GWAR’s Bloody Pit Of Horror

No.99, aired December 1, 2010.

This show was a primer for the GWAR concert at U of R’s Riddell Center on December 3 (see setlist below). Part 1 featured four songs from the classic Scumdogs Of The Universe album, and Part 2 included the entire Bloody Pit Of Horror suite from GWAR’s spanking new album of that title.

But what words? What spoken word component to set alongside the unspeakable violence that is GWAR? Hmmm ..... what else but the Holy Bible? What but the wrath of Yahweh could be bloody or arbitrary enough go head to head with the wrath of GWAR? So select passages from the crazy prophetic book of Ezekiel (see chapter nos. below) were played along with instrumental tracks between GWAR selections.

As far as the serendipitous sonic adventures that characterize Naval Aviation In Audio go, this GWAR episode turned out to be quite memorable, even more than most - so I can’t resist inserting below some (unplanned) quotes from Ezekiel that by chance provided perfect introductions to outrageously violent GWAR songs.

Part 1

1. Horror Of Yig – GWAR
2. Blah Overture – Blah Blah 666
3. The Salaminizer – GWAR
4. Dune – Bob Evans -- Ezekiel (Ch.21)(!)
5. Dogs – Blah Blah 666 – Ezekiel (Ch.21 con’t, Vlad The Impaler introduced with “Whiles they see vanity unto thee, whiles they divine a lie unto thee, to bring thee upon the necks of them that are slain, of the wicked, whose day is come, when their iniquity shall have an end” 21:29)
6. Vlad The Impaler – GWAR
7. The Girl With The Mechanical Neck Movements – Evil Dick -- Ezekiel (Ch.22, Maggots introduced with “As silver is melted in the midst of the furnace, so shall ye be melted in the midst thereof” 22:21)
8. Maggots – GWAR -– Commercial break introduced with “These discovered her nakedness: they took her sons and her daughters, and slew her with the sword” 23:10).

Part 2

1. Cielito Lindo – Blah Blah 666
2. Bloody Pit Of Horror, Pt.1, Zombies, March! – GWAR
3. Home Sexuality – Blah Blah 666 -- Ezekiel (Ch.24)
4. Bloody Pit Of Horror, Pt.2, Come The Carnivor – GWAR
5. Caffeinated Coffee – Bob Evans -- Ezekiel (Ch.25, Gathering Of Ghouls introduced with “I will stretch out mine hand upon thee, and will deliver thee for a spoil to the heathen” 25:7)
6. Bloody Pit Of Horror, Pt.3, Gathering Of Ghouls – GWAR
7. Expt. In 5:1 – Evil Dick -- Ezekiel (Ch.25, beginning with “I will destroy thee; and thou shalt know that I am the LORD” 25:7)
8. Paso – Blah Blah 666 -- Ezekiel (Ch.25 con’t)
9. Bloody Pit Of Horror, Pt.4, Storm Coming – GWAR
10. Naval Aviation In Art? – Frank Zappa
11. Sick Of You – GWAR


GWAR setlist at Riddell Center, December 3/10

1. Horror Of Yig
2. Damnation Under God
3. Hail to Genocide
4. Let Us Slay
5. Vlad the Impaler
6. Decay of Grandeur
7. The Private Pain of Sawborg Destructo
8. Crack In The Egg
9. Maggots
10. Bring Back the Bomb
11. Metal Metal Land
12. Pure As The Arctic Snow
13. Beat You To Death
14. Salamanizer
15. Encore: Zombie March / Come The Carnivor / A Gathering of Ghouls / Storm is Coming
16. Sick of You

Notes: This was my fourth GWAR concert, and with each one it gets more difficult to enjoy both the music and the visual spectacle on stage because of the larger crowds. I usually forgo the visual component wherever it interferes with enjoyment of the music. I leave my glasses at home & find a good spot towards the fringes of the pit for dancing. So I didn’t always follow the onstage drama very closely, I think there was some elaborate plot involving the enormous Sawborg Destructo & Bonecrusher. A funny moment was Lady Gaga appearing with some crappy dance music then the band exuberantly pumped out their demonic-utopic ode to Metal Metal Land - & killed Lady Gaga, I assume - I probably still have her blood on my shirt. I could never even name a highlight from this set – I love all of these songs & relished every riff, every solo, every word of Oderous’s lovely poetry & every spurt of vile fluids. I loved Cuttlefish of Cthulhu’s long ejaculation during (I think) Zombies March & there is something absolutely sublime about hearing, after all the metal, the classic rock sing-along of Sick Of You in a thick crowd of bloodied GWAR fans while being shot with a blood cannon (presumably filled with the blood of the victims of previous concerts).