I went into The National knowing a GWAR hometown show was going to be chaos, in the best way, and it absolutely delivered.
King Parrot kicked things off, and honestly, they set the tone perfectly. I’ve seen them before opening for Pantera, and they somehow keep getting better every time. Their set was just nonstop energy, fast, loud, and actually a lot of fun. You can tell they don’t take themselves too seriously, but they still lock in musically. I’ve gotten to the point where if King Parrot is on a bill, I know I’m going to have a good time. They’ve earned that.
Next up was Soulfly, and going in, I wasn’t super familiar with them. That changed pretty quickly. Their set had a different kind of groove, still heavy, but more rhythm-driven, and it translated really well live. They had the crowd moving the whole time, and by the end of it, I was fully bought in. Definitely one of those bands that makes more sense once you see them in person.
Then there’s GWAR. In Richmond, of all places. It’s their city, and you can feel that the second they hit the stage. The production, the characters, the sheer absurdity of it all, it’s exactly what you want, but it still hits harder live than you expect. It was truly an honor to sprayed with blood while taking photos.
