The metal band takes us through all their favorite (and most horrible) places in Richmond, leading us to haunted tunnels and spine-chilling prisons.
If you call for Gwar to key out Richmond , Virginia , they ’ll secern you that it ’s a " bull hole"—and that you should probably lend some pepper spray . You bed , to defend yourself from all the crappy people who live there .
From a Gwar perspective , these are ( credibly ) all regard . The intergalactic metal ring ’s dearest language is hating everything and everyone — including their fans , of course of study . They may call Richmond a horseshit golf hole , but it ’s theircrap kettle of fish .
" Gwar is from Antarctica as you know , but [ Richmond ] is sort of our adopted North American home , " Balsac the Jaws of Death , Gwar ’s guitarist , said in a late audience with Thrillist . " We spend a lot of our prison term when we ’re not out on the road killing people here in Richmond . We have a long history with Richmond , and Richmond has a long account with furiousness and bloodshed . That ’s sort of why we were drawn here . "
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Gwar ’s Richmond is a terrible place to be , and it ’s gotten so much worse over the years , according to the band . " I do n’t even think you could call it Fist City anymore , " said Bonesnapper the Cave Troll . " I opine you might call it Tickle Feather City or something . " Balsac the Jaws of Death just ca n’t digest the lack of criminal activity . " Most of the drug are gone , [ and ] all the wildness [ and ] street gangs . You hardly see them anymore , " he notice , disappointed . " It ’s not the place we vanish in passion with back in the ' fourscore ! "
In our serial " Ride With Me , " Gwar takes us on a Richmond spell to show us what , in their opinion , makes the neighborhood great — er , I mean terrible . Haunted train tunnels , creepy-crawly former prison house , and chilling cemeteries are all the must - see maculation when you ’re in town , assuming you have the guts to natter them all .
So wad your ( fake ! ) axes and ( fake ! ) battlegear and get quick to discover Richmond with us . And maybe bring a real granola ginmill too — as Techno Destructo put it , " you might get athirst while oppose yourself ! "
Things to Do
Belle Isle PrisonGwar used to dead adore this place back when it was a functioning prison house . It was a " grownup field of gangrene " during the Civil War , said Techno Destructo . " It was bang-up , " he added .
It used to be an assailable - melodic line prison house where captive would die from exposure or from trying to swim out .
Now , it ’s just a openhanded undefendable field , which is just " totally deadening . " There ’s a BMX raceway , and the great unwashed come here to sunbathe by the James River . Of course , they still necessitate to watch out for Techno Destructo and his saw . He loves vanish down from the sky and cutting masses ’s promontory off as he give way .
The Church Hill TunnelAs his name paint a picture , Bonesnapper the Cave Troll is , in fact , a cave trolling . grant to the band members , he ’s also the one who discovered the gory history behind this tunnel .
Bonesnapper recalls that geezerhood and years ago , the burrow necessitate some fixing because of its older old age , so a train was introduced inside to get the work done . Yet , the unstable tunnel caved in , and ended up killing everyone indoors . All the bodies and the string , though , stay trapped there , as it was impossible to get them out . And that ’s how the tunnel became overrun with spook .
Balsac say that as they were sealing the burrow up , a horrible creature came crawling out of the wreckage . " They say it was a lamia , " he explained . " So they commence furrow it down towards the James River . It end up in Hollywood Cemetery at the mausoleum of WW Pool , who is a fuck Satanist and … "
" Local lamia ! " chimed in Bonesnapper .
" So , [ Hollywood Cemetery ] has got to be the next place you go confabulate , " recommended Balsac .
Hollywood CemeteryAccording to Gwar , a burial site is a great elbow room to get to know a city . " You learn a lot by how they esteem the all in , " say Techno Destructo . " How big the monuments are , that ’s how awesome of a city you ’re mouth about . "
Besides being the afterlife home to many soldiers and a couple of presidents , Hollywood Cemetery is also where Oderus Urungus , the later lead story vocalist of Gwar , Lie . His band members suppose his memorial is just a giant rock in the ground . " Oderus was a rock ‘n’ roll musician , " noted Bonesnapper . " And now he ’s under a rock . "
" He need to actually have a life story - sized statue of himself that women could come and have sexual practice with after his disappearing , " said Balsac . Fans see Oderus ' tomb bring in all sort of objective to honor him . The most popular one is feeding bottle of Jägermeister liquor , but if you ask Techno Destructo , he ’ll severalise you to contribute " insensate , gruelling cash . "
Places to Eat & Drink
Gwar BarThe Gwar Bar in Richmond is a dump , and the band loves it . " We ’re keeping Richmond sketchy , " said Bonesnapper .
When you ’re at the Gwar Bar , you should definitely get a Gwar beer . While you ’re sip on it , feel costless to look around at all the uncanny and funnily cool décor of the place . Flattus Maximus ' guitar and Oderus Urungus ' brand are both on display at the bar , as well as a bunch of monster - look headland and creepy ornaments . " All these are hoi polloi we killed , " pronounce Bonesnapper proudly .
If you get hungry , the band recommends you try the Bacon - Executioner House Ground Meat Burger at the Gwar Bar , which comes with all - thing Viscount St. Albans , like abstruse fried Francis Bacon and bacon mayonnaise .