BY Sabrina Bollinger | February 4th, 2026
Ghost Takes Over Nationwide Arena
If you’ve ever had an intense craving for an operatic-rock band with satanic and sensual undertones dressed in bedazzled skeletal suits and 1920’s inspired formal wear, once again, heavily bedazzled, then a Ghost concert is the perfect place to call home.
On a bone-chilling Monday night in Columbus, Ohio, several hundred fans gathered outside Nationwide Arena to watch the infamous Ghost band perform a two-hour set on their Skeletour tour. Now if you’re unfamiliar, Ghost is a nine-piece orchestral metal band hailing from Sweden. They’ve got a very unique appeal to the rock fans often being criticized by public media for being “satanic” and “demonic”. This however, does not deter the many devoted fans the band has accumulated. As a follower myself for the last couple years, I knew of this beforehand so it was no surprise to me when the arena started chanting, “hail satan” later that night.
Before the show started, I saw fans dressed to the nines in their best outfits. Often gaining inspiration from the lead singer whose stage name is Papa V. Each fan putting their own special twists on the bands very extensive costumes. This always brings a smile to my face before any notes are played.
Knowing about the band beforehand set my expectations higher than most. I spent many hours in previous years scrolling TikTok seeing content posted from old eras and there’s proof somewhere of me saying I wanted to get “mummy dusted (by Sodo the lead guitarist specifically)”. Well, it’s safe to say my expectations were not only met, but they were exceeded.
Ghost is more than just a band. It’s a whole theatrical stage performance. They do something I’ve never seen another band do in my entire career, they play solo. They’re the only act on the lineup. Which is typically unheard of but I think for this band in particular it works incredibly well. It leans into the experience by surrounding the fans with the storyline and visual identity and only that. I think it truly works in their favor. Plus as a fan, it’s one less changeover to sit though.
When the curtain finally dropped, the smile on my face grew wide. Each member of the band had a different visual identity while staying in theme with the current era from their newest record. I give my many props to their costume designer. Not only are their costumes unique, their individual presence differentiates them from each other. Which is impressive considering only one member, Papa V, ever speaks. The rest of the Nameless Ghouls, as they’re called, are vocally silent but their personalities somehow manage to shine through the masks.
With nine members in a band, I cannot imagine how incredibly complex it is trying to figure out a way to ensure each member gets a moment to shine. I was impressed with how well Ghost managed to highlight some of the Ghouls in the back of the stage making sure to include each member at least once.
Diving into more of the performance, I was absolutely astonished. The stage was set up with some of the most beautiful gothic architectural “windows” I had ever seen. Showcasing different imagery like stained glass lighting in churches or even some Jesus imagery during a few songs. Not only that, the lighting set up was incredible. What impressed me the most was their overhead lighting rig made in the shape of their logo. Going beyond just their lighting, the band included some pyro, smoke, and other technical aspects that elevated their performance without being too overbearing.
Between Papa V’s million outfit changes, songs from albums new as well as old, and a stadium full of amazing fans, I couldn’t have picked a better way to spend a Monday night here in Columbus. Ghost is more than just a band. It’s more than just a community. It’s an entire experience with lore and sparkly skeletal suits. I can’t say with enough conviction that this is more than a concert. It’s a once in a lifetime showcase of showmanship and fun that will only leave you wanting more.
