It was shocking and appalling. GWAR’s “Age of Imbeciles Tour” at The Ritz in Raleigh, NC with support from Negative Approach, X-Cops and Cancer Christ was outrageous! WOW! Was this fun!

Rated R. Don’t view this at the office. If you’re terrified of erect penises, don’t scroll down to witness this gallery of images. You’ll never be right again.

Things get rolling as GWAR enters the stage.

There were ten photographers in the pit. That’s the area right in front of the stage…the spew zone. Those of us that did our homework were wearing rain ponchos and had our cameras wrapped in plastic. Informed members of the audience were wearing rain ponchos too. The uninformed were looking at us like we were the aliens, but during the rain of fake blood flowing out like a fire hose drenching everyone, us of those wrapped in plastic felt like we were at the right place at the right time, and we were getting our money’s worth!

On a more reflective note, the show was about a myriad of social injustices. Opening with Cancer Christ with vocalist Anthony Mehlhaff outfitted like a religious icon, you can’t help but think of the hundreds of thousands of children sexually assaulted by the Catholic church, yet parents continue to herd their kids in for choir practice. Moving on to the band X-Cops, they are making a definite statement about police brutality. The band Negative Approach is fundamentally about Nihilism and GWAR, in response to the void created by Nihilism, Anarchy. These messages throughout the performances couldn’t be made more plain to see. It was a call for the fans to wake up and become part of the solution, not to be hypnotized and paralyzed by autocratic demigods. Whoever put this lineup together in this particular order was a genius.

GWAR mocks Russian tyrant, autocrat Vladimir Putin

The full spectacle: GWAR

Show was opened by Cancer Christ, followed by X-Cops and Negative Approach which proceeded GWAR

Cancer Christ

X-Cops

Negative Approach

The Merch says it all