South Park's Trey Parker and Matt Stone playing Team America anthem America, F**k Yeah with a 16-piece band is epic and hilarious

(Image credit: YouTube)

One of the defining calling cards of South Park across its historic 25-years-and-counting run is its impressive musical pedigree. From the ludicrous array of hilarious songs co-creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone have conjured up right from the very first season (who doesn't still love a singalong of Mr Hankey, The Christmas Poo every December?) to collaborations with the likes of Primus and Wyclef Jean, South Park's connection to unhinged musical numbers is as woven into the fabric of its history as crude jokes, scathing satire and Eric Cartman being the world's biggest douchebag.

It should be no surprise, then, that to celebrate the show's 25th anniversary, Parker and Stone decided to put on two special concerts at the legendary Red Rocks Amphitheatre in their home state of Colorado (also the setting for South Park itself) last week. Bringing along Primus and Ween for the ride, the gigs served up two hilarious evenings of classic cuts from the South Park discography, with everything from Uncle Fucka to Kyle's Mom's A Bitch getting an airing.

One unexpected bonus, though, was an encore playthrough of a song taken from a different but much-loved Stone and Parker project: 2004's spectacular puppet mockbuster, Team America: World Police. Taking a meaty swipe at America's self-appointed position as 'Leaders Of The Free World' while skewering everything from Hollywood action movies to Thunderbirds to North Korean despot Kim Jong-il, the film didn't exactly set the box office alight, but it remains a firm favourite for fans of the duo's work - and, much like South Park, it's packing some absolutely cracking songs.

None of which are more memorable than the brilliant America, Fuck Yeah, a pseudo-patriotic, 80s-tastic heavy metal banger 'celebrating' the United States and its many cornerstones. Stone and Parker decided to include the song as a bonus treat at the two celebration shows, and some video footage has emerged of the twosome - backed by Primus and more than ten other musicians/vocalists - smashing through the track in style.

Watch the full-hearted performance below (you'll need to click through to YouTube as it's aged-restriction because, y'know, swearwords and stuff).

Merlin was promoted to Executive Editor of Louder in early 2022, following over ten years working at Metal Hammer. While there, he served as Online Editor and Deputy Editor, before being promoted to Editor in 2016. Before joining Metal Hammer, Merlin worked as Associate Editor at Terrorizer Magazine and has written for Classic Rock, Rock Sound, eFestivals and others. Across his career he has interviewed legends including Ozzy Osbourne, Lemmy, Metallica, Iron Maiden (including getting a trip on Ed Force One courtesy of Bruce Dickinson), Guns N' Roses, KISS, Slipknot, System Of A Down and Meat Loaf. He has also presented and produced the Metal Hammer Podcast, presented the Metal Hammer Radio Show and is probably responsible for 90% of all nu metal-related content making it onto the site.