PIGFACE, SILVERFISH
The Marquee, New York, New York

This was the tour to see. When the rumblings about this project surfaced the immediate thought was 'can this really go out on the road in a coherent manner?' And the answer was given in New York with a resounding YES!

Opening the proceedings was the British group Silverfish. But they could have been from New York, or Chicago or Boston... they had that hard-edged, spitting guitar-based thrash tone, and their tough lead vocalist prowled the stage with tremendous energy, flinging her insults loud and proud. But after about three or four songs, it all began to sound the same, a multitude of defiant 'fucks' and shrieks do not make a band. There was the ghost of something special there but after bands like Live Skull or a host of similar lights, it takes a little more ingenuity to move an audience who've seen them all come and go.

So that's why there are bands/ projects/ glorious risk takers like the
almighty Pigface. After an excruciating length of time between bands the lights did their own thing and out emerged two bagpipers to the lip of the stage. Yes, bagpipers. They began whipping out their skirling sounds, completely decked in tartan kilts and tall helmets. After their haunting rhythm was established out stepped Matt Schultz to begin a drone on his custom self-designed a.t.g, (anti-tank guitar) a large vicious looking block of wood and strings that made some fairly impressive rumbling tones, nicely shaking the audience's teeth down into their stomach.

After Matt pummeled the audience into submission the rest of the merry makers made their presence known: the devilish duo of Bill Rieflin and Martin Atkins on percussion, (with Bill sneaking down to do some guitar), Chris Connelly on voice/ keyboards/poetry (with great floral tights). Ogre on voice/ guitar/ wandering, Trent Reznor on voice/ guitar, Paul Raven on bass and Bill Tucker on guitar/ keyboards. And away they went. And oh, how they did go. They traveled into worlds where sound has never gone before. How's that for drama, eh? Each song had its own personality and texture, they presented their music in completely different versions then found on the Gub LP. Which is as it should be, as Pigface is a continually evolving project, flexible in members, content and thought. Not only were there the eclectic offerings from Gub but there were also a few outstanding Chris Connelly tracks from his deliriously wonderful solo album Whiplash Boychild and even a Puppy cut (T.F.W.O.) which managed to sound better than Puppy's original mighty version. Ogre reacted to the madness onstage with a chilling control he doesn't exhibit in Puppy. There was an excitement and tension in the music that drove the ears wild. The audience didn't know whether to stage dive, mosh or just gape in awe. Talk about getting caught with their brains down!

This all wound along in a most bewitching manner: mutating, peaking thrashing, growling. The live version of 'Suck' with both Ogre and Trent bellowing the chorus was a nasty gift from Hell that had to be felt in the Bronx for its power. The three distinct vocalists each added their own unique touch, but without becoming separate from the whole entity. This band really opens up the opportunity to blather on about the glorious success of the independent conglomeration, of the concept of intelligent artistry over commercialism, blah, blah, blah... but actually what it is is a group of intelligent musicians exposing their inner workings while mixing it up with humor and superb craftsmanship. It's musical friendships grown into a mutual onstage appreciation society with out any ego or competition. And you're invited to join in if you care to... that's the beauty of Pigface. You just need to ask. It's for everyone who's tired of the bullshit.

Where else can you see an encore consisting of Chris reading his poetry at the stage's edge while Ogre howled, while everyone else changed instruments? By the finale there were 13 people onstage, seven playing various types of percussion (two hastily erected drumkits were pressed into service while the encore hurtled on) and there was even a guest appearance from a member of Gwar on guitar. Where could you see this? Nowhere except the laudable land of Pigface. And you'd see something different every night.

Pretentious? In the best sense of the word, of course! Outrageous? Definitely. Killer? No doubt about that. And just about the most interesting experience to crash into a stage in years. An exercise in musical discipline while falling off the edge of sound and reality.

I don't know how they did it, but as long as they do it and keep doing it, the world will be a braver place. Amazing. If you missed this one, consider yourself sorely deprived.

- Sandra Garcia (B-Side)