1000’s of Ghost followers left queuing in Birmingham resulting from band’s strict cellphone rule

1000's of Ghost followers lined Birmingham yesterday because the band’s strict cellphone rule prompted lengthy queues.

• READ MORE: Tobias Forge on new materials and the way forward for Ghost: “If followers want the lore to love the band, that ingredient can be over fairly quickly”

Final night time (April 20), the Swedish group purchased their largest ever UK ‘Skeletour’ live performance to Birmingham’s Utilita Area. Resulting from their implementation of a “phone-free” rule for his or her 2025 tour – designed to drive followers to be current and interact with their reside present – footage of the gig is nowhere to be discovered on social media.

Nonetheless, many took to X/Twitter earlier than the gig to report winding queues as they tried to get into the venue. As was later reported by BirminghamLive, the traces went from the Utilita Area all the way in which in the direction of the Library of Birmingham and up alongside the canal in the other way as followers waited to have their luggage searched.

Whereas some said the no telephones rule made the gig “much more particular”, others had been pissed off by the “absolute shit present” organisation, adding: “It’s nearly like Utilita Birmingham forgot there’s 16 thousand individuals to seat.”

The road for final nights present at @UtilitaArenaBHM 😳

Video by tobiasforgefansbrazil #SKELETOUR pic.twitter.com/M5sbE8Ylgq

— SKELETOUR 2025 (@GhostWorldTour) April 21, 2025

Holy shit. The queue to get in to @thebandGHOST at @UtilitaArenaBHM reaches as much as the Library of Birmingham and so far as the attention can see each course. I've by no means seen something like this earlier than in my complete lifetime of coming to gigs on the town 🤯 pic.twitter.com/Sr1RHXtwFY

— Kirsty Bosley (@Bozzers) April 20, 2025

Lately, whereas showing as the most recent visitor on NME‘s In Dialog collection, frontman Tobias Forge mentioned how Birmingham’s Black Sabbath “have been an incredible affect” on him.

“Ozzy as a frontman and Ozzy as a solo artist is one thing I put a divide between, as a result of I grew up within the ‘80s the place he was rather more of a rockstar than Black Sabbath had been. I gravitated in the direction of that, however I additionally grew up listening to the outdated Black Sabbath information.

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbWuqhWpo_o[/embed]

“These days, I like most Black Sabbath releases. Even the ‘80s and ‘90s albums, I like them for what they're, and the Dio period additionally has a really particular place in my coronary heart, too. ‘Vol. 4’, ‘Sabbath Bloody Sabbath’ and ‘Sabotage’ have been absolute milestones for me for so long as I’ve been writing music. They’ve been very influential, despite the fact that it won't be tremendous evident. I’ve at all times listened to them, and I’ve at all times been impressed by them.”

The frontman of the Swedish occult steel band is slated to play at Ozzy Osbourne and co’s last live performance at Villa Park within the latter’s hometown of Birmingham on Saturday July 5 as Papa Perpetua. The upcoming present will see Black Sabbath’s most iconic line-up – comprising Osbourne, guitarist Tony Iommi, bassist Geezer Butler and drummer Invoice Ward – play reside collectively for the primary time in twenty years.

The stacked line-up additionally contains the likes of Metallica, Slayer, Pantera, Lamb Of God, Mastodon, Alice In Chains, Halestorm, current Grammy-winners Gojira, Weapons ‘N’ Roses, Instrument, Jason Momoa and Rival Sons.

In the meantime, Ghost are set to proceed on their run of European tour dates within the coming weeks, and you may try a full checklist of dates right here and go to here to buy any remaining tickets.