GWAR / Dying Fetus / All That Remains

Chicago House Of Blues - 11/11/04
by Sgt Deth

This was probably the most entertaining show I have ever seen. This was my first GWAR show, enough said. I can't leave out the two opening bands, because I have never seen either of them before, and they were also truly amazing.

Starting with All That Remains, they popped on stage almost exactly on time and obviously more than ready to go. The whole band was very energetic, but not in an abnoxious way either. Some may describe ATR as nu-metal, but I disagree. These guys have their own style, and it really came out on stage. They didn't ask the crowd to jump up and down or to bow before them. They didn't need to. Their music made the crowd thrash pretty hard. In fact it was really cool how the crowd either recognized them or just instantly fell in love with their brutal beats. I didn't see anyone standing around scratching their heads; people really accepted them.

I was looking forward to seeing these guys play, and I was not let down. The singer Phil Labonte (ex Shadows Fall),

really ripped their songs off without a hitch. His voice is very versatile. He has a very clear regular singing voice, then he will rip off a scream almost reminescent of Chris Barnes from Six Feet Under. The whole band is extremely talented and they work very well together. You can also see more pictures and read an interview I did with Phil Labonte before the show HERE.

Even though I was excited to see GWAR, I was still patient enough to sit through Dying Fetus. I had always wanted to see these guys as well. I have listened to their music for many years and I always pictured them being one of those filth metal bands that are just gross and belligerent in appearance (kinda like GWAR, huh?--Doc).

I was wrong, these guys are practiced professionals beyond belief. The two lead guitarists can even do harmonics and pounding technics together in perfect harmony. It was Iron Maiden quality guitar solos and perfect vocals to boot. Plus, the drummer looked almost bored playing 300 M.P.H. He made the drum sticks blur effortlessly. I really believe he could have played for hours.

These guys are definitely perfectionists. They didn't hardly say anything to the crowd and they had almost no stage show. It was just them playing hard, fast, and perfectly. They did play a long time and every song was clear and sounded like the CD. In an afterthought though, I probably could of listened to them at home and had the same amount of entertainment.

Finally the mighty GWAR took the stage. I have never seen any band take over the stage the way they did. They used every inch of the House Of Blues fairly large sized stage. Let alone turning the whole audience into a blood soaked terror zone. I don't think anyone made it out of there without getting some kind of fluid jizzed on them.

Of course the great Oderus Urungus started out by explaining the political reasonings behind the Mock the Vote tour and his new CD, "War Party". He did his explaining by chopping up Arnold Schwarzennegger in little pieces and then decapitating President Bush. After the presidential decapitation, the Reaganator came out. Oderus proceeded to flay off the front part of Reagan's torso to reveal a very bloody Nancy Reagan trying to get out of him. Then the slaves all took turns jump roping with Reagan's intestines.

For the song, "Baby Dick Fuck", he actually ate a disformed evil looking

fake baby's dick. That was probably by far the most shocking. I really wondered how many people were offended, even with the scummy crowd that was there. But, who gives a fuck!

Then like a blast from the past, they simulated Lacy Peterson like she would be if she came back from the dead and crawled out of the San Francisco Bay on her own. Oderus flayed her torso open and out comes the unborn Peterson baby. He made quick work of the disgusting bloody baby by eating it like a ham sandwich while the slaves were jump roping with the still attached and squirting umbilical cord.

Oderus even chopped a whiny rock journalist into little pieces after losing his patience with him. That kind of unerved me after just interviewing him and interupting his dinner. That could have been me. By the way, you can check out my interview and pictures with Oderus HERE.

More and more sin and degredation took place than I can detail here. All I can say is, YOU HAVE TO GO SEE GWAR!!! If you do, make sure to wear old clothes and eat some mushrooms or something before you go. It is more entertaining than any rock show out there!

                                                  

                                                                                                                                         

Photos courtesy of Kathi Heitzman