The Return of Gor Gor Tour finally made its way to Marathon, one of Nashville’s most iconic venues for one of the best shows that I have encountered. It was a night of blood, theatrical storytelling, and monster costumes with a touch of nostalgia for the hardcore “brohabs”. This tour was a commemoration to the 40 years of world building and dedication that they have given to the music scene and you could tell that they put their complete hearts into this set. Everything from the suits they wore to the props and celebrities they used to spray blood everywhere, all showcased that no matter what happens in the world, one thing is consistent. It doesn’t matter who you are, GWAR will more than likely use you as a skit in their shows and it will probably end in blood being splattered at the crowd. When the lights dropped and the monologue intro started, the crowd went silent as they all listened intently to the story we were being told. Right after the intro, by the middle of the first song, GWAR soaked their fans in their famous GWAR juice. If you know GWAR, you know that if you go for the first time, it is a right of passage to wear all white and stand as close as you can in order to get drenched.
When you saw the sea of white on the other side of the barricade, you knew that fans of the band take that tradition very seriously. By the end of the fifth song in the setlist, “Crack In The Egg”, you could barely walk around the venue without almost slipping on the fake blood. Despite all of the liquid coating the floor, the mosh pits never stopped. The fans never faltered in the energy they gave the band while they performed and GWAR made sure they knew it didn’t go unnoticed. By the time they had reached the 70 minute mark in their set, you could barely see the drum kit and the ripe smell of sweat and fake blood filled the whole of Marathon. For fans and veterans of GWAR shows, nothing was new and they reveled in the opportunity to see The Scumdogs of the Universe in action. GWAR held nothing back and it is hard to describe the feeling you get seeing a live theatre show and concert at the same time. Everything was carefully picked to enmesh perfectly with the story they were trying to convey and they didn’t miss. GWAR is a messy, loud and opinionated band but that is what has made them stand out for the past 40 years. They don’t worry about what everyone else in the music business says about them, because at the end of the day they will still have a group that loves their music. And that is enough for them.
- Ashlee Riggins
Photos Courtesy of Ashlee Riggins (For Bell Music Magazine)
