Tobias Forge’s Ghost Discusses the Group’s Phone Ban in the 2025 Tour: “You Experience a Liberation from Ethereal Chains”

Ghost’s Phone Ban Explained

The frontman of Ghost, Tobias Forge, explained why he introduced a ban on phones in the 2025 group, stating that he hopes this will help the audience feel “freed from the chains.”

• Read more: Tobias Forge on the new material and the future of Ghost: “If fans need knowledge to please the group, this element will end pretty soon”

Reactions to the Phone Policy

This announcement comes as the Swedish metal group performs its largest concert in the UK, titled “Skeletour.” The group implements the “no phone” rule, which Forge hinted at earlier.

Responses to this strict policy have been mixed; some have claimed that it makes the performances feel “even more special,” while others criticized the move due to extensive queues in Birmingham.

Forge doubled down on the decision to ban phones at concerts, explaining that the choice stemmed from the experience of creating the feature film Ritual Here, Ritual Now. The film was shot at two shows in Los Angeles without devices, and he noticed a positive response from fans, prompting him to consider a permanent ban.

“Simply put, over the past five years, there has been an increasing distance that I felt between the crowd and the group, or the group and me,” Forge said in an interview with Metal XS Riff X.

“I felt that I had a problem observing someone (in the audience holding the phone in my face). This is annoying.”

He added, “Maybe I’m old school, maybe I’m old-fashioned. I just feel that we have an intimate moment, and it bothers me that you are recording while we do it together. I am doing something for you to respond to me.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhcjwfn6_pc

Reflecting on RHRN, he continued: “When we performed in Los Angeles, I, alongside everyone on stage, was amazed at how cool it was and how we want it to be like that every night, because it improved our performance. It felt to me that they performed better.”

“People were afraid, worried about the concept of not being able to capture or access the outside world. (But), as soon as they did it, they felt much better. This is what I want everyone to experience.”

Forge elaborated, “Within two hours, you feel how it eases the chains that are tethering you, whatever that may be… at all costs, tell everyone how great it was. But I felt that I wanted to do this because it improved my experience, and it enhanced the band’s performance, along with everyone I communicated with, notably from the Los Angeles show.”

“And this is the collective joy with which I want people to connect with Ghost. This is a show now.”

They are not the first artists to implement a phone-free policy at concerts; last year, Bob Dylan announced a similar initiative for his tour, while Jack White did the same for a show in 2018, and Placebo declared their 2022 concerts as “a no-phone experience.”

Ghost intends to continue its European tour dates in the coming weeks; you can check the full list of dates here and purchase remaining tickets here.

Forge’s comments come after he mentioned to NME another potential change on the horizon for Ghost. During a recent In Conversation interview, he explained that there may be an end to the intricate storytelling of Ghost.

“I think there may be an end to the story of stories, as it is not productive to have this endless soap opera. If fans need knowledge to please the group, then this element will probably end pretty soon,” he stated.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbwuqhwpo_o

“If there is a way for music to be enough and remain enjoyable, I need just as much as any other artist in the sense of milestones that I want to achieve. There are still venues I want to play, and what I wish to do will be another feather in my cap. I have been very fortunate to achieve many of these things, but there is still success that I desire.”

Additionally, in the same interview, Forge mentioned that Ghost is “living proof” that the “rock is dead” concept is untrue, sharing the influence Black Sabbath had on him, and hinted that he may consider a film career. You can watch the full interview or read it here.

Along with the tour dates, Forge plans to perform at the final Black Sabbath concert in Villa Park, Birmingham, his hometown.

The lineup also includes bands such as Metallica, Slayer, Pantera, Lamb of God, Mastodon, Alice in Chains, Halestorm, recent Grammy winners Gojira, Guns N’ Roses, Tool, and Jason Momoa.

The new Ghost album, Skeletá, is set to release tomorrow (April 25), and has received a four-star review from NME, who described it as the band’s attempt to “expand their musical landscape and explore the tapestry of human emotions.”

“While it may not boast the same instant hooks as some earlier albums, this latest offering instead provides something more substantial,” they noted. “Thanks to rich genre explorations and a new level of emotional depth, it is clear that Skeletá was crafted with a new vision in mind, marking a promising beginning to a new chapter for the band.”