GWAR in Riverside

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 in Riverside News

• GWAR Return To UK & Europe For November-December Tour! Metal Blade Records · Nov 17, 2025
• Brujeria Book US Tour Including Dates with GWAR Ghost Cult Magazine · Jul 15, 2024
• Tours: GWAR announce EU/UK leg of Use Your Collusion tour Punknews · Aug 15, 2019
• Gwar Return To UK And Europe For November-December Tour TotalRock · Aug 15, 2019

Live Music in Riverside

Riverside's music scene runs heavy on hip-hop, regional metal, and latin influences — it's never been the obvious landing spot for shock rock spectacle. That said, the city's venues have hosted their share of boundary-pushing acts. GWAR's blend of horror aesthetics and actual musicianship should find an audience here, especially among people tired of playing it safe.

Riverside road trip to see GWAR?

Stay in the Magnolia Center area near downtown Riverside, where restored historic buildings sit alongside new boutique hotels and wine bars—it's the only neighborhood that actually feels like somewhere worth spending an evening. Before the show, dinner at Duane's, a reliable California steakhouse with real cocktails and actual craft to the food. Spend your afternoon at the Riverside Metropolitan Museum or walking through the Mission Inn's sprawling Mission Revival campus—it's genuinely stunning architecture, the kind of thing that reminds you why people actually settled this part of California.