Gojira have temporarily replaced drummer Mario Duplantier due to immigration issues preventing him from playing a handful of US rock festivals this summer. In his place, Paleface Swiss drummer Luigi Paraventi is stepping in to fill the role.
Paraventi made his debut with Gojira on Thursday night, July 16th, at Rock Fest in Cadott, Wisconsin, and will also perform with the French metal band tonight at Upheaval and Saturday at Inkcarceration.
Temporary Replacement
Paraventi’s temporary replacement of Mario Duplantier is due to immigration issues that have made it impossible for him to travel to the US in time for the shows. Gojira seemed in good spirits, however, making light of the circumstances with a picture of Mario and Luigi from Super Mario Bros. together and referencing it in their Instagram post announcing the issue.
The post read: “Hey everyone! Important update regarding our Festival performances. Mario is dealing with an immigration issue that has made it impossible for him to travel to the US in time for our shows. Mario is heartbroken not to be here with us and has fought hard every step of the way to find a solution.
We’re so grateful for the incredible @luigi.paraventi of Paleface Swiss, who has stepped in on short notice.
Player 2 has entered the game — RESPECT.
We can’t wait to see you all out there!!”
Upcoming Releases
Gojira have a double LP zoetrope 20th anniversary edition of their 2005 album From Mars to Sirius set to be released on July 31st. We named it the best album of the band’s career thus far.
Elsewhere, frontman Joe Duplantier recently appeared on “Black Box,” a single from Bear McCreary’s new album, while fellow guitarist Christian Andreu announced a new signature guitar.
Given the footage from last night’s set at RockFest, Paraventi is doing more than an adequate job holding down the throne.
In conclusion, Gojira is moving forward with their summer festival performances, despite the temporary replacement of Mario Duplantier. With Luigi Paraventi stepping in, the band is sure to deliver their signature sound to fans across the US.
Pixel P. Snarkbyte, widely regarded as the “Shakespeare of Sh*tposts,” is a video game expert with a unique knack for turning pixels into punchlines.
Born in the small town of Respawn, Pennsylvania, Pixel grew up mashing buttons on an ancient NES controller, firmly believing that “blowing into the cartridge” was a sacred ritual passed down through generations.
Pixel P. Snarkbyte: proving that life, much like a buggy open-world game, is better with a little lag-induced chaos.
