First Avenue - Minneapolis, MN
April 7, 2026
Photos by Brett
Review by Nick
What can be said about GWAR that already hasn’t been said? The gold standard of intergalatic warriors returned to First Avenue in Minneapolis on Tuesday night to a beyond packed house waiting for their white shirts to turn colors. Surprisingly, there was only one white GWAR shirt on sale at the merch booth.
Having seen GWAR quite a few times now, I think this might be the most soaked I’ve seen a GWAR crowd. Saying that they’ve upped the ante on this tour would probably be an understatement. Gor-Gor returned! Though I’m told this was a much smaller Gor-Gor than previously used.
The legendary Max Cavalera returned to the First Ave main stage as well with SOULFLY bringing all the riffs before GWAR knocked it all down. Coming out full steam with the classic “No Hope = No Fear”, the band was musically on fire ripping thru a dozen songs in a short 40 min set. “Storm the Gates” from the new album Chama fit in perfectly between “Prophecy” and “Back to the Primitive”. While I wish there was more new material in the set as it brings back the classic Soulfly rippers but you can only play so much in 40 mins. We did get “No Pain = No Power” in between “Bring It” and the riffs of the Deftones collab “Headup” before closing out the set with a crowd sing along for the classic “Eye for an Eye”. The set was definitely a victory lap for Max. Hard work pays off and he’s got the catalog to show for it. Remember this riff? What about this riff? Bet you forgot about this one! Max please come back with a longer set!
We could talk about who crossed GWAR’s path on this tour but I don’t want to spoil anything. Let’s just say GWAR was equal opportunity taking to both sides of the aisle. I can’t believe I’m typing this but because of the size of the stage at First Avenue, which normally is pretty big, I got to see a little more of what it takes to pull off a GWAR performance as there were some things more out in the open than normal. It makes you really appreciate what GWAR is able to pull off night after night. After 40 years, GWAR makes this big production in a club setting look like a fine tuned machine when really anything could go wrong at any moment during their almost 90 min set. It was fantastic watching fans come off the main floor looking exhausted and excited at the same time. Most of them high fiving whoever they were with as they saw how much goo they each got on them.
GWAR has always done a great job of switching up their set lists for each tour to keep things current and topical while making sure the classics are always there. Opening their set perfectly with “Fu*k This Place” sets the bar high before Gor-Gor arrives during “Crack in the Egg”. When you have a catalog that spans 40 years, hearing a song pop up again like “Have You Seen Me?” is just as exciting for the old fans as the new fans giving them something they may not have heard before, let alone seen live before. I think this is the first tour I’ve seen (or maybe it was just more noticeable) that pretty much all of the members of GWAR talked in between songs poking fun at the crowd, current events and especially themselves. Guitarist Grodius Maximus even took a lap around First Avenue once during the main set and once again during the encore giving a good chunk of the crowd a chance to get up close with an axe shredding intergalactic warrior.
A perfect 3 song encore began with a straight and to the point “Mother Fu*king Liar” into their new cover, a soon to be classic GWAR reimagining of “Pink Pony Club” that even Chappell couldn’t have predicted would be this glorious. Closing out the show, GWAR took out a couple audience members to everyone’s favorite anthem “Sick of You”! One day I would like to know how many gallons of fluid GWAR goes thru during each show to bring fans an experience that only GWAR can deliver. The goo never stopped during that song with the whole cast coming out to bring one last crescendo to the evening.
No one goes away from a GWAR show having a bad time. The happiness and excitement is contagious no matter if you go on to the main floor or are watching from the sidelines. Especially in times like these, the world needs GWAR. GWAR, never change.
SEE MORE of BRETT's PHOTOS of GWAR and SOULFLY HERE!
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