By Wayne Baggs
What a gloriously chaotic night! GWAR and Static-X brought mayhem and metal to History in Toronto on June 9, and it was everything a fan could ask for. Opening the night was A Killer’s Confession, whose motto is save a child, kill a pedophile. Next was DOPE, a great band from New York City. Then came-GWAR, in all their intergalactic gore-soaked glory, turning the venue into a blood-splattered battlefield. Costumes, foam weaponry, fake bodily fluids – you name it. Their outrageous stage antics and sci-fi satire were in top form, but it was the musicianship that held it all together. “Sick of You” had the crowd screaming and soaked in fake blood, and honestly, no one wanted it any other way.
GWAR. If you’ve seen them before, you know what to expect—but that doesn’t make it any less shocking or entertaining. They sprayed the crowd with blood cannons, decapitated politicians, and unleashed aliens from the underworld. It’s pure outrageous theatre backed by sludgy thrash, and the audience lapped up every gory second.
Fans came prepared in white shirts, ready to be sprayed red, green, and who-knows-what-else. Blothar the Berserker led his band of intergalactic maniacs through a set that was equal parts metal show and freakish comedy skit. To top it off, Static-X brought a more industrial edge, slamming into their set with “Push It” and barely letting up. Xer0’s Wayne Static tribute vocals were dead-on, and the band kept the energy high with pounding drums, grinding guitars, and creepy visuals. The new songs meshed well with the old, and the crowd was fully locked in. Mosh pits, devil horns, and plenty of sweat defined the night.
Static-X delivered a tight, industrial-heavy set that lit the crowd up. Their tribute to late frontman Wayne Static was heartfelt, but the band didn’t dwell—they powered through hits like “I’m with Stupid” with heavy energy and laser-lit precision. Between GWAR’s theatrical carnage and Static-X’s cyber-metal assault, it was a wild, unrelenting double-bill that left Toronto metalheads bruised, grinning, and begging for more. By the end, everyone looked like they’d survived a monster movie. GWAR might be satire, but they’re also damn good musicians. Together with Static-X, it was a night of heavy riffs, wild visuals, and unforgettable spectacle. Easily one of the most entertaining, ridiculous, and unforgettable nights of the year.
BKonthescene 