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GWAR in Columbus

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GWAR
Newport Music Hall — Columbus, OH
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About GWAR

GWAR is a shock rock band that formed in Richmond, Virginia in 1984, though the project's roots trace back further to the late 1970s. The group is built around Dave Brockie's larger-than-life stage persona and the band's commitment to elaborate, grotesque costumes and theatrical brutality. Their shows are essentially performance art projects where the line between music and spectacle dissolves completely. Songs like "Rag Time" and "Sick of You" established them as serious musicians underneath the carnage, with actual songwriting chops that proved this wasn't just novelty act stuff. The band has maintained a cult following for decades by refusing to soften their approach or explain the point. They tour relentlessly, treat every show like it's their last, and have influenced everyone from shock rap to modern metal theater bands. The costumes have evolved constantly, the venue damage is real, and the audience expectation is simple: come ready to be horrified and entertained in equal measure.

Known for Rag Time, I'll Be Your Bolton, Sick of You, Slaughterama, Have You Seen Me

GWAR + Columbus

GWAR played Citadel Stage on May 11, 2025, with a tight nine-song set that wasted nothing. El Presidente and The Salaminizer brought the expected chaos, Child was a deep pull that surprised even the regulars, and Slap U Around kept the energy up. Viking Death Machine and Lot Lizard anchored the back half, and Sick of You closed things out the way it always does. Columbus got a leaner set, but GWAR doesn't do filler — every song earns its slot.

GWAR in Columbus News

Live Music in Columbus

Columbus has a surprisingly solid heavy music foundation, though it's not exactly a scene known for embracing the theatrical extremes that GWAR represents. The city's rock venues tend to skew toward grittier, less-costumed acts, which makes GWAR's appearances here feel like brief invasions rather than homecomings. Still, there's always a dedicated contingent ready to lose their minds.

Columbus road trip to see GWAR?

Stay in German Village, where the restored brick townhouses and tree-lined streets feel like an actual neighborhood rather than a tourist zone. Dinner at Harvest Bistro on High Street for refined American food done without fuss. Spend the afternoon at the Columbus Museum of Art, then walk through the Short North corridor—the gallery district has real energy without feeling manufactured. Catch the show at Nationwide Arena, then grab drinks at Drinkery in German Village for something low-key.

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