Live music review: Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs delivered bone crushing riffs
Late August in Austin is calm before the storm. The high temperatures slowly begin to wane, festival season is around the corner, and the weeks will soon be packed as the touring circuit reaches its maximum saturation for the Fall touring season. Newcastle’s Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs (Pigs x7 to make things easier) has been on a steady barrage of bone-crushing riffs, a consistent stream of records, and travels throughout the world to deliver their flammable methodology of sludge metal to the masses. Fresh off the release of their 2025 full-length Death Hilarious, the Pigs quintet covers all their bases with down-tuned guitar strikes and relentless, raw vocal aggression. With Nashville alternative metal act Waxed in tow on this run of shows, the double bill wrapped their tour in Austin at the under-new-management 29th St. Ballroom, sending things off with a deafening display of power on Wednesday, August 27.
Waxed kicked off the night with their brand of ferocity, bringing a dose of heavy rock and roll blended with southern metal servings of the likes of Pantera, Eyehategod, and Crowbar. Vocalist Luc Richards is a stage presence powerhouse, taking time to engage the crowd and hanging from whatever stage structure he could find. Waxed also took the opportunity to thank their headlining tour and New Jersey-based Missing Piece Records labelmates while also acknowledging that Wednesday night acted as their Austin debut. The reception to their set felt warm and welcoming, with the members stopping by the bar for a cold one with the fans as they received praise for their opening statement.
The stage setup for the evening featured Orange brand amplifiers stacked to the ceiling, paying homage to their heavy metal forefathers in a satisfying tribute. Drummer Ian Sundstrom kept the rhythmic backbone of the set in studio-perfect form, keeping the attendees anticipating every abrasive fill he had to offer in a formidable manner. The Tennessee outfit also promised a follow-up to their 2022 album Give Up, to be released early next year.
Pigs x7 made their way to the stage to wrap up their United States run, looking to send things off with one hell of a scorcher. Frontman Matthew Baty’s burning passion for the stage shows with undeniable precision, with live appearances being a task not to be taken lightly. With a sound that dabbles in classic rock, psych, doom metal, and noise mannerisms, nothing is off the table for the British band when they plug in to play.
Each track revolves around cranium-shaking soundscapes, manic howls from Baty, and drumbeats that could displace one’s spine. At five studio albums into their career, which has gained them fans from around the world, the art of heavy music perfection can be added to the conversation. The 29th St. showgoers responded with palpable enthusiasm throughout the performance, taking every opportunity to mosh and crowd surf. With the touring playing field being a tough one in 2025, this show did not disappoint.
All photos by Troy Gonzales
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