Ghost's new Skeletour, which launched in the UK last month, is the greatest rock show on earth at present, a stunning, striking spectacle blending classic Ghost lore with Gothic symbolism, Brutalist architecture and the light and shade dynamics of a classic 1970s or '80s stadium rock show.
It's Ghost's most theatrical and cinematic production to date, a living, breathing cathedral of performance, and for that you can thank both Tobias Forge and his creative collaborator and fellow Swede Tobias Rylander, an award-winning Light, Scenic and Conceptual designer whose storied CV includes work on Beyoncé's Renaissance and Cowboy Carter tours, in addition to The 1975’s critically-acclaimed At Their Very Best world tour, plus production work for The Strokes, Childish Gambino, FKA Twigs and more.
With phones banned from the Skeletour, an initiative which means audiences approach each night of the tour with open minds and only vague ideas as to the magic which is about to unfold, you'll need to grab a ticket to experience the fully immersive multimedia spectacular for yourself. But speaking to Metal Hammer from Chicago, where he's currently on tour with Beyoncé, the chilled-out, affable and supremely talented Tobias Rylander reveals how he brought Ghost's new sanctum of darkness to life.
How did you first get involved in stage design Tobias?
"That's a really long story, but it started in Stockholm in a club called Kafé 44, which is sort of the equivalent of CBGBs in in New York City, a small, left wing, independent music cafe. I started to do lighting there in my early 20s in down time when I wasn't touring with my garage rock band, Sons of Cyrus, who played with bands like The Hellacopters. Working at that club brought me into touring as a lighting technician for bands like Hellacopters, Sahara Hotnights, and Millencolin in Sweden, and that's how it all started, as an accident in between tours."
Going from doing lights in a tiny punk rock club to designing stages for Beyoncé's Renaissance world tour is quite the journey...
"Yeah, I've been really blessed. Like I said, I have no education whatsoever, so I've been absolutely self taught. I used to take maybe six lights and a console on the tour bus, and do everything myself: programming, setting up the lights, and running them. In 2012 I was asked to do more and more design work, for acts like The xx and The Strokes, at which point it became too much for me to do everything, myself. That's how I started like to drift more and more into not just doing the design, but also production design. So if there was custom risers being built, or video screens, I started to design that, and decide how things looked more holistically."
Everyone in the music industry, especially in Sweden, was very aware of Ghost, because they were so special and mythical.
Tobias Rylander
How long have been aware of Ghost, and how long have you known Tobias Forge?
"I've been aware of them, and been a fan, since they started: from their early years I think everyone in the music industry, especially in Sweden, was very aware of them, because they were so special and mythical. But it wasn't until last year that I got to know Tobias [Forge]. I designed the lighting for a ballet at the Royal Opera in Stockholm, which my friend Amir Chamdin wrote and directed, and Amir is also the videographer for Tobias Forge, and Ghost, so he introduced me to Tobias, and we really liked each other, and that's how he started working together."
Is it important for you to like and respect the artist that you're going to work with?
"Oh, absolutely, yeah. It's really difficult if you don't like the music, or believe in the artist, and if they're true or not. I've tried it a couple of times, and the results have always been mediocre, but then because I don't believe in what I'm doing."
So what was the starting point for your creative fusion with Tobias?
"It's really nice to work with an artist who really knows what they want, and Tobias is one of those artists. He knows more or less exactly how he wants it, so I'm just interpreting his vision, and with my experience and knowledge of the touring industry, I'm basically saying, This is probably how it could be done to look the way that you want it to. He definitely presents the conceptual ideas. There's so much lore and and history in Ghost, with the the different Papas and the growth of Ghost, it's almost like a cult. So I had to do a lot of research on my own, and study Ghost to know where they've been before, and what they've done before, and then sort of bring that into this new chapter, and add new layers. So that's where we sort of started: where have they been, and where do they want to go? And I would consider Tobias a very generous artist in terms of what he gives the audience. There's no expenses spared on the spectacle."
And how do you balance budgetary concerns with creativity?
"Well, in this case, it's actually more physical limitations. Tobias is a big dreamer and really ambitious. So in in this case, it's actually about taking into considerations the number of trucks needed, or like, load in times and number of crew, that is the limitation."
Was there one thing in particular that you were keen to have as the centrepiece of this production?
"Absolutely, we knew that we wanted to do the Grucifix [a dynamic lighting rig inspired by their Ghost's logo]: it's something that Tobias had always wanted to implement into the show. So that became the centrepiece. It took a couple of different shapes and forms, but I'm really happy with how it turned out. I call it the Centipede as well, because it almost becomes organic with the way that it behaves and moves and automates. And we also knew that we wanted to go retro with it, kinda evoking an old Van Halen metal rig. So it's an old aesthetic with new technology."
When you're in pre-production, watching your vision being realised on the stage, is it exciting for you? Or do you have to keep a professional head on and watch and analyse all the moving parts?
"Oh, I never hold back on the excitement. That's why we do this. We build dreams. I'm a huge Kiss fan, so to be allowed to build basically big old Kiss shows with flames, I'm like a child in a candy shop, or a toy store."
One of the really cool things about this tour is that, because there's no phones allowed, people aren't seeing the whole show on YouTube before they step into a venue, so they're virgins to the show.
"Yeah, absolutely. I was almost shocked, really surprised, with how I felt in the room. Because I have been to phone-less shows before, but with Ghost fans, it was really special, with so many people actually sharing an experience without distractions. Without documenting it you just leave all that stress and anxiety that your phone brings behind. I was a little skeptical, but it just took one show to realise how special it was."
When I spoke to Tobias about the Rite Here Rite Now film, he mentioned that he would love to do more acting, or directing. With your background, is that something that you might be interested in collaborating on?
"I would love that! It would be so much fun. We should make another Kiss Meets The Phantom In The Park!"
