Ghost issued a statement after fans were prevented from entering a show last Friday, the 11th, for wearing makeup inspired by the band. Following the negative reaction to the measure, the venue responsible for the ban apologized to the affected audience.
Part of Ghost's joint tour with Amon Amarth , the performance took place in Missouri, USA, at the Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre. While it's known that fans of the band often do makeup based on Tobias Forge 's characters , similar to what happens at shows by bands like KISS , numerous reports indicate that the venue organizers either did not allow entry to people in costume or demanded the removal of the face paint.
According to Loudwire , the public was warned about the security policies only days before the event, in a social media post . “Face paint or masks that cover the face are not permitted upon entering the venue or when purchasing items at the food stands. Any facial coverings must be removable upon request.” Despite this, the venue's guidelines page does not mention any restrictions on the use of makeup on the face by the public.
Many fans tried to better understand the ban, questioning whether they could apply makeup after entering the venue, but were informed that "painting" items would not be allowed at the event. On Facebook , one person asked about heavy eye makeup, but the organization stated that "anything that distorts your face to the point where you no longer resemble your photo ID is not permitted."
Despite the announcement, as expected, dozens of fans showed up to the performance made up as one of Ghost's Popes. The problem wasn't widespread, and several fans accessed the event with their makeup intact, but many reported being barred from entry and only allowed without face paint. According to fans present , the venue staff were extremely rude and stated that the decision to ban makeup was Ghost's own decision. "Man, they were so inconsistent with that rule, it was awful. Some people were allowed in with full papal makeup, others were told they could only wear black face makeup, and some were forced to remove it all," complained one internet user .
Following the negative reaction to the ban, the Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre released a statement last Saturday, the 12th, to take responsibility for the decision and apologize to the public: “We thank everyone who attended the incredible Ghost show last night. On behalf of our team, we would like to apologize for a communication failure regarding the removal of facial makeup. This was not Ghost's instruction. If you experienced any issues at last night's show, please contact us.”
The statement was shared on Ghost's social media with a brief statement about what happened. "We would like to inform you that we will ALWAYS encourage creative expression, we will never repress it," the band wrote.
In September 2023, Ghost will come to Brazil for two shows in São Paulo . The performances will take place on the 20th and 21st, at Espaço Unimed, with an opening act by the Brazilian band Crypta .
See Ghost's post about the show with barred fans below:
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