By Ashley Parrish
Photos by Bre Sheridan
I’m completely incapable of being late—or even on time—like a normal person, so naturally, we arrived early at Kulture Music Hall. It gave me plenty of time to go over my notes and overanalyze the venue: black walls, vaulted ceilings, and a massive retractable window showing off the Denver skyline, with Empower Field practically within arm’s reach. As the last bit of daylight faded, the crowd started pouring in. The 500-capacity venue filled up but wasn’t packed, leaving plenty of room to move around and find the best vantage points. Bre, my trusty concert companion and photographer for the evening, disappeared into an illuminated sea of teased black hair, Doc Martens, and crucifixes, camera strapped around her neck.
For the first set, I found a spot near the stage, excited to finally catch unitcode:machine. I’d spent the past week diving into their 2023 album Critical Fault (which, by the way, is fantastic and definitely worth a listen), knowing their entire setlist would come from it. Eric Kristoffer’s vocals really stood out on the album, and I was curious to see if the emotional intensity would carry over live. Thankfully, it did. His voice had the same raw depth, making it easy to connect with each song. The vulnerability in the lyrics came through clearly, and considering it was their fifth night in a row playing—with only a few practices under their belt—it was impressive how well the music translated on stage.
Ryan Lynch’s addition on guitar brought a heavier, metallic edge, adding texture and depth that fit perfectly with the darkwave melodies. The contrast between his playful intensity and Kristoffer’s more emotive delivery worked well, their opposing energies balancing each other on stage. Meanwhile, Bradley Bills—pulling double duty for the night (and the rest of the tour)—kept the rhythm tight and deliberate, locking in with the electronic beats while adding a live intensity that elevated the energy of the set without overwhelming the synth-heavy sound.
A Split-Second took the stage. Dim blue lights washed over the band as they came out with a dark, cinematic presence. Their sound was both haunting and danceable, like stepping into a goth nightclub scene from a movie. They've been around since the mid-’80s, and their stage show reflected that experience, but their music didn’t feel dated at all. The crowd was locked in from the start, dancing to the pulsing bass and eerie synths that filled the room.
It wasn’t just the beats that made you want to move—the dark, haunting undertone was what really drew you in. Their blend of EBM and industrial influences felt timeless, with heavy bass and shadowy atmospherics. Tracks like "Flesh" and "Mambo Witch" were crowd favorites, with eerie melodies and driving rhythms that struck the perfect balance between aggression and danceability.
Marc Ickx, the vocalist, was a commanding presence on stage. During “Rigor Mortis,” he rose from the stage with his long jacket flipped over his head, tiny beams of light glowing from his gloves. It added to the strange, haunting atmosphere and theatricality.
I made a lap around the venue to check the sound during A Split-Second’s set, clutching my tiny notebook like some overzealous concert nerd. I’m not exactly sure when I became this person—taking notes at a concert—and I’m fully aware of how ridiculous it must look, maybe even a little pretentious. Little does anyone know, though, it’s full of illegible sideways cursive even I can't read. Stuff like: gritty vox, no bass, makeup in eyes, 7 string, free water, dancing crying drunk girl, snare drum, doomy/clanky, grumpy sound guy—It’s always fun trying to decode it the next day.
But there was no time for decoding now—it was time for the headliner, PIG. Despite the band's legendary status, this was my first time seeing them live. The Heroin for the Damned tour supports the 2023 album Red Room and the newly released Feast of Agony EP, but the set included tracks spanning the entire catalog. Kicking off with “Serial Killer Thriller” from the 1996 album Sinsation, one of their earlier and most influential tracks, the crowd pressed forward, eager to get as close to Raymond Watts as possible. The driving force behind PIG, Watts was joined by the multitalented and equally iconic En Esch (KMFDM), with Bradley Bills (Chant, Pigface) on drums and Steve White (KMFDM) on guitar.
The sound was exactly what you’d expect from PIG—heavy, with sharp guitars, and a driving, mechanical rhythm that kept the energy constant. Steve White’s guitar added a gritty edge to the electronic foundation, and Bradley Bills, still powering through after playing with unitcode:machine, kept the beats steady and precise, adding a live intensity that heightened the atmosphere.
As the set went on, I couldn’t help but notice how remarkable it is that one person can possess so much energy, effortlessly influencing the crowd. Watts commanded the room—a simple smirk or tilt of the mic stand, and the audience responded instantly. His presence wasn’t in-your-face or aggressive, but magnetic, almost mischievous. Lights illuminated him from below, giving him an otherworldly vibe, so I quickly scribbled in my notes, 'alien spotlight, big vibes.' The crowd hung on his every move, chanting along during 'Painiac,' where Watts held the mic stand out, letting them take over the lyrics.
The set, just over an hour, spanned much of PIG's catalog, including “Wrecked,” “Prey and Obey,” and “Leather Pig.” A highlight for longtime fans was their cover of KMFDM’s “Juke Joint Jezebel”—a nod to the current lineup's shared history.
As the crowd dispersed, Bre and I lingered in the back—her packing up her camera, me gathering my final thoughts and saying goodbye to familiar and new faces. The venue had been a pleasant surprise—not too big or fancy, but open and inviting. Nights like these remind me why I love doing this. Sure, tomorrow I’ll have to decode the gibberish I scribbled down and shape it into coherent sentences, but in the end, it’s about being part of something bigger—doing what lights up your brain and chasing it as far as you can, or something like that.
The Heroin for the Damned tour runs for six more weeks, and if you’re even remotely into industrial, darkwave, or EBM, it’s a show you don’t want to miss. Scroll down for upcoming tour dates.
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Links/ Tour info:
Upcoming Tour Dates:
Oct 9 – Eugene, OR @ John Henry’s
Oct 10 – Seattle, WA @ El Corazon
Oct 13 – Portland, OR @ Dante’s
Oct 15 – Sacramento, CA @ Starlit Room
Oct 16 – San Francisco, CA @ DNA Lounge
Oct 17 – San Diego, CA @ Whistle Stop
Oct 18 – Las Vegas, NV @ Sinwave
Oct 19 – Los Angeles, CA @ Catch One
Oct 20 – Scottsdale, AZ @ Pub Rock
Oct 21 – Albuquerque, NM @ Launchpad
Oct 23 – Oklahoma City, OK @ Ponyboy
Oct 24 – Dallas, TX @ Three Links
Oct 25 – San Antonio, TX @ Paper Tiger
Oct 26 – Austin, TX @ Elysium
Oct 27 – New Orleans, LA @ Santos
Oct 29 – Pensacola, FL @ Handlebar
Oct 30 – Orlando, FL @ Conduit
Nov 1 – West Palm Beach, FL @ Respectable Street
Nov 2 – Jacksonville, FL @ Underbelly
Nov 3 – Greenville, SC @ Radio Room
Nov 5 – Atlanta, GA @ Star Bar
Nov 6 – Richmond, VA @ Fallout
Nov 7 – Baltimore, MD @ Metro Baltimore
Nov 8 – New York, NY @ STIMULATE
Nov 9 – Wilmington, DE @ BAR XIII
Nov 10 – Millersville, PA @ Phantom Power
Nov 12 – Boston, MA @ Middle East
Nov 13 – Quebec City, QC @ L’Anti Bar
Nov 14 – Montreal, QC @ Cabaret Fous
Nov 15 – Toronto, ON @ Lee’s Palace
Nov 16 – Detroit, MI @ Smalls
Nov 17 – Cleveland, OH @ Beachland Tavern