In the wake of Charlie Kirk’s assassination, a metal band’s continued tradition of over-the-top mock violence on stage drew considerable criticism for how it depicted the president and Elon Musk.
While mourners gathered in Glendale, Arizona, to memorialize the slain Christian patriot, including the world’s richest man and President Donald Trump, revelry didn’t stop for music fans gathered at the annual Riot Fest in Chicago, Illinois. In addition to headline performances from Blink-182, Weezer, and Green Day over the three-day event, a Saturday set from Gwar raised eyebrows and churned stomachs with mock executions of Musk and Trump.
During the show, a DOGE T-shirt-wearing character came out on stage equipped with a fake chainsaw to represent the SpaceX founder, only to have the fake head lopped off by the extraterrestrial-costumed band members. The beheaded mock Musk proceeded to writhe about, allowing jets of blood to shoot from the stump at the cheering audience.
Warning: Graphic
At another point in the show that was part of the group’s 40th anniversary tour, a performer dressed to look like the commander-in-chief came out and was depicted being beaten on stage before a prop oversized torso was cut off, leading to the character spurting blood at the crowd from his midsection.
The schtick was nothing new for the band, as the violence was reenacted throughout their tour and they’d previously performed brutality on other characters in effigy, including former Presidents Barack Obama, Joe Biden, and George W. Bush, former Vice President Kamala Harris, and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, as well as pop singer Taylor Swift.
As a result, a particular representation of outrage drew little concern from the X account representing the festival after video of the Musk decapitation was shared with the caption, “Saw a friend’s video from Riot Fest–GWAR mock-beheaded Elon Musk on stage. That’s not edge, it’s grotesque and reckless and normalizes violence against a real person. This is not okay. Riot Fest and GWAR crossed a major line.”
In response, Riot Fest posted, “Like I know this is a rage bait engagement farming twitter account, but ‘GWAR crossed a major line’ is one of the funniest f*cking things I’ve ever heard.”
The performance stood in stark contrast to the gathering for Kirk, where tens of thousands assembled and joined in prayer and reflection on the life of the assassinated husband and father. Along with speeches from the president and grieving widow Erika Kirk, Vice President J.D. Vance and cabinet officials who also offered remarks preaching the Gospel.
Despite Gwar being known for such displays throughout their career, many reactions on social media were disgusted by the act and the timing, when violent rhetoric is increasingly leading to acts of violence.
The evil of darkness on display.
— Positively Chaos (@DiroShare) September 21, 2025
We may have crossed over the point of no return.
— Thomas Kerr (@gthomaskerr) September 21, 2025
These people are dark, they belong to absolute evil.
— KLo (@firestick_411) September 21, 2025
Vile clowns
— James Keay (@reach147) September 21, 2025
This is the kinda foolish bs people need to stop. Disgusting!
— Srujan Alluri (@SrujanAlluri01) September 21, 2025
Native of Brooklyn, NY, Kevin Haggerty is a graduate of Hunter College where he studied Cultural Anthropology and Geography. An avid reader and truth seeker, he currently resides in Texas with his wife and their dog and, when he isn't researching current events and their impacts, you'll find him spending time with friends and family or working on his next novel.
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