‘A Richmond expression’: GWAR celebrates 40th anniversary

Jul 25, 2025 - 18:25

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‘A Richmond expression’: GWAR celebrates 40th anniversary

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- Richmond punk legends GWAR recently celebrated their 40th anniversary -- rocking the Allianz Amphitheater alongside Lamb of God and metalcore band Hatebreed.

While reminiscing about decades of over-the-top costumes, props and effects, members of the band are still looking to the future, always looking to outdo their last performance.

When asked "what is GWAR?" the band members shared a variety of answers.

"It's a satirical metal band from outer space," said Bob Gorman, otherwise known as Bone Snapper.

It's a lot of things," said Casey Orr, also known as Beefcake the Mighty. "It's a vast art department that makes all kinds of creations."

"In the, sort of, genre and style and just culturally, GWAR is a punk band and we developed out of the punk movement," said Michael Bishop, who people might know as Blöthar the Berserker.

The early days of GWAR (Photo: Pete Molica, Ted Sanderson)

From larger-than-life costumes to liquids (and sometimes solids) sprayed onto audience members, everything that meets the eye in GWAR is made in house by its members.

The band said if you are attending one of their concerts, you can expect to be broken down emotionally and spiritually. On the other hand, if you are a self-proclaimed "weirdo," you may find yourself in a safe space.

"For the most part, our shows, our audience, they always take care of each other. There's never a lot of fighting and stuff. It's a positive thing," Orr said.

"You take what you want out of us," Gorman said. "If you want to take the social commentary or you just say, well you see a bunch of gore up there."

In celebration of the band's 40th anniversary, GWAR is bringing back a beloved member long-time fans may recall, a pet dinosaur named Gor Gor.

(Photo: Pit Records, Z2 Comics).

"I think Gor Gor, too, is kind of symbolic of GWAR's expression," Bishop said. "From the very beginning this big dumb-looking dinosaur was there, but it was just covered in camouflage and a guy walking on five gallon buckets."

When it comes to societal recognition, band members said GWAR has always stayed true to its brand over the years -- the rest of the world has become more accepting of the art style. The band is a product of Virginia Commonwealth University's (VCU) School of Arts.

"When I went to college, everything that GWAR was doing was not what VCU wanted you to do," Gorman said.

"Talk about a Richmond expression," Bishop said. "The whole way the band was able to form was because of the realities of this city."

In the early days of GWAR, members occupied The Dairy -- an apartment building in the Jackson Ward neighborhood. Art students and community members at VCU helped establish and build up the status of GWAR.