For many, GWAR has been one of the most consistent heavy metal bands in their lives. On October 22nd, they brought their bloodbath to the Rapids Theatre in Niagara Falls.
If you search the name GWAR, it’s easy to see just on the outside what this band brings when they put on a performance. Big costumes, heavy metal, blood and guts. When you go to see them, however, there is something so much more.
But before we go into the main event, let’s talk about the other groups that GWAR brought along.
The opener was a band from Pottsville, PA named Crobot. With a name like that, I wasn’t too sure what to expect. However, as soon as lead singer Brandon Yeagley popped out of a foam egg, the crowd was immediately enthralled with this group. With groove mixed with a lot of Rock ‘n Roll, you couldn’t help but dance/scream/head bang. The energy they brought was incredible and they are certainly a group to keep your eyes out for.
Immediately following Crobot, we have the melodic death-metal group Nekrogoblikon. They. Killed. It. The audience was absolutely in love with this group, and with John Goblikon. Their sound was totally unique and they definitely rocked the house down.
And finally, we have GWAR. Formed in 1984, this group has been non-stop for more than three decades. Fans of GWAR at Rapids Theater were some of the most dedicated people to a group I’ve ever seen. Normally when you go to a rock show, there is a unspoken dress code of all black all the time. But for this one, fans were dressed in white, in hopes to be part of the carnage that this band brought. Of course there were crowd surfers and mosh pits. What else can you expect? Blothar the Berserker’s vocals are out of this world and the rest of the band are a recipe for success.
This being said, there was also plenty of the blood spewing that the band is known for. From the dismemberment of a ‘GWAR fan’ and a soldier, to the ‘pissing match’ between Blothar’s alter-ego from another universe (which he said was a manifestation of everything that he hates about himself). There was a certain political undertone that was hard to miss and the crowd ate up with the infamous presidential decapitation of Joe Biden, Putin’s demise and even the destruction of Amy Coney Barrett.
The ‘so much more’ piece mentioned before about this group? The fans of the GWAR are die-hards, they are all connected in a way that is so much more than just the costumes, guts and gore.
If you ever have the chance to see this band perform, do not miss your opportunity. And if you’re too scared to get a little dirty, stay in the back or stay home. This is not for the lighthearted.
GWAR at Rapids Theater
Setlist: The Cutter ft. Lzzy Hale, The Issue of Tissue (Spacecake), Bring Back the Bomb, New Dark Age, Mother Fucking Liar, Rise Again, Bored to Death, Saddam a Go-Go, Ratcatcher, Womb With a View, Black and Huge, Venom of the Platypus, Berserker Mode, U Ain’t Shit, None but the Brave
Encore: Sick of You, Fuck This Place.
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