GHOST's ongoing Skeletour North American leg, which launched January 21 at the Kia Center in Orlando, Florida, continues to draw overwhelmingly positive and rave reviews from fans and critics alike, with the theatrical production being universally hailed as the most ambitious, visually spectacular, and emotionally immersive live show in the Swedish band's increasingly remarkable history. The tour supports the band's acclaimed 2025 album "Skeleta," which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart with 86,000 equivalent album units earned in its first week — the band's highest-charting release to date and a testament to their growing mainstream appeal.
The theatrical production features an elaborate and meticulously designed stage setup centered around the new character Papa V Perpetua, the latest in the lineage of mysterious papal frontmen that has defined GHOST's unique conceptual narrative since their enigmatic formation in Linkoping, Sweden. The show incorporates cutting-edge lighting rigs, significantly expanded pyrotechnic elements, and a multi-level stage design that allows frontman Tobias Forge to command the arena from multiple dramatic vantage points throughout the performance. Reviewers have consistently praised the production's seamless integration of theatrical storytelling with GHOST's increasingly diverse and musically sophisticated catalog.
Setlists have been expertly mixing fan favorites from across the band's discography — including perennial highlights "Square Hammer," "Cirice," the viral hit "Mary on a Cross," and "Rats" — with carefully selected new material from "Skeleta" and their acclaimed streaming release of a PET SHOP BOYS cover "It's a Sin," which has become a surprise standout highlight of the live show. The cover's transformation from iconic synth-pop classic to arena-sized gothic metal anthem exemplifies GHOST's extraordinary gift for recontextualizing unexpected source material.
The tour continues through mid-March with remaining dates in the Midwest and West Coast before concluding at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles. Several shows along the route have been upgraded to larger venues due to overwhelming ticket demand. Forge has announced that GHOST will enter an extended creative hiatus following the Skeletour's conclusion, stating he needs time at home with his teenage children before beginning work on the next chapter of the band's carefully curated saga.