French metal band Gojira has confirmed that its drummer, Mario Duplantier, will not be able to perform on some upcoming shows, and he’s being temporarily replaced by Luigi Paraventi. That’s right, Luigi is stepping in for Mario.
In its announcement, Gojira played up the gaming angle, writing, “Player 2 has entered game. RESPECT!” The band also included an image of Mario and Luigi from the Mushroom Kingdom in its post.
Gojira’s US tour kicks off today, July 16, at Rock Fest in Wisconsin, continuing with a string of summer festival shows that wrap up in September.
Mario Duplantier could not make it due to an “immigration issue that has made it impossible for him to travel to the US” in time for the shows, the band wrote. “Mario is heartbroken not to be here with us and has fought hard every step of the way to find a solution.”
No further details on the immigration issue were provided.
His replacement, Luigi Paraventi, plays with the band Paleface Swiss and is known for his covers that he posts across social media, like the Gojira video below.