Review & Photography by Nathan Vestal for MPM
Industrial fans were in for a treat last night at Milwaukee’s X-Ray Arcade as Cyanotic set the stage for industrial rock legends PIG.
The fiercely devoted crowd packed into the venue, ready for a night of distorted beats, heavy riffs, and cybernetic chaos. Cyanotic, a staple in the underground industrial scene, didn’t disappoint, delivering a blistering opening set that left the room vibrating.
Cyanotic has always been about blending metal, industrial, and electronic music into a dystopian mix, and their set at X-Ray Arcade showcased their ability to do exactly that. Frontman Sean Payne stormed the stage with raw energy, immediately engaging the crowd.
The setlist was a mix of fan favorites and tracks from their recent releases, hitting hard with tracks like “Are We Still Alive?” and “Crash Override”. Their signature fusion of pounding drums, grinding guitars, and distorted vocals felt like a sonic assault — and the crowd loved every minute of it.
The live sound was gritty and perfectly imperfect, giving their music a raw, unpolished edge that added to the atmosphere. The venue’s personal setting only amplified the energy, making every bass drop and mechanical scream feel even more visceral. At times, Cyanotic’s set felt like a cyberpunk fever dream, with strobing lights and glitchy visuals projected on them, pushing the audience deeper into their world.
While the audience came for PIG, it was clear that Cyanotic had its own dedicated following, as several fans in the crowd shouted along to the lyrics and swayed to the rhythmic industrial noise. Payne’s stage presence was magnetic — he commanded the room without overdoing it, letting the music speak for itself.
Cyanotic set the perfect tone for what was to come, priming the audience for PIG’s brand of industrial rock debauchery. The seamless transition between the acts felt natural, all bands feeding off a shared love of aggressive electronic soundscapes.
Unitecode:Machine
Industrial fans gathered at the intimate X-Ray Arcade for what promised to be a night of hard-hitting beats and gritty, industrial sounds. Unitecode:Machine, the Dallas-based electronic/industrial outfit, took the stage as the opening act for the legendary PIG. Though the headliner is well known for its abrasive industrial rock sound, Unitecode:Machine brought their own brand of dark, danceable energy, setting a high bar for the night.
As Unitecode:Machine kicked off their set, the audience was immediately pulled in by their mix of electronic beats and emotional intensity. Their music has a distinct melodic sensibility, creating a balance between dark atmospherics and catchy hooks. The band delivered a tightly crafted set, which resonated through the venue with driving rhythms and synth-heavy melodies. Their stage presence was commanding yet inviting, with lead vocalist Eric Kristoffer engaging the crowd, exuding both energy and raw emotion.
What stood out about Unitecode:Machine was their ability to blend genres in a way that didn’t feel forced. Elements of industrial, synthpop, and even a hint of post-punk were woven together seamlessly, keeping the audience swaying and intrigued. Their set was polished, and though they were an opener, they played like a headliner, giving it everything they had.
By the time Unitecode:Machine wrapped up, the crowd was clearly more than just warmed up; they were invested, eager to see where the night would go next. The transition from Unitecode:Machine to PIG felt organic, as both acts shared the industrial ethos but brought distinct flavors to the table.
PIG
PIG, of course, is a titan of the industrial scene, and Raymond Watts, the man behind the moniker, wasted no time in asserting his dominance over the night. The contrast between PIG’s aggressive, guttural industrial rock and Unitecode:Machine’s more melodic, electronic-driven sound only served to highlight the diversity within the industrial genre.
Raymond Watts’ decades-old, genre-defining project continues to push boundaries. The venue, known for its eclectic mix of punk, metal, and electronic acts, provided the perfect setting for an industrial sound as primal and intense as PIG’s. With its dim, neon glow and retro arcade machines humming in the background, the stage was set for a night of sweaty, pounding music.
X-Ray Arcade, a venue with a capacity just shy of 200, lent an immediate sense of intimacy. The fans gathered were clearly devout—many decked out in black leather, industrial boots, and band shirts from throughout PIG’s sprawling discography. There was an air of anticipation, a mix of longtime fans eager to relive past live shows and newcomers hoping to experience Watts’ infamous theatrics for the first time.
Raymond Watts, as the mastermind behind PIG, knows how to command a stage, no matter its size. Donning his usual mix of flamboyant, dystopian chic, he cut a striking figure under the pulsing red and blue lights. His presence was magnetic from the moment he stepped on stage, immediately launching into the pounding opener, “Sinsation” with a swagger that suggested he was still very much at the top of his game.
The setlist was a careful mix of new material from recent albums like Red Room and the iconic tracks from his time with KMFDM and Wax Trax! Records days. Continuing with PIG staples like “Everything” and “Wrecked” hitting the crowd with gut-punch intensity. Tracks like “Prey & Obey” whipped the audience into a frenzy with their grinding, mechanical beats and vicious guitar riffs, while slower, more menacing tracks like “The Diamond Sinners” brought a haunting, sleazy vibe to the set.
Watts’ vocal performance was as guttural and visceral as ever—his growling, sneering delivery perfectly matched the industrial mayhem he and his band unleashed. His backing musicians were tight. Thunderous percussions throbbed with a precision that never let up from Bradley Bills of CHANT. En Esch and Steve White’s guitars screamed, and the synth machine pulses felt like they were vibrating the walls of the small venue.
Despite the modest size of X-Ray Arcade, the stage production did not feel stripped down. In fact, the rawness of the venue lent itself well to the industrial aesthetic. The minimal lighting setup—mainly reds, purples, and strobes—helped create a claustrophobic, hellish atmosphere that perfectly complemented the distorted, grinding sounds pouring from the stage. Between songs, Watts engaged the crowd with cheeky banter, which was met with cheers and laughter from the crowd.
There were no large-scale video projections or pyrotechnics—just raw, aggressive industrial music. And that was all the crowd needed.
At the end of the night, it was clear that Raymond Watts still has the fire that’s made PIG a legendary force in industrial music. His ability to fuse sleaze, satire, and societal critique into something sonically punishing and perversely danceable is as sharp as ever.
The small, sweaty confines of X-Ray Arcade proved to be the perfect setting for such an intense performance. Watts and his band fed off the crowd’s energy, delivering a show that was both nostalgic for longtime fans and utterly relevant for today’s industrial scene.
For those who missed the show, it’s hard to capture just how personal and electrifying the experience was, but one thing’s for certain—PIG still reigns supreme as one of the titans of industrial music, and Milwaukee was lucky to witness it up close.
