<PIG>

Live at The Complex

Glendale, CA

October 2nd, 2016

Review and photos by Travis Baumann

PIG is the alter ego of the amazingly talented Raymond Watts. Since the late 1980's Mr. Watts has been releasing his eclectic blend of genres under the PIG moniker while also lending his skills to numerous friends and fiends within the Industrial genre and beyond.

Initially involved with the inception and launch of the seminal Industrial Rock band KMFDM, he has continued to work closely with current and former members as he blazes his own pork-laden trail.

It has been over ten years since the Lord of Lard has graced us with his presence in his own guise, and on this tour he has recruited some of those former KMFDM cronies to assist him on the road.

Performing on guitar and back up vocal duties (as well as direct supporting act with his solo material) is the Germanic enigma, En Esch. Bringing the Kraut Rock in force, fellow KMFDM/Slick Idiot Alumni, Guenter Schulz also bends the guitar to his and the Lord's will.

Rounding out the stage instrumentation, Z. Marr plays keyboards and electronics as well as lends his voice and Galen Waling is crammed behind the drum kit at the back of the stage pounding out the percussion.

PIG has just released their new album, "The Gospel", a few weeks back so it was fitting to open the set with the first single from the release, "The Diamond Sinners". PIG has a varied sound when looking at his vast work as a whole, but at the same time, he has a very signature style and this track delivers it in full.

Raymond has a deep voice that can range from gravel and glass to beautifully sinister. His lyrics are often taken from the pulpit where glory meets the gutter or vice versa. "The Diamond Sinners" is classic PIG in every verse and the choral refrain is perfect, "Hallelujah, Hallelujah, The Drunken Devil is Speaking Through Ya".

With half the lineup hailing from KMFDM at one point, it was only fitting that a number of KMFDM covers (if you can call them that with so many of the creators on stage) get played along with working in some of PIG's back catalog, but a good number of songs came from the new album.

As far as older PIG favorites go, we got to hear "Everything", "The Only Good One's a Dead One", "Serial Killer Thriller" and "Wrecked". From the KMFMD stand point we got to hear the Watts led classics "Brute", "Conillon" and "Flesh" as well as their most played single, "Juke Joint Jezebel".

They finished up the set with the predictable encore of "Find It. Fuck It. Forget It" which I guess is a fan favorite, and while the song drips the PIG sense of humor I would have loved to hear "Prime Evil" or "On The Slaughter Front" or anything from "Praise the Lard", especially "Sanctuary". Overall, I think it was a great show and my favorite song of the night was "The Diamond Sinners".

The sound was great for the packed, intimate venue promoted by Das Bunker, and Raymond kept mentioning how "good the Germans were doing tonight" referring to his KMFDM band mates. It was good seeing the gang back together so to speak and getting a good mix of vintage KMFDM and PIG material.

They only have two dates left on this tour so it may already be too late to catch them this time around, but "The Gospel" is now readily available and absolutely worth listening to.

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