PIG : HEROIN FOR THE DAMNED NORTH AMERICA FALL TOUR with CURSE MACKEY / UNITCODE:MACHINE / SYSTEM 6

Immora

It’s been 6 years since I've seen Raymond Watts and his industrial band PIG at the now defunct Beauty Bar, and this time around it would be at my favorite new club, SINWAVE Live Music venue in the Arts District.

Kicking off the show was one of my favorite local bands SYSTEM 6, an Industrial metal band who has recently gone through some lineup changes, but remains one of the best local bands playing Vegas. Unfortunately for this show leader Blake Attenbury came down with a nasty care of the flu, and despite trying everything he had to sit this one out.

The band had a decision to make, cancel the show or go on without Blake - so that’s what they did, and announced they would play an all instrumental set. In my opinion sounded great and really kicked ass, the band is sooooo good and gave a great effort and put on a bruising show. Check out more on SYSTEM 6 HERE.

Next was a band I have been obsessed over since I first discovered them about a month ago, UNITCODE:MACHINE. This is a project by Texas native Eric Kristoffer, and unlike the others on this bill, has a more melodic industrial sound to his music. My favorite song of their set was “Against the Pale” which is off the 2023 CD, Critical Fault, and in fact, Unitcode:Machine's entire set was almost exclusively off Critical Fault. I love their sound and they really bring that to the live show. More on UNITCODE:MACHINE HERE.

CURSE MACKEY is an industrial darkwave artist from Austin, and is the singer for the industrial supergroup PIGFACE, is a member of My Life With the Thrill Kill Kult. I had not seen him perform before, but I already knew I was going to LOVE whatever he played. Mackey was appropriately gothy in ghostly whiteface with a darklit stage, a touch of Trent and a bit of Manson, dark danceable techno that really got the room moving. MACKEY is out promoting his highly anticipated synthwave release Immoral Emporium, and you can find more HERE.

Since it's been a bit since I last saw PIG, I was really looking forward to seeing what Raymond Watts would bring this time around. Watts is the founding and sole member of the band, and started out his career as an early member of the industrial act KMFDM. Dressed in all black leather, hair tight back and dark glasses, Raymond owned the stage along with the band, featuring En Esch on backing vocals and guitars (KMFDM), Bradley Bills on drums and Steve White on guitars, and PIG held the audience captive for an entire 17 song set, staring with "Serial Killer Thriller", that was remastered and released via Metropolis Records this year.

"Crumbs Chaos & Lies" followed, from their 2024 CD RED ROOM, an album collaboration with the likes of Emily Kavanaugh (Night Club), Jim Davies (Pitchshifter/ The Prodigy), Chris Connelly (Revolting Cocks/ Ministry), Chris Hall (Stabbing Westwood), Burton C Bell (Fear Factory/ Ascension of The Watchers), I Ya Toyah, Anita Kyoda, Marc Heal, (Cubanate), En Esch (KMFDM), Alexis Mincolla (3 Teeth), Günter Schulz (KMFDM). That alone should make you run out and grab this CD right now! PIG also released an EP FEAST OF AGONY just last month, and contains the single "Heroin for the Damned" the namesake for the tour.

It was definitely worth the 6 year wait, the Vegas show was a wall of industrial noise and angst with a brutal beat, and a real retrospect of PIG reaching back for "Blades" and "Ojo por ojo", on up to cuts from the records out this year, and even KMFDM's "Juke Joint Jezebel" and encore of "Secret Sin" thrown in. More on the tour and more HERE.

SINWAVE has been a fantastic addition to the Vegas nightlife and live music scene, check out their calendar HERE. Remember get there early, they have the coolest lobby and drink specials - you can sit on oversize couches and watch metal and industrial videos while waiting for the doors to open for your favorite show.

PIG Photos Harold Mountain / JustAFanPhotos