Gojira frontman Joe Duplantier has confirmed he’ll be stepping back from guitar duties on the band’s upcoming run of shows in France after injuring his hand badly enough to require surgery.
While he’ll still be front and centre on vocals, the band have drafted in Greg Kubacki of Car Bomb to take over guitar for the tour.
Duplantier addressed the situation directly, sharing a message with fans:
“Hey! I hurt my hand a few weeks ago. After getting minor surgery, I’m on the mend but unfortunately I won’t be able to play all my guitar parts on the next tour in France…”
He added that Kubacki had been brought in to help shoulder the load:
“No worries though, we hired our good friend @carbombgreg of the incredible @carbombofficial to ‘Give us a hand’. The mood in our camp is up there though, as we’re embarking for an interesting experience on our own turf. Show must go ooooon.”
Show must go on
The timing is tough, but Gojira are no strangers to adapting under pressure, their catalogue is stacked with technically demanding tracks that require full precision, making Duplantier’s injury a significant shift to the touring dynamic. Fans have already begun speculating whether this setup might open the door for deeper cuts from The Way of All Flesh, an era Joe has previously admitted is tough to tackle live because of the complexity of playing and singing simultaneously.
Regardless of the setlist shake up, the band are pushing forward with confidence as they prepare for a full November and December run across France. Kubacki stepping in is a strong fit, given Car Bomb’s reputation for intricate, hyper-technical guitar work.
France tour dates
Fans can catch Gojira at the following dates:
27 November – Reims – ReimsArena
28 November – Lille – Zenith de Lille
30 November – Paris – Bercy Accor Arena
1 December – Rouen – Zenith de Rouen
2 December – Saint-Herblain – Zenith Nantes Metropole
4 December – Toulouse – Zenith de Toulouse
5 December – Clermont-Ferrand – Zenith de Clermont-Ferrand
6 December – Marseille – Dome Marseille
8 December – Nice – Palais Nikaia
9 December – Bordeaux – Areka Arena
10 December – Lyon – LDLC Arena
12 December – Strasbourg – Zenith Of Strasbourg
Gojira remain one of modern metal’s most reliable live forces, and although this tour arrives with an unexpected twist, the band seem intent on making each show count while Joe continues to recover.
