A heavy metal band staged a fake beheading of Elon Musk and the disembowelment of Donald Trump at Riot Fest in Chicago over the weekend.
GWAR, a Virginia rock band known for its outrageous onstage antics and elaborate alien costumes, has been accused of normalizing violence after the performance.
During one performance, the band brought out a dummy Musk, dressed in a black DOGE T-shirt and black blazer, a pair of sunglasses, and a baseball cap.
Highlights
- GWAR staged a fake beheading of Elon Musk and the disembowelment of Donald Trump at Riot Fest, sparking outrage and viral controversy.
- The band is accused of normalizing violence, an especially sensitive issue after Charlie Kirk’s assassination, by depicting graphic political violence.
- Fans defend GWAR as satirical, likening the band to the “South Park of heavy metal.”
- Riot Fest and GWAR dismissed the criticism, calling the act “absurdist spectacle” and rejecting claims that they promote real violence.
- Anonymous supported GWAR, mocking critics and labeling MAGA supporters as overly sensitive to the band's long-standing shock tactics.
GWAR carried out the mock stunts at Riot Fest over the weekend
Image credits: Barry Brecheisen/Getty Images
One of the band members dressed in a green alien costume then used a fake sword to decapitate Musk, with fake blood spraying out onto the crowd.
In a separate performance, the band used a fake sword to disembowel Trump, with the stunt again spraying fake blood at the audience.
GWAR has performed killing every single U.S. president since Ronald Reagan, including Joe Biden and Barack Obama, as well as other well-known figures.
Fans of the group say the performances are satirical and describe GWAR as the South Park of heavy metal.
WARNING: Graphic video
However, footage of the weekend performance went viral on social media, and the group was accused of glorifying violence against political figures in the wake of Charlie Kirk’s assassination.
“Performers at Riot Fest in Chicago, Illinois, simulated the bloody disemboweling of President Trump on stage while people cheered,” Libs of TikTok wrote on X.
“This is incitement. They know exactly what they’re doing. Democrats can’t help themselves. They love promoting violence.”
Another user posted: “Saw a friend’s video from Riot Fest—GWAR mock-beheaded Elon Musk on stage.”
WARNING: Graphic video
“That’s not edgy, it’s grotesque and reckless and normalizes violence against a real person. This is not okay. Riot Fest and GWAR crossed a major line.”
“Gwar is the South Park of metal music. They will make fun of anybody and ‘kill’ anybody on stage,” one person said.
“It doesn't matter their political position. They have done this to Elon, Obama, and Biden to name a few.”
GWAR and Riot Fest responded to the criticism.
GWAR defended its performance, saying, ‘Normalizing violence? Humans don’t need GWAR for that’
Image credits: Jason Squires/WireImage
“Like I know this is a rage bait engagement farming twitter account, but ‘GWAR crossed a major line’ is one of the funniest f*****g things I’ve ever heard,” Riot Fest posted on X.
In a statement to the New York Post, GWAR said, “Normalizing violence? Humans don’t need GWAR for that.
“There is nothing normal about the Looney Toon violence acted out on a GWAR stage. GWAR is absurdist spectacle. GWAR is to violence what the New York Post is to journalism. Ridiculous.”
Image credits: Jason Squires/WireImage
The group was also defended on X by the infamous hacking group Anonymous, which wrote, “It’s GWAR. They kill people on stage. They’ve killed Obama, Joe Biden, Bush, Michael Jackson, Mike Tyson etc.
“That’s what they f*****g do. Cry more about Elon and Trump you f*****g losers. MAGA was the snowflakes the entire time.”