The iconic metal band Gwar staged a mock beheading of Elon Musk at an event called Riot Festival in Chicago this weekend, with many calling the skit 'bad timing'

15:37, 22 Sep 2025Updated 17:04, 22 Sep 2025

View 3 ImagesGwar's executioner took of Musk's head in a flash(Image: @hottakekaren/X)

A heavy metal band staged a mock “beheading of Elon Musk”, before “murdering President Trump” at a festival this weekend.

Footage shows a band called Gwar – featuring members dressed up as ogres carrying swords – cutting off the head of the chainsaw wielding Musk mannequin, before fake blood squirted out and showered the crowd. Many people cheered, and others filmed the scene on their mobile phones at Riot Fest in Chicago, US.

A five second clip of the eccentric billionaire beheading was posted to Twitter, by an account auspiciously named ‘Karen’. It comes amid a wave of outcry that the band are “normalising” violence.

View 3 ImagesThe billionaire was left without a head (Image: @hottakekaren/X)

“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,” one X user wrote, reposting the video.

It is unclear whether that X user is familiar with Gwar’s usual oeuvre, with the band often using fake blood and/or semen in their shows. One live video from 2017 shows the band dressed as monsters playing a cover version of AC/DC’s If You Want Blood (You Got It), while a mannequin of Donald Trump has his ribcage ripped to pieces.

“Welcome to GWAR. They are from outer space. They once released an album called ‘We kill everything’ because they do in fact kill everything,” one X user wrote in response.

Anonymous even chimed in, replying to ‘Karen’: “F*** Elon Musk. Call the manager you f****** loser. It’s like you never heard of GWAR before you f****** p****.”

View 3 ImagesThe real-life Elon Musk managed to keep onto his bonce(Image: AFP via Getty Images)

Earlier Riot Fest responded to a clip of the Musk stunt, writing: “Like I know this is a rage bait engagement farming Twitter account, but ‘GWAR crossed a major line’ is one of the funniest f–king things I’ve ever heard.”

Some fans pointed out the bad “timing” of the band’s skit. “Listen I know they do this to every leader and even did Obama but after what happened with Charlie Kirk last week it’s just r***** timing,” the user wrote.

In reply, Riot Fest issued a measured response: "Shut the f*** [up] you dork a** loser.” This year, Green Day and Blink 182 headlined the rock festival in Chicago, Illinois. Rock acts like Jack White and Weezer rounded off the lineup.

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Elsewhere over the weekend, ‘Weird Al’ Yankovic played to a massive crowd and UK band James performed a jubilant set that resulted in an on-stage dance party during their hit Laid.