A theatrical and satirical metal group that has been delighting fans (and disgusting parents) for almost three decades with their subversive concerts, Richmond, VA-based crew Gwar has long pushed the boundaries of good taste and stagecraft with its costumed, liquid-spewing antics. Founded in the early 1980s by lead singer Dave Brockie (aka Gwar overlord Oderous Ungerous), the group wore outlandish foam latex and rubber outfits and billed itself as an intergalactic band of barbarians that had settled in Antarctica.

Churning out an aggressive mix of punk and metal to match the often gory onstage action, the group built an international following with its ever-evolving concert spectacle. One trademark of Gwar's live show is their lampooning (and frequent "execution") of celebrities and figures in current events. Targets of Gwar's humor have included Saddam Hussein, O. J. Simpson, Osama Bin Laden, Michael Jackson, Lady Gaga, Jerry Springer, Paris Hilton, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Adolf Hitler, Sarah Palin, and every American President since Ronald Reagan among many others.

The group has even managed some mainstream success over the course of its 12 studio recordings and numerous video releases, scoring two Grammy Awards during the 1990s. Gwar suffered a major loss in November of 2011 with the sudden death of guitarist Cory Smoot (who had been in the band for nearly a decade), but the crew has soldiered on, dedicating its current "Return of the World Maggot" Tour to Smoot. Modern day thrashers Municipal Waste, the Bay Area's own undead metallers Ghoul and Legacy of Disorder also appear.

Gwar
Friday, April 6, 8 p.m. $22.50-$25
Regency Ballroom