French progressive metal band GOJIRA brought substitute drummer Luigi Paraventi on stage for the first time on July 16, opening its run of U.S. festival dates at Rock Fest in Cadott, Wisconsin, with the PALEFACE SWISS drummer behind the kit in place of Mario Duplantier.
Duplantier, GOJIRA's co-founder and longtime drummer, is unable to travel to the United States for the run of shows due to an immigration issue that has kept him from securing timely entry. The band turned to Paraventi on short notice to cover the dates, and footage from the Rock Fest set showed the substitute drummer locking into GOJIRA's famously intricate, polyrhythmic material with the full attention of the band on stage.
In a statement, GOJIRA reiterated its gratitude toward Paraventi for stepping into one of technical metal's more demanding drum chairs with minimal preparation time. "Mario is heartbroken not to be here with us and has fought hard every step of the way to find a solution," the band said. "We're so grateful for the incredible Luigi Paraventi of PALEFACE SWISS, who has stepped in" on short notice, adding the now-familiar line: "Player 2 has entered the game — RESPECT."
Paraventi will remain behind the kit for GOJIRA's two remaining scheduled U.S. festival dates: Upheaval in Grand Rapids, Michigan, on July 17, and Inkcarceration Music & Tattoo Festival in Mansfield, Ohio, on July 18. No timeline has been given for Duplantier's return to the lineup.
The Rock Fest appearance underscored GOJIRA's current standing as one of extreme metal's most closely watched live acts, a profile amplified since the band's February 2025 Grammy win for Best Metal Performance, awarded for its rendition of "Mea Culpa (Ah! Ça Ira!)" — the piece GOJIRA performed at the opening ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, making it the first metal band to play an Olympic ceremony.
With two dates remaining on the substitute run, GOJIRA's Rock Fest set offered the clearest early signal that the band's technically demanding catalog remains intact in Paraventi's hands, even as Duplantier's own return date stays unresolved.