It’s official.. GWAR has hit the road on their GOR GOR STRIKES BACK! Tour and ya’ll aint ready. There are shows, and then there are full on blood baths. If you’re a fan of GWAR, you know the number one rule: one must wear a plain white t-shirt in hopes of leaving the show drenched and covered in blood looking like you just survived a massacre.
Needless to say, GWAR absolutely shook everyone to the core.. but it couldn’t have been done without openers King Parrot, hailing from Australia, and Soulfly all the way from Phoenix, Arizona. Easily one of the most incredible shows I’ve ever been to and documented.
I had yet to catch King Parrot live before this, but after hearing nothing but praise my expectations were high and they absolutely delivered. As someone raised on heavier metal and grindcore, their set hit hard and filthy. A perfect appetizer, leaving us hungry for the carnage coming up next.
Unfortunately, there was no media allowed during Soulfly’s set at the band’s request. Honestly though? I wasn’t mad about it.. it almost made the experience hit harder, bringing us back to times where we were forced to live in the moment with no cameras. It was definitely one of those moments where you had to be there.
If you have struggle with sensory overload, a GWAR show on a Thursday night might not be on the top priority list. From insanely elaborate costumes, their own constructed characters called the Scumdogs from Scumdogs of the Universe, to their signature blend of red liquids, I was in awe the entire time. Fluids flew (as expected), the crowd pushed to the front in their soon to be blood soaked white t-shirts, mockery directed towards today’s political climate was had. Including: chopping off Kristi Noem’s boobs, slicing open Trump’s stomach, and decapitating Bill Clinton (in that order).
Those who aren’t in the loop would refer to them as “shock-rock”, or maybe just a lousy metal band begging for attention, but honestly? GWAR doesn’t just put on a regular old concert; it’s an entire artistic production.
Here’s some deep lore and context:
“The story of GWAR is carved across the history of this barren and hopeless planet, but GWAR themselves are not of this world… their story begins in the deepest reaches of outer space. Long ago, the beings who would become the rock band GWAR were part of an elite fighting force, the Scumdogs of the Universe. For eons, they served as thralls to a supreme being known only as the Master. But one by one, each future member of the band earned a glaring reputation for being an intergalactic fuck-up. And so, they were banished, sent away on a fool’s errand to conquer an insignificant shitball floating in a dark corner of the universe; the planet Earth. Once here, GWAR shaped the face of the globe, destroying and rebuilding the natural world, and giving rise to all of human history. Aliens to some, gods and demons to others, our erstwhile Scumdogs fucked apes to create the human race, and this fateful unplanned pregnancy would prove to be truly disastrous!”
If there’s one thing to know, it’s that GWAR’s fanbase falls nothing short of diehards no matter how young or how old. From longtime devotees in battle blood worn shirts (circa Oderus Urungus era, may he Rest in Peace!), to first-timers bracing for their first baptism in blood. There’s a shared understanding when you walk into a GWAR show that you’re not just watching, but you’re fully participating.
Check out more photos on Instagram!
