Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs, Albert Hall, 23rd November 2021

All gigs are an experience, seeing Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs live certainly is. I last saw this lot play Rebellion. A small club with the feeling of an off the beaten track roadhouse. They were awesome. Tonight I’m intrigued to see how they’ll fair in the much bigger Albert Hall. They’ve certainly plenty of support. All packed into the main floor with the upstairs shut. This is a bit of a shame as the view up there is great, but this lot thrive on the pulse of a crowd, it makes sense to keep us closer. Singer Matthew Baty states his intention right away. Limbering up on stage barefoot, shorts and a cut off shirt that says ‘Find what feels good’. He’s like a prize fighting Freddie Mercury. Although he later refers to himself as a ‘’Pound shop Freddie Mercury”, stealing my thunder but it’s good to know we’re on the same page. He’s utterly fearless. Belting out his vocals like all our lives depend on it. His moves choreographed to the lifeblood flowing from the stage. The rest of the band are no slouches either. Two guitars, bass and drums, they’re a powerful unit. From tight Sabbath like riffs to beautifully menacing stoner drones. Sam Grant plays his guitar like it’s trying to kill him. It looks and sounds magnificent. Halloween Bolson hits like a fucking atom bomb, lights syncing with the heart stopping drums. “These songs are like being stood in front of a jet engine” says Matthew, he’s not wrong. They do light well too though, or their brand of it. Gloamer resetting the tempo to a slightly more comfortable pace, as the crowd do the slow appreciative head nod dance. For all the brutalism, this band are about controlling it and make no mistake, they’re masters. Effortlessly switching things up, keeping us on our toes. GNT and A66 are bloody brilliant, the whole set is. They also win the prize of best backdrop. The pigs lettering from the latest album cover looks stunning printed on a 30ft banner. Both their records sound fantastic, but some bands you have to see live to appreciate. Pigsx7 are one of those. A gorgeously horrifying force of nature. Bigger venue, not a problem. Late entry for gig of the year.