A quick scan of the first few concerts at the Allianz Amphitheater reveals a common thread among many of the artists chosen to christen the stage at Richmond’s new riverfront entertainment venue: Rick Springfield, Kansas and 38 Special, GWAR and Lamb of God.
Wait … GWAR and Lamb of God?
As part of the VPM News summer series Finding Joy, News Editor Meghin Moore brings you along to a raucous homecoming show for two of Richmond’s loudest bands.
One person’s cannibalistic blood orgy is another person’s happy place — whether it’s following their favorite bands across the country gaining a sense of community or finding themselves gored to death on stage in an incredibly theatrical production.
For others, it’s all about the music and the experience of attending live shows that brings them delight. Even in the worst of times, it’s the main connector; it can bring people together, no matter the genre: hardcore, cumbia, reggaeton, folk, blues, traditional gospel … even heavy metal.
Concerts are where strangers become family and everyone has a sense of belonging. Joy and happiness radiate from crowds when they get together in support of their favorite artists, as was the case on a warm July evening as Hatebreed, GWAR and Lamb of God — perhaps the loudest trio of bands performing at Richmond’s Allianz Amphitheater during this summer — got the crowd amped.
For two of the bands on the bill, GWAR and Lamb of God, the show was more of a homecoming than just another stop in the country.
GWAR first formed in Richmond as an artist collective of sorts by artists and musicians at Virginia Commonwealth University in 1984, with the late Dave Brockie at the helm. As time went on, the band grew to feature a rotating cast of characters that helped expand the GWAR-niverse, even after Brockie’s death in 2014.
In 1994, Lamb of God also got its start as a group of VCU students under the moniker “Burn the Priest,” adopting its current name in 1999.
“Some people are different and it’s kind of beautiful”
One of the common sentiments among fans was that they enjoy meeting other people. It didn’t matter how long they traveled to see them or if they could hear the show from their own backyard, like Brady Burton.
“Sometimes it’s good to meet people. You come in contact with people that are just like you. Some people are different and it’s kind of beautiful about that,” Burton said.
Some fans traveled to Richmond from as far away as Quebec, like Tim Wysote, who was there to see Lamb of God for the 16th time with his family, including his 3-year-old son — who was hitting his fourth time seeing the metal band.
Others were just excited to see two hometown legends perform in their own backyard, like Danielle Alamrani, who came to Richmond from Brooklyn. During Hatebreed’s set, she was one of the few people thrashing around to the music in a mosh pit — despite the “no moshing” signs posted around the venue.
Dressed in a black niqab, she stood out in the predominately male pit, and helped get people amped for what was to come.
“We come from all walks of life, all over the earth. We’ve been through trials and tribulations, and this is just a way for us to express ourselves,” she said. “I lived through a war in Yemen, and this is just a way for me to come back and be happy and be free.”
Raquel Arita-Escalante was in the lawn section, and was excited not only to hear the music, but see those mosh pits.
“I love mosh pits, just like seeing them. I don’t like being in them because I’m 5-foot-2, but I love just seeing them,” she said.
Others, like 7-year-old Wade Williams and his family, didn’t have far to travel to see the bands. His family came from Colonial Heights to see the show.
He was the most excited for what was to come later in the night: GWAR’s campy, theatrical performance, complete with fake on-stage violence and elaborately detailed space alien costumes.
As GWAR drummer Jizmak da Gusha put it: “That feels good that we’re warping the minds of children.”
Scumdogs of Richmond
When they’re not in the deepest reaches of outer space, GWAR’s Blöthar the Berserker, Grodius Maximus, Jizmak da Gusha, Sawborg Destructo and the rest of their alien crew — also known as the Scumdogs of the Universe — call Richmond their homebase on Earth.
They landed a unique hometown performance: officially “breaking in” the downtown amphitheater.
“It’s going to be a smoldering crater when we leave!” said Sawborg Destructo.
The day before the show, they traveled to VPM News’ studios to talk about what brings them joy.
In Richmond, it’s not left turns, according to Blöthar.
Instead, to him, the band itself just radiates joy: “I challenge you to go to the show of another heavy metal band and see more people having more fun than at a GWAR show. GWAR makes people happy. It makes them laugh. It makes us laugh.”
Watching a GWAR set is a unique sort of joyful experience, even if it brings “confusion and fear.” By the end of their sets, fans are covered in the “blood” of GWAR’s enemies and political figures, a multicolored goo known as “space jizz” and other bodily fluids — sometimes even organs.
Bohabs — as GWAR fans are known — live for those theatrics. They relish in the moment, literally soaking in every moment they can.
“I think that we satisfy the human primal need for self-destruction,” Blöthar said. “As long as humans have existed, they’ve loved an amphitheater full of lions tearing apart other humans. It’s the good old days!”
Sawborg Destructo is a sworn enemy of GWAR who has a blade-like arm. He enjoys having that arm, because it’s really useful for times when you really want a sandwich.
“You can slice it deli thin,” he said, “and also it’s great for killing all your enemies in front of you.”
Blöthar said the band gives the people what they want. And what is that exactly?
“A horrible, slow death in front of millions.”
Disclosure: VPM News Editor Meghin Moore was reportedly sacrificed at a 2024 GWAR concert in Charlottesville. Representatives for Moore and GWAR could not be reached for comment. Questions about this disclosure should be forwarded to Managing Editor Dawnthea M. Price Lisco and News Director Elliott Robinson.
