GWAR, one of the longest-running collections of rock 'n' roll boogeymen around, returns to perform at Revolution on October 20. If it feels like the band has been parading around in its costumes with fake blood since before you can remember, that is likely true -- the band first got together in 1984.
To the credit of frontman Oderus Urungus and his cohorts, though, they update their legendary gross-out stage show for every tour. Some things are constant, of course, like the cannons and rifles full of fake blood, a food-coloring-like liquid that, curiously, dries purple and blue and stains everything. Fans who might have expensively colored hair, be aware.
This year marks a particularly ripe one for GWAR, seeing as it's an election year. On its stop through South Florida during the last presidential election, a jumbo-sized John McCain was made to wrestle a gigantic beetle, only to lose and have his intestines pulled out and splattered over the stage.
For bipartisan gross-out stuff, both Obama and Hillary Clinton also suffered similar fates (only they were forced to wrestle each other). There were demon babies and robots beaten into a pulp with their own metallic arms. It was all incredibly juvenile but, most of the time, embarrassingly hilarious.
So, we can't wait to see what GWAR might pull out in October. For hints, here are some of the most bizarre and grody stage moments from recent tours past.
John McCain versus a green space beetle
As mentioned before, here's GWAR killing John McCain as the band played on. Most of the humanoids who appeared onstage looked to have heads made from papier-mache for easier beheading.
Bye bye, Sarah Palin
The band reserved a particularly elaborate dismembering for everyone's favorite Alaskan. Before you get your political panties in a bunch thinking GWAR performs a "liberal" show, though, remember, GWAR kills everyone. The gut-spilling knows no party lines.
GWAR kills Snooki
Here's a mock killing that will offend pretty much nobody.
GWAR impales a T-Rex
During this performance at the German metal festival Wacken, as the band played the 1992 song "Gor-Gor," it summoned an enormous T-Rex onstage. According to band legend, the T-Rex had been terrorizing humans, so of course, it had to die. You'll have to wait until the end of this video to see its head get impaled by a guy wearing a leather thong.
The World Maggot eats various people
GWAR infamously appeared on Jerry Springer in 1997, so of course, Springer himself also had to die. It was probably one of the most widely viewed unveilings of the monster the band dubbed the World Maggot. The creature has recently been revived; here's some footage from it eating someone onstage in Richmond, Virginia, last year.
GWAR. 9 p.m. Saturday, October 20, at Revolution, 100 SW Third Ave., Fort Lauderdale. Tickets cost $22 in advance. Click here.
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