Ghost’s Tobias Forge Reveals His Favorite Concert Performances

Ghost mastermind Tobias Forge, known for the band’s dynamic and highly theatrical stage productions, recently shared insights into the iconic concerts that shaped his artistic vision. In a conversation with Full Metal Jackie for her weekend radio show, Forge detailed four significant live performances from his youth that left an indelible mark, while also reflecting on Ghost‘s current triumphs, including their chart-topping new album Skeletá.

When it comes to live spectacle, Forge first pointed to The Rolling Stones. “At some point in the 80s, I saw the film “Let’s Spend the Night Together.” For a long time, that was one of my favorite things to watch because it was just so amazing,” he said, also highlighting their “Steel Wheels” tour. “That is by far the coolest staging I’ve seen in my entire life. That is still the pinnacle… I remember taping a show that was live from Barcelona, 1990. And I think I paused, freeze framed the entire film… because I wanted to draw the stage because it was so cool.”

His other key influences include Pink Floyd‘s 1989 televised concert in Venice (“That also had a huge impact on me… Floyd was also one of my favorite bands when I was that age, like 8 years old”), the seminal Iron Maiden live album and video Live After Death (“I’ve talked about that show so much”), and Metallica during their Black Album era. “When the Black Album came and they had that diamond stage, that is one of the coolest stages,” Forge recalled. “And that cycle was just like this amazing home run.”

Forge also discussed his relationship with the music of Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath, especially in light of Ghost‘s upcoming participation in the Black Sabbath and Ozzy Osbourne “Back to the Beginning” farewell show this summer. Introduced to their music at an early age by an older sibling, Forge noted, “Black Sabbath and Ozzy Osbourne was one that I don’t really remember hearing for the first time. They were just a fact in my life.” He spoke of Ozzy‘s solo prevalence in the 80s, and his own journey of appreciating different eras of Black Sabbath, including the Dio years (loving the Dehumanizer album when Dio returned) and even the Tony Martin records. Performing at their final show, he said, “means a tremendous amount of honor to be welcomed into that forum. But it’s also with a grain of sentiment that touches a little bit on sadness because it might be the last time that ever happened.”

These formative influences have clearly informed Ghost‘s own journey, which is currently reaching new heights. The band made history with their latest album, Skeletá, released on April 25, 2025, which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart – the first time a hard rock act has achieved this in over four years. This success is mirrored in fan engagement, with data from Ultimate Guitar (part of Muse Group) revealing that Ghost‘s popularity on the platform doubled in the month following the album’s release. Their monthly tab views surged past 200,000, surpassing rock legends like Scorpions, Stone Temple Pilots, Iron Maiden, KISS, and The Who, and trailing only giants like Metallica, Led Zeppelin, Guns N’ Roses, and AC/DC. The number of Ghost songs added to users’ Favorites also increased by 2.6 times.

Fans can experience Ghost live on their extensive “Skeletour” throughout 2025:

Europe:

• May 13 – Paris, France @ Accor Arena
• May 14 – Oberhausen, Germany @ Rudolph Weber Arena
• May 15 – Hannover, Germany @ ZAG Arena
• May 17 – Copenhagen, Denmark @ Royal Arena
• May 20 – Tampere, Finland @ Nokia Arena
• May 22 – Linköping, Sweden @ Saab Arena
• May 23 – Sandviken, Sweden @ Göransson Arena
• May 24 – Oslo, Norway @ Spektrum

United States:

• Jul 09 – Baltimore, MD @ CFG Bank Arena
• Jul 11 – Atlanta, GA @ State Farm Arena
• Jul 12 – Tampa, FL @ Amalie Arena
• Jul 13 – Miami, FL @ Kaseya Center
• Jul 15 – Raleigh, NC @ PNC Arena
• Jul 17 – Cleveland, OH @ Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse
• Jul 18 – Pittsburgh, PA @ PPG Paints Arena
• Jul 19 – Philadelphia, PA @ Wells Fargo Center
• Jul 21 – Boston, MA @ TD Garden
• Jul 22 – New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden
• Jul 24 – Detroit, MI @ Little Caesars Arena
• Jul 25 – Louisville, KY @ KFC Yum! Center
• Jul 26 – Nashville, TN @ Bridgestone Arena
• Jul 28 – Grand Rapids, MI @ Van Andel Arena
• Jul 29 – Milwaukee, WI @ Fiserv Forum
• Jul 30 – St Louis, MO @ Enterprise Center
• Aug 01 – Rosemont, IL @ Allstate Arena
• Aug 02 – Saint Paul, MN @ Xcel Energy Center
• Aug 03 – Omaha, NE @ CHI Health Center
• Aug 05 – Kansas City, MO @ T-Mobile Center
• Aug 07 – Denver, CO @ Ball Arena
• Aug 09 – Las Vegas, NV @ MGM Grand Garden Arena
• Aug 10 – San Diego, CA @ Viejas Arena
• Aug 11 – Phoenix, AZ @ Footprint Center
• Aug 14 – Austin, TX @ Moody Center ATX
• Aug 15 – Fort Worth, TX @ Dickies Arena
• Aug 16 – Houston, TX @ Toyota Center