If you have watched the recent documentary This Is GWAR, the one most important thing you should have taken away with you is the fact that “the world needs GWAR.” Theirs is a lesson of survival against the odds and pitfalls, the loses and determination that has seen countless members come through their costumed doors. Sadly, some of that means tragedy, notably the passing of Dave Brockie aka Oderus Urungus who had steered the band from formation until he left the ‘toilet hell’ that is earth prematurely at the age of 50. Many a band would have decided to have left it at that but it was considered that Dave would have wanted GWAR to carry on and with various long-term members that is what they have done, recently releasing album number 15 The New Dark Ages and destroying Bloodstock festival. Around this they have steamed around the UK causing a veritable ‘carnival of chaos’ which sees them at London’s Dome tonight.

My hatred of comedy music is well known but GWAR have always been the exception since I first got well and truly messy with them on the Scumdogs Of The Universe tour (their greatest album) back in the early 90’s. I have seen them at this very venue many a year ago as well as various others including the last time at the LA2 shortly after a sit down interview with Oderus in full character at the Crowbar. He has gone now, so has that venue and bar, so it is with a certain amount of fond memories that I ventured out to see the band tonight knowing that it was likely to be an excessive night of sheer enjoyment. Thankfully it was very much that and as I have said before ‘seeing this band is the most fun you could possibly have whilst keeping your clothes on.’ Actually, I’m sure others have gone further down the full exhibitionist route whilst watching them but perhaps that’s for another night.

First up it takes a brave support to open for the band and this time around its colourful Scottish lads Party Cannon who literally kick things off and inflatable balls into the audience. You can’t have failed to have noticed this band’s name and they are perfect for instantly turning the joint into an atmospheric party-zone. Chugging, grunting and slamming us around they are abrasive and abusive in equal measures.

I had some trouble deciphering accents but am pretty sure that they told us we were getting a song about eating ass! Fair enough it can’t taste any worse than haggis. The squealing vocals do however suggest that it was a practice not particularly favourable and it had all the trademarks of bestial abuse. Speaking of which I’m sure those more versed in the band know the origin of the species better than I but I suspect it was an inflatable shark rather than whale or dolphin that is next utilised into the performance causing much merriment.

The audience and vocalist circle around the dancefloor around it in a feeding frenzy and it got much love and attention. This kind of pied piper routine is obviously an expected one and it even involved the singer surfing on its back, off the stage and being passed around the crowd.

PETA need not be concerned although hopefully if the band play Norway they won’t try it with an inflatable walrus. Basically, for half an hour things were both very brutal and silly with it but great fun too. The set culminated in some push ups on the dance-floor and the band coming out and taking a sweaty bow.

Full marks must be given to the young lady in the KLF shirt who owned the pit in a wheelchair!

Look, there’s no two ways about it. If a bunch of guys, some in their mid-50’s (same age as me, not being derogatory) are willing to put on a factory of latex, sweat their strange looking genitalia off whilst thrashing away and spraying out all manner of body fluids, you have to participate. This is no show for cowering at the back. Possibly it is acceptable for a GWAR virgin to take it in for a couple of songs before running down and getting bloodied but that is all part of the fun. The group literally fill up the stage and you don’t know what to look at first as they romp into ‘Let Us Slay. Some of the costumes are recognisable from past assaults but Blöthar the Berserker is strange by any standards with antlers sticking out of his shoulders and four-pronged circular penis appendage complete with vaginal toothed centre (yes I obviously took too long looking at it), suggesting he is a man who could truly fuck himself and then some. The crest-helmeted Beefcake the Mighty is powering away right in front of me and slaves dart around the stage wheeling out victims to the slaughter every couple of songs.

Us old fans are rewarded early on with a couple of favourite numbers such as ‘Sick Of You’ one of the catchiest songs from their now huge repertoire. It’s already US president Joe Biden who incurs the wrath of that particular number providing us with the first of many bloody showers of the night.

The thrash laden Salaminizer follows quickly and then all attention is cast on a Georgian redneck lumberjack who has an axe to grind with our loveable alien invaders. I would say that he has little in the way of brains but they are duly exposed as are his guts as the music punkily bounces around and we wipe gore out of our eyes.

Catchy songs like the PMRC unfriendly ‘Mother Fucking Liar’ keep us on our toes as we slide around the dance-floor skidding in ichor. Sometimes the music is a bit on the cheesy side but it matters not. At one point I safely go to the side to wipe camera down but safety is not a word GWAR understand and I am absolutely coated with blue jizz from Blothar’s excitable nether-regions. Before I have time to appreciate the fact it tastes slightly soapy and commiserate with a shocked security guy, I’m plastered head to toe. Bloody hell, hope I’m not pregnant unlike a witchy looking character who gets an on-stage double mastectomy.

Any attempts to take notes are out the window along with drinking uninfected beer and there’s hardly a dry face in the house. An annoying keytar player gets butchered and by now we realise that every other song is literally going to turn into a shit-sandwich of viscera. Feet are stamped, fists are pumped and we move towards a massive battle between overlords of stupidity Putin and Kim Jong both of whom are all too willing to ‘Bring Back The Bomb’ It’s obvious the band have had a great time wrecking the venue and those who are going to mop up can only be thankful that they won’t be throwing up whilst doing so like they did when Watain last played here.

Having Crushed, Killed and Destroyed it’s a case of ‘Fuck This Place’ as a last two-fingered salute. Well, it would have been if not for an encore having us boogie to the Zodiac Mindwarp sounding Ratcatcher. Bringing all sorts of weaponry out they fire off one last time to a more than suitable cover of ACDC’s If You Want Blood (You’ve Got It). We certainly had and now all that’s left are shocked looks to follow us all on the way home and a shower.

No bones about it, the world does still need GWAR and would be a much bigger shithole without them. Tonight, was a huge amount of fun even if I can’t quite get the blue jizz off my leg and am a red-faced looking oompa-loompa. And what the hell is that I just found in my ear?

Review & Photos Pete Woods