Friday Night: GWAR At House Of Blues
GWAR
Photos by Matthew Keever
House of Blues
November 5, 2010
See pictures of GWAR playing a tarp-covered stage at the House of Blues in our slideshow.
It's difficult to describe GWAR. Some say the band is a mixture of KISS, World Wrestling Entertainment and the Rocky Horror Picture Show; others simply dismiss it as nonsense.
But the group isn't as simple as all that. Buried beneath heavy costumes, tucked under loud, nonsensical lyrics and somewhere between fact and fiction is a message that every fan deciphers for himself.
GWAR, as everyone knows, is a comprised of a few intergalactic aliens who were banished to earth after eating too many chili-cheese burritos and making a mess of things on their own planets. They invented music, playing the first bass-guitar notes on the gizzards of dead dinosaurs, which is why they are so good at what they do.
They view the human race as scum, as dogs, as food to eat; and, of course, fans eagerly flock to their jaws of death - in the case of GWAR concerts, the mosh pits. The human race is in love with self-destruction, GWAR's lead vocalist Oderus Urungus has been quoted saying, and GWAR is only satisfying a consumer need; it's basic supply and demand, and we can appreciate that here in Texas.
For 25 years, GWAR has pulled out all the stops; they've disemboweled Paris Hilton, made love to the Pope, castrated Michael Jackson, had sex with a dead dog and, as of Friday night, even torn off Lady Gaga's breasts.
Perhaps GWAR, which has been wearing elaborate costumes since before most of today's bejeweled glam-pop artists were teenagers, is still upset about losing those two Grammys to Nine Inch Nails and Metallica. But hey, we don't see James Hefield or Trent Reznor on Fox News, so everything worked out, right?
GWAR works best as a loud, in-your-face, metal group. Social commentary, science fiction and entertainment are rolled into one big, messy musical tirade to form the band. We're glad to see them back to their roots.
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