We are the embodiment of “the show must go on!” as GWAR frontman Michael Derks stated in his caption on Instagram. The band had wrapped the 30th-anniversary tour of their most noted album, Scumdogs of the Universe on Tuesday, December 14. In a heartfelt Instagram post, bandmate Derks reflected on the shows of the tour, mentioning that 7 out of 13 touring members tested positive for COVID-19.
In addition, two were hospitalized, five different people played bass, and three of their crew members did not finish the tour with the band. “At one point we were down 4 people with only Bob Gorman to play every victim in the show, but we never canceled,” Derks wrote. “It sucked not getting to see and hang out with as many friends as I’d like to, but it feels like we are on the way to getting back to normal.” See the full statement below.
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Fellow bands Napalm Death and eyehategod opened for select shows on the tour. The tour also had some highlights. At their Los Angeles show at The Belasco Theater, the band helped a concert-goer recover their prosthetic leg after it went missing from crowd-surfing. They also continued their decade-long tradition of “killing” the sitting president of the United States. As part of their intro, the group stabs the current sitting President, President Joe Biden. GWAR also shared an NFT collection that can be redeemed with an exclusive QR code. The pieces of the collection range from $20 to $250, with each tier becoming more expensive as they are bought. The first tier, Frenchy the Demon From France, had 250 available for $20. The Scumdog Insignia was sold for $40 and had 50 copies. There were 10 of The Flying Eyeball NFTs, which were sold for $250.
Photo Credit: Sharon Alagna