GHOST have officially launched the North American leg of their Skeletour World Tour tonight at the Kia Center in Orlando, Florida, delivering a massive 22-song set that has left fans and critics alike struggling to find superlatives adequate to describe the experience. The Swedish theatrical metal icons debuted four tracks from their Billboard 200 chart-topping album "Skeleta" live for the first time, seamlessly integrating the new material into a career-spanning setlist that drew from every chapter of the band's remarkable ascent.
Tobias Forge, performing as Papa V Perpetua, commanded the arena with the charisma and theatrical precision that has become his hallmark, guiding his Nameless Ghouls through a production that represents GHOST's most elaborate staging to date. Enhanced pyrotechnics — including towering flame jets, smoke cannons, and precision-timed flash pots — created a visual spectacle that complemented the music without overwhelming it. A revamped lighting design featuring programmable LED arrays cast the arena in haunting hues of purple, crimson, and ghostly white, while the band's new costumes brought fresh visual elements to the established GHOST aesthetic.
The setlist balanced deep cuts from across the catalog with crowd favorites, ensuring both longtime devotees and newer fans found moments to celebrate. Classics like "Square Hammer," "Cirice," and "Mary on a Cross" received thunderous responses, while the "Skeleta" debuts were met with genuine excitement from a crowd that clearly knew the new material intimately. The encore reportedly stretched to four songs, closing with an epic rendition that sent the capacity crowd home buzzing.
The tour continues through February 23, wrapping at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, with stops at major arenas across the United States. Given the overwhelmingly positive response to opening night, remaining tickets for upcoming shows are expected to move quickly.