GWAR
Intergalactic latex monsters spraying fake blood on the front rows since 1984, with thrash chops under the costumes. Wear a poncho.
Where to see GWAR
- Ogden TheatreTickets
- Rockwell at The Complex - UTTickets
- Brooklyn Bowl Las VegasTickets
- Marquee TheatreTickets
- House of Blues AnaheimTickets
- The UC TheatreTickets
- Midtown - ORTickets
- Showbox SODOTickets
- Knitting Factory - SpokaneTickets
- Midway Music HallTickets
- MacEwan HallTickets
- Burton Cummings TheatreTickets
- Bourbon TheatreTickets
- The Rave-Eagles ClubTickets
- The Crofoot BallroomTickets
- House of Blues ClevelandTickets
- Roxian Theatre Presented By CitizensTickets
- 9:30 ClubTickets
- Palladium-MATickets
- Palladium Times Square Tickets
- The Fillmore PhiladelphiaTickets
- The NorvaTickets
- Ogden TheatreTickets
- Rockwell at The Complex - UTTickets
- Brooklyn Bowl Las VegasTickets
- Marquee TheatreTickets
- House of Blues AnaheimTickets
- The UC TheatreTickets
- Midtown - ORTickets
- Showbox SODOTickets
- Knitting Factory - SpokaneTickets
- Midway Music HallTickets
- MacEwan HallTickets
- Burton Cummings TheatreTickets
- Bourbon TheatreTickets
- The Rave-Eagles ClubTickets
- The Crofoot BallroomTickets
- House of Blues ClevelandTickets
- Roxian Theatre Presented By CitizensTickets
- 9:30 ClubTickets
- Palladium-MATickets
- Palladium Times Square Tickets
- The Fillmore PhiladelphiaTickets
- The NorvaTickets
About GWAR
GWAR is a shock metal band from Richmond, VA, formed in 1985.
GWAR grew out of two overlapping Richmond, Virginia projects. Dave Brockie fronted a punk band called Death Piggy that used crude stage props, while art students Hunter Jackson and Chuck Varga had built a workshop, the Slave Pit, to make costumes for a planned film called Scumdogs of the Universe. The two groups merged, and Death Piggy was eventually phased out in favor of the new act.
The stage show built around an interplanetary-barbarian mythology, with foam latex costumes, oversized props, mock executions of political and celebrity figures, and fluids sprayed over the crowd. Musically the band plays thrash and hardcore-inflected heavy metal, disciplined playing sitting underneath the theatrics rather than being swallowed by them.
GWAR reached a mainstream audience in the early 1990s, getting MTV airplay and making in-character appearances on daytime talk shows to argue, in costume, about censorship and media violence. The long-form video Phallus in Wonderland earned a Grammy nomination for Best Long Form Music Video. The band has released fifteen studio albums and sold more than 820,000 records in the United States.
Founding vocalist Dave Brockie, who performed as Oderus Urungus, died in 2014; the band has continued with other members taking on lead roles. Costumes and props are still built in-house by Slave Pit Inc., the collective of artists and musicians who operate GWAR, and the act has extended its name into books, comics, board games, beer, whisky and barbecue sauce.
Shock metal
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Questions about GWAR
What festivals is GWAR playing in 2027?
GWAR is booked at 2 festivals we cover: Sonic Temple 2027, Boardwalk Rock 2027.
Is GWAR on tour?
Yes. GWAR has 22 shows listed, from Denver, CO on Nov 12, 2026 to Norfolk, VA on Dec 12, 2026, plus 2 festivals on the page above.
Is GWAR playing Sonic Temple 2027?
Yes, GWAR is on the Sonic Temple 2027 lineup, May 13–16, 2027 at Historic Crew Stadium, Columbus, OH. They play Saturday, May 15.
Is GWAR playing Boardwalk Rock 2027?
Yes, GWAR is on the Boardwalk Rock 2027 lineup, May 14–16, 2027 at Ocean City Inlet, Ocean City, MD. They play Sunday, May 16.
Where is GWAR from?
GWAR is from Richmond, VA.
Who is in GWAR?
GWAR is Oderus Urungus, Beefcake the Mighty, Jizmak da Gusha, Todd Evans, Sleazy P. Martini, Casey Orr, Sexecutioner and Spewie Slaves. Former members include Mr. Magico, Johnny Slutman, Hans Sphincter and Joey Slutman.
When did GWAR form?
GWAR formed in Richmond in 1985.
What was GWAR's first album?
GWAR's first album was Hell-o! (1988). The latest is The New Dark Ages (2022).
What kind of music does GWAR play?
GWAR plays shock metal.
What festivals has GWAR played before?
GWAR has played Louder Than Life 2026, Riot Fest 2026.