CONCERT REVIEW: GWAR – Goatwhore – Nekrogoblikon – The Native Howl Live at Starland Ballroom


 

I’ve never seen GWAR before, I’ve heard about their shows over the years. Now I finally get to experience it myself! Just as I was starting to shoot the second song of GWAR’s set, I took a shot of some fake blood to my right eye. I laughed as I noticed the camera condom took the brunt of it and my contact lens the rest.

I had started preparing weeks ago when given this assignment knowing that it could be the messiest show of my career. After all, it is Gwar, who, in my opinion, is the most outrageous metal band in existence who can still lock in their fans on every stage they play after three decades.

So I knew I would not be disappointed when Gwars’ “Black Death Rager World Tour” stopped at Starland Ballroom in Sayreville, NJ. With three bands as openers, each one brought its unique, over-the-top style to the stage. None of the bands tonight left the crowd unsatisfied!

The Native Howl started the night off. A Michigan band that combines bluegrass and thrash metal. When the first member stepped on stage with a banjo and the lead singer came out barefoot, I knew I was in for a treat. And I was as they played songs like “Harvester of Constant Sorrow,” a mosh-up of The Soggy Bottom Boys and Metallica. This band is by far my best musical discovery of 2022. I highly recommend having a listen!

Next came Nekrogoblikon, a six-piece melodic death metal act from California. Dressed in full goblin prosthetic makeup, the band’s frontgoblin/mascot, John Goblikon, runs around stage dancing with the band while rowling up the crowd. They are unlike anything I’ve seen; it was ridiculous and entertaining at the same time. Song highlights for me were “Bones” and “Golden Future.”

The main support for the tour came from Goatwhore, a blackened death metal band from New Orleans. I’ve only seen videos of this band and thought they sounded great, but tonight at the Starland ballroom, they sounded phenomenal. I saw the passion in each member’s eyes as they rocked the stage as if they owned it, and the crowd matched their energy.

As GWAR hit the stage, the white t-shirt-filled crowd was primed and ready to be sprayed with whatever cocktail of fluids the band had loaded, each patron excited to create a custom piece of art from whatever cocktail of fluids the band had loaded and was ready to release. Starting with “Let Us Slay,” the band kept up with tradition by decapitating its first of many victims, President Joe Biden. Followed by some of my favorite songs like “Mother Fucking Liar” and “Womb With a View,” we continued to be mortified and entertained by the disturbing activity on stage by members Balsac the Jaws of Death, Jizmak Da Gusha, Sawborg Destructo, Pustulus Maximus, Bonesnapper, Blothar, Sleazy P. Martini and Beefcake the Mighty. This was my first time seeing them live, so I found myself laughing out loud as I was glued to every movement on stage, fearing I would miss something. I waited thirty years to see these guys, and this show left me wanting more show dates so I could see more mortifying acts of violence.

Buy GWAR merch and music here: https://amzn.to/3PzGI1N

 

MELISSA TUNYLA OPTIC MONKEY IMAGES

 

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