A Place Where Winners Always Lose

Some things never get old, like having maybe one too many drinks, forgetting that you have the job of taking photographs at a concert, getting lost in an intense and sweaty mosh pit, helping a friend get through a breakup with the power of music, and getting drenched in “blood.” That’s right, Tuesday night was the return of the almighty Gwar to the Twin Cities, and the timing couldn’t have been more perfect as a friend of mine was just dumped. I don’t know much about personal relationships. Honestly, I king of suck at them, but I know that if a friend is hurting or going through a hard time, music can help and seeing this particular friend laughing her ass off as we got pushed and shoved in the mosh pit on Tuesday night while “blood” sprayed all over us was all I needed to see to know that she was going to be okay and that I’m not the only one who is immensely affected by live music.

Before the slaughter that was Gwar were two opening acts. The first one was King Parrot from Australia. I had never heard of this band, but within the first song, I was in love. Their sound was just as brutal as the two bands to follow. Honestly, it was maybe more brutal in a way. King Parrot is a grindcore band, and although it’s been a long time since I’ve been heavy into the scene, I was instantly reminded why I love this music. It’s intense and chaotic with vocals that, at times, sound more like a shriek than actual vocals. Match that with super-fast blast beats from the drums, insane chugging from the guitars, and a steady bassline to keep it all together, and you are left with what I would call pure magic, but what many others may call just straight-up noise. Whatever you want to call it, King Parrot nailed it. Not only was their chaotic sound perfectly curated, but their performance also came with a spark of fire that seemed to really set the entire room off. Although just the first band of what was sure to be an insane three-band show, King Parrot held their own and definitely got the room ready for what was to come.

I couldn’t tell you the last time I got to see Soulfly live. Heck, I don’t know that I have ever actually seen this Brazilian-American supergroup live. I also couldn’t tell you the last time I listened to their music, but I can tell you that seeing them on Tuesday night was amazing. Fronted by former Sepultura frontman Max Cavalera, Soulfly is one of those bands that has some legendary music to match their legendary members, but you kind of have to be in the know to know them. Thankfully, the Twin Cities are a place where everyone seems to be in the know, so Soulfly’s flawless set was met with an enthusiastic and excited audience, which really just added the cherry on top to their time on stage.

Although their music didn’t hit me as King Parrot’s did, I was completely captivated by watching this band play. There’s just something about watching legends do their thing. Musicianship is nothing new, especially on the iconic First Avenue stage, but this felt different. You could tell that this band was all about the music and made sure that every note could be heard through the chaos and intensity of their brand of heavy metal, but it was more than that. You could see that these musicians were into what they were doing. It was just heads down, playing their instruments. It was windmills of hair across the stage while these men completely shredded their instruments. From the drums to the guitar to the bass and all the way to vocals, there was a spark of joy that seemed to radiate from the stage. Again, not really anything new to me, but, for a band that has been doing this since 1997, it was just nice to see that they still love what they do and, in turn, produce a product that is so easy to fall in love with and feel connected to, even if it’s not your typical cup of tea.

Speaking of doing something for a ridiculously long time, can we talk about how GWAR has been stuck on this earth since 1984? That’s honestly just so wild to think about. What do I mean by “stuck on this earth?” Well, as the story goes, the monsters of GWAR were banished to Earth after destroying the wrong planet during an intergalactic battle. There’s obviously way more to it than just that, but here we are. It’s 2026 and, after decades, GWAR still has not made their way off of this “insignificant shitball” of the modern universe. They also have not changed much about their live performances other than who they “kill,” but, truly, I like that. In this ever-changing world, it’s nice to see GWAR still doing their thing. Controversy and opinion be damned.

I have seen GWAR well over twenty times at this point. I have reviewed them no less than thirteen times. Truthfully, they are in my top five of most-seen bands, and I won’t apologize for that. Although their show doesn’t really change much, it brings such a sense of joy to me and everyone else who frequents GWAR performances. Sure, them killing off celebrities doesn’t surprise me as much as it used to, but something happens when you feel that first drop of fake blood hit your skin and, for me on Tuesday night, that happened within about the first five seconds of their set. It’s as if you get activated and although I lingered in the photo pit for a few more songs to attempt to get photos (which didn’t turn out that great but, like I mentioned at the very beginning of this post, this was one of those shows where I just wanted to be in the audience, not working, and I let it get the best of me), as soon as I was out, I threw my camera and my coat to the side and found my way into the massive pit that had formed. Sure, I chanted and screamed in a joyous way when Kristi Noem was killed off and definitely laughed when the stage was filled with dinosaurs that were trying to kill the members of GWAR, but, really, I wasn’t paying that close of attention to this show. I was just in my happy place, surrounded by hundreds of other people in their happy place, getting pushed and shoved across the floor of First Avenue, and doing my best not to slip on the “blood” that was starting to pool up on the ground.

Every time I cover GWAR for this blog, I say it will be my last time. I run out of things to say when it comes to this band, and, ultimately, I feel like my words have become redundant around this band. That being said, I don’t get sick of talking about the power of live music, and I truly think that GWAR is one of the most powerful live bands out there. They don’t just give you a show or a concert, they give you an escape. They obscure the line between reality and fantasy with their over-the-top costumes and production. They bring up politics and social issues, but poke fun at them because, at the end of the day, they don’t care; they just want off this doomed planet. You get wrapped up in the storyline of this band as much as you get wrapped up in the show and I think that, for just the time that they are on a stage in front of you, if you let yourself give in, you can forget about how crappy this world actually is and just get lost in the feeling of pure creativity as if you’re a child again. Am I digging too deep into this? Maybe so, but that smile on my friend’s face and hearing her laugh as our bodies were crushed against other bodies told me all that I needed to know. She had escaped. If only for an hour, she escaped what was happening in her personal life. That’s why I keep going back for more of GWAR, and that’s why I do what I do.