is by far the smallest town that was being Satanized in Europe this year, with only 25,000 inhabitants. Many fans commented during the day, wondering why Ghost is playing there. We don’t know the answer — except that Sandviken has a beautiful Göransson Arena. And, you know, rock ‘n’ roll really doesn’t care about how big a place as long as it is right that – ROCK N’ ROLL!

Sweden Rock Magazine reports that Ghost made a history playing in Sandviken’s Göransson Arena setting up a record of 15 000 attendees.

MAY 24 – OSLO

And this is it, guys. The last date of the Skeletour has come, and it’s in Oslo, Norway — the very same country we are operating in. But due to not residing in Oslo and some other difficulties, we were not able to attend the show. Well, maybe next time, because there will definitely be one — Ghost has just become the biggest band in rock this spring.

Oslo setlist:

Fan Reports

Papa ciriced a DILF.
He messed up the second verse of Ritual and some parts of Kiss the Go-Goat.
Phantom broke some strings at the end of Square Hammer.
Somebody from the audience threw a hard object toward Papa.
He asked the audience if they liked things that go boom.
Sodo’s guitar was very quiet.
Tobias spoke Norwegian.
Phantom made the audience cheer and stomp, but they messed up a bit.
Phantom danced with one of the Ghoulettes at the end.
Perpetua said, “I’m glad you stayed, because we’ve had some people leave and then we looked like absolute assholes,” before the encore.
Perpetua made the audience scream “JAAAA!” and added, “Jaaaa… it sounds like Oktoberfest in here.”
When Phantom was hyping up the audience, he accidentally sent one of his picks flying.
Papa called the audience dumbasses multiple times.

Additional Fan Commentary

The Oslo crowd was pretty mild, but this is common here.
Some found the backing vocals grating — possibly due to the audio mix. They didn’t sound in harmony with Tobias.
The setlist was praised for focusing more on older albums.

Norsk Rock Radio writes:

The Razors Edge:

Norway Rock:

MAY 25 – IT’S A WRAP

Ok guys, that’s a wrap.
The European leg of the Skeletour is officially over — and so is our mission here.

With no phone ban in place, we decided to keep an eye on Ghost and began collecting everything we could. And let us tell you — it wasn’t easy. All those days and nights of following, collecting, dissecting, reading, editing, asking, writing…

But you know what? Everything you see here is real. Nothing is fantasy, and nothing is made up. All the fan reports came from real fans. Sometimes they might sound ridiculous, but that’s how fans experienced and described what they saw and felt.

This was done in the style of old music magazine journals — you know, if you ever read one. We just wanted to cement this moment in rock history the only way we know how: with passion and total dedication.

This was the moment Ghost became the biggest band in rock, with a number-one album on nearly every major chart. And to be honest? It was definitely worth it.

We hope you enjoy this piece. This is is by far our longest feature ever writtenWe spent over a month putting it together, so if you feel like sharing this piece of rock history or supporting us in any other way — it would mean the world.

If not, that’s cool too. Just enjoy and read.
See you next time. Cheers!

JP – Junkyard Rock Stories

Share To The World

GHOST – Day-to-Day Reports from the Skeletour (Europe) – EXCLUSIVE

Fan Reports:

Fan Reports

Additional Fan Commentary

Related

Watch: Erik Grönwall Rocks Queen’s “Stone Cold Crazy” at Swedish Awards Show

Ghost & Frederik Åkesson Deliver Epic “Bohemian Rhapsody” — Even Queen Members Were Blown Away

Guns N’ Roses Live in Abu Dhabi Report – (Live Updates)

Dogma – Hidden Messages Found on Their Debut Album Vinyl