Story and Photos by
Casey Hanson Baruth
Nekrogoblikon, Crobot, and the mighty GWAR were the triple header for the Black Death Rager World
Tour that led us to this outdoor event at the end of September. The show brought some hard-core music to rock the people of Casper, Wyoming on Wednesday night at the Gaslight Social. All these things were to come…tons of fake blood, slime (and who knows what else), some gore and good ole’ satire. But the best part…the metal music!
The melodic, folk metal band, Nekrogoblikon, who originate from Los Angeles, California, took the stage
first. While the sun was still burning hot and the crowd was ready for some thrashing, the hype man,
who’s famous for his side hustle as an insurance salesman, John Goblikon, was full of piss and vinegar
donning his middle finger sunglasses and adding his own pair for the full bouquet effect to get the crowd pumped.
The band, consisting of founding member Nicky “Scorpion” Calonne on lead vocals, Alex “Goldberg”
Alereza on lead guitar, Aaron “Raptor” Minich on vocals and keyboards, Aaron “Zoot” Vanzutphen on
bass, Eric W. Brown on drums, Joe “Diamond” Nelson on rhythm guitar, started the set with their song
“Golden Future” and the very fitting, “Dressed as Goblins”. They followed with the songs “Darkness” and “Bones”, along with “The Magic Spider” finishing their set with “Powercore.” They definitely got the people warmed up for the next band.
Crobot, a hard rock, funk and metal band from Pottsville, Pennsylvania, took the stage next. The music began to play, a huge alien egg placed up front / middle stage. All eyes were fixed on this colorful and interesting object that was moving ever so slightly. The guitars raged, the drums hit hard, and off the top goes to reveal the lead singer, Brandon Yeagley, who jumped out of the alien egg and headed straight into some powerful vocals with the song, “Electrified”.
The remaining band members, Chris Bishop on guitar, Tim Peugh on bass guitar, and Dan Ryan on drums, were hard hitting and very solid in the solos. Yeagley’s athletic abilities were a definite crowd pleaser with his high jumps and animated routine. The energy from this band was incredible from the first note. They went on to perform “Dizzy”, as well as their hit’ “Gasoline”.
By then, the crowd was rocking. Next up was the song “Golden”, and their biggest hit to date, “Lowlife”.
Crobot’s stage presence and powerful music will surely guarantee them future success, no doubt with
the Wyoming fans.
Now was the time that the hardcore GWAR fans had been waiting for. They were ready to be witness to
one of the most prolific, dramatic and colorful metal bands in history. GWAR’s lineup of members
consist of Blothar the Berserker leading the band in vocals, Beefcake the Mighty on bass, Balsac the Balls of Death on rhythm guitar, Pustulus Maximus on lead guitar, Jizmak Da Gusha on drums, and finally
Bone Snapper the Bodyguard.
The stage was set, the screens were showing famous actors and musicians past encounters with seeing
GWAR live and the experiences they each had. So many in the Casper crowd had already seen the group in other venues throughout the country, but never in their hometown. This was going to be epic. The audience came prepared for the onslaught, wearing their white shirts that would soon be turned red. They all started chanting GWAR! GWAR! GWAR!
The band took the stage, cutting off the first head, almost immediately, and blood spewed from the first
victims neck hole. This was just the beginning of the mayhem to ensue. While performing the first song,
“The Cutter”, even before the breakdown, the front row was soaked in red. The band went on to
perform “The Issue of the Tissue (Spacecake)”, and “Bring Back the Bomb”, with characters portrayed
from the civil war. The fight begins between the two soldiers, ending with swords in their heads and
more blood spilling out onto the audience.
By now, the fans were ready for the full on GWAR experience. Next up, was the song, “Dark New Age”, “Muther Fucking Liar” both songs from their new album, The Dark New Ages, as well as “Saddam a Go-
Go”, with a character dressed up as Goerge W. Bush in camouflage. Off with his head, once again, as the blood spilled out onto the fans.
Telling more of the history of GWAR’s journey, by the platypus, the next satirical scene was set with characters dressed up as Biden and Trump. The audience continued to be drenched in what could only be told as, coming from a place down south from the backside of the Trump characters behind.
Towards the end of the set, they brought the victim on stage to be sacrificed. Rob Good, a local
Casperite who has been a GWAR fan his whole life, was nominated by tons of fellow GWAR fans through
the local rock station, 100.5 KTED, as the one that would be slaughtered in front of the onlookers.
The band finished the set with “The Beast will eat Itself” along with an oversized Blothar spraying the
audience with more blood, and finally, the song “Ratcatcher”. The fans were elated in witnessing and
being part of one of the most exciting nights that the Gaslight Social has hosted, thus far. It was
indeed…EPIC.
GWAR’s new album and their 15th studio release, The New Dark Ages, is available now on all platforms.
Crobot’s newest release, Feel This, is available on all platforms. Nekrogoblikon’s newest album release, The Fundamental Slimes and Humours, is out now on all platforms.
The slaughter continues in a town near you, check tour dates and don’t miss this Black Death Rager World Tour!
