Ghost fan defies phone ban as concert footage surfaces from Oslo show

Despite strict rules, fan-filmed footage from Ghost's May 24, 2025, show at Oslo Spektrum has found its way online.

The show was part of the final stop on the European leg of Ghost's 2025 world tour, known as the Skeletour. It supports the band's latest album, Skeletá. The tour has been presented as a "phone-free experience."

The attendees are required to lock their phones in Yondr pouches before entering the main performance area. However, at least one fan attending the Oslo show managed to bypass the restriction. The attendee filmed a portion of the closing performance of Ghost's single "Square Hammer."

The fan-filmed video has now surfaced on social media platforms. Take a look below:

This break in protocol is relatively significant as the Ghost frontman, Tobias Forge, who plays various incarnations of the character Papa Emeritus (now Papa V Perpetua), has been vocal to multiple outlets about why the band chose to restrict phone use during shows.

Why did Ghost go for phone-free concerts?

As Tobias puts it, the initiative is not about copyright enforcement or clamping down on content sharing. It is about bringing back a sense of presence during live performances. According to him, too many concerts have turned into a sea of phone screens rather than a shared moment among the attendees.

In a previously shared statement, Ghost frontman mentioned:

"I really wanna underline that the ban has nothing to do with, let's say, copyright control. It's not that we wanna sit on all the material and we don't want anybody to monetize [Ghost videos]; it has nothing to do with that."

He continued:

“'Rite Here Rite Now', the film, the essence of messaging in that film was exactly that, but also I, but us collectively, working, making that film… We filmed two shows in L.A. in front of audiences where they had to put their phones into pockets. You don't give it away."

Tobias also added:

"You have your phone; you don't have to worry about that. If you need to call, you can go out. If you need to take a photo, you can take a photo of yourself out in the lobby; that's fine. But what ended up happening was that we had such an engaged crowd that seemed joyous in a way that… I had to go back years and in time since I last saw a fully engaged crowd where everybody's actually watching [the show]. They do not have to watch me, but they are watching the band."

He emphasized that Ghost's experiment with phone-free shows during their Rite Here Rite Now filming in Los Angeles had created some significant, emotionally charged, and connected performances they had in years.

The band's setup with Yondr pouches allows fans to keep their devices with them, but it will be locked. They can access them by stepping outside the main venue area. However, it seems that not everyone has embraced the idea, and some have found ways around it.

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