Gwar at Irving Plaza

Beefcake the Mighty & Blothar the Berserker

In the early 1980s in Richmond, Virginia, Dave Brockie met two university students who were making costumes for a science fiction movie they never actually completed. Brockie borrowed the costumes and had Death Piggy open for itself as a barbaric band from Antarctica, staging mini-plays and using crude props while playing nonsense songs and sacrificing fake animals. People came to see the joke band, named Gwaaarrrgghhlllgh, and left immediately after the set, so Brockie transformed Death Piggy into a theatrical punk metal band called Gwar, an abbreviated version of the other band's original name. As Gwar's costumes grew more elaborate and grotesque over time, so did the band's science fiction storyline, constructing new characters with each change in personnel. Brockie died of a heroin overdose in 2014; Gwar continues with no original members. Gwar presently consists of vocalist Michael Bishop (Blothar), lead guitarist Brent Purgason (Pustulus Maximus), rhythm guitarist Mike Derks (Bälsäc the Jaws ‘o Death), bassist Jamison Land (Beefcake the Mighty), drummer Brad Roberts (Jizmak Da Gusha), and backing vocalists Matt Maguire (Sawborg Destructo), Bob Gorman (Bonesnapper), and Don Drakulich (Sleazy P. Martini). Gwar's 14th and most recent album, The Blood of Gods, was released on October 20, 2017.

Real-life horror happened earlier in the day with a terrorist attack in lower Manhattan. It was Halloween night, and rock fans came to Irving Plaza for the controlled and simulated horror of Gwar. Indeed, minutes after Gwar opened the set with "War on Gwar," two characters were decapitated, spewing copious fake blood deep into the audience. Blazing metal music screeched and wailed, and the set continued with more over-the-top costumed characters simulating violence and bloodshed. The massively costumed Blother the Berserker returned to Gwar as the new vocalist after an 18-year absence, and sprayed the audience through two mutant penises. Mutated versions of Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton were slaughtered during "El Presidente." Gwar ended the evening's performance with a cover of AC/DC's "If You Want Blood (You've Got it)," perhaps the sole radio-friendly song in the set, during which a cannon looming above the crowd sprayed fans with blue liquid. Gwar's concert showcased a well-choreographed integration of extreme music, comedy and visuals, and the Gwar audience wanted it no other way.

Visit Gwar at www.gwar.net.

Setlist:

1. War on GWAR
2. Hail, Genocide!
3. I'll Be Your Monster
4. Death to Dickie Duncan
5. Saddam a Go-Go
6. Womb With a View
7. Sexecutioner
8. Viking Death Machine
9. Bring Back the Bomb
10. El Presidente
11. Swarm
12. Black and Huge
13. The Sordid Soliloquy of Sawborg Destructo
14. Mr. Perfect Intro
15. The Morality Squad (Instrumental and extended)
16. F*ck This Place

Encore:

1. Phantom Limb
2. If You Want Blood (You've Got It) (AC/DC cover)