PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS + IRKED + LOWER SLAUGHTER – CHALK, BRIGHTON 3.4.25
Tonight’s gig kicks off a bit quieter due to the early doors, but it doesn’t take long for the venue to fill up, and by the time Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs take the stage, Chalk is absolutely buzzing.
First up were Lower Slaughter, a local four-piece I first saw earlier this year at the ‘Love Thy Neighbour Triptich’ event at The Hope & Ruin. (Review HERE).
Their set was heavy and frenzied, with fast, aggressive riffs that screamed hardcore. Raw and powerful, they conveyed anger and frustration in spades, with a high-energy performance that quickly got the crowd moving. The frontman set the tone early, with crowd and bar action that helped kickstart the night. You could tell the band treated this opening slot seriously, giving it their all, and the crowd responded with a solid round of applause.
Lower Slaughter:
Barney Wakefield – vocals
James Gardiner – bass
Jon Wood – guitar
Graham Hebson – drums
Lower Slaughter setlist:
‘Ox’ (unreleased)
‘Take A Seat’ (from 2024 ‘All The Day Long’ EP)
‘Motions’ (from 2024 ‘All The Day Long’ EP)
‘Bridge’ (unreleased)
‘Lights’ (unreleased)
‘Chips’ (unreleased)
‘Memories’ (unreleased)
Next were Irked, a Newcastle DIY punk supergroup led by Helen ‘Hells’, whose guttural vocals reminded me of Poly Styrene. Their fast-paced, in-your-face punk was all about short, punchy songs back-to-back, delivering political messages interspersed with a lot of friendly humour. One standout was their track ‘Settle Down’, a lighthearted take on getting older. Though their set was a bit samey at times, they were tight-knit and incredibly appreciative, thanking the sound guys for making them sound like a proper band. The crowd loved it, and they left the stage to cries for an encore.
Irked:
Helen ‘Hells’ Walkinshaw (vocals – she/they)
Mike Hill (bass – he/him)
Simon ‘Hub’ Hubbard (guitar – he/him)
Sean Kenny (guitar – he/him)
Zach McDade (drums – he/they)
Irked setlist:
‘Intro’ (unreleased)
‘Repeat Offender’ (unreleased)
‘Running’ (new version) (unreleased)
‘Move’ (from 2024 ‘Irked EP’ EP)
‘Settle Down’ (unreleased)
‘Who Asked?’ (unreleased)
‘F*ck Friday’ (from 2025 ‘The Hardest Man In Billingham’ EP)
‘Stabby’ (unreleased)
‘Gothic Mike (The ACP)’ (unreleased)
‘The Hardest Man In Billingham’ (from 2025 ‘The Hardest Man In Billingham’ EP)
‘Freak Pub’ (unreleased)
‘Crippling Empath’ (from 2024 ‘Irked EP’ EP)
‘Backstreets’ (from 2024 ‘Irked EP’ EP)
Finally, Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs hit the stage, celebrating the release of their fifth album ‘Death Hilarious’ which drops tomorrow, 4th April. Their set was a perfect blend of new tracks and old favourites. One of the highlights was ‘Blockage’, with its eerie, thrashy riffs that still hit hard. Going strong for over 12 years, PIGS x 7 continue to surprise and impress. It’s easy to forget just how good they are until you’re immersed in one of their live shows. Whether playing intimate venues like tonight or commanding large festival stages, (like when I saw them at ‘Glastonbury’ back in 2022 – Reviews HERE), they always bring their unique blend of intense psychedelic riffs and thunderous choruses.
Matt Batty, the band’s charismatic frontman, is known for his chaotic dance antics and immense stage presence. Throughout the show, he engaged the crowd, delivering a vibrant, raw, and honest performance. The intensity and brutal riffs were relentless, but they made time for some crowd interaction, including a funny chat after just two songs where they mused on the longevity of bands with five albums. Matt jokingly picked on Vengaboys, noting that they’ve played ‘Download’ festival but PIGS x 7 haven’t—setting a goal for next year.
Huge thanks to Love Thy Neighbour for putting on what was a great show.
Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs:
Matthew Baty – lead vocals (2012–present)
Sam Grant – guitar (2012–present)
Adam Ian Sykes – lead guitar (2012–present)
John-Michael Joseph Hedley – bass (2012–present)
Ewan Mackenzie – drums (2012–2017, 2022–present)
Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs setlist:
‘The Wyrm’ (from 2025 ‘Death Hilarious’ album)
‘Mr Medicine’ (from 2023 ‘Land Of Sleeper’ album)
‘Ultimate Hammer’ (from 2023 ‘Land Of Sleeper’ album)
‘Reducer’ (from 2020 ‘Viscerals’ album)
‘Carousel’ (from 2025 ‘Death Hilarious’ album)
‘Stitches’ (from 2025 ‘Death Hilarious’ album)
‘GNT’ (from 2018 ‘King Of Cowards’ album)
‘World Crust’ (from 2020 ‘Viscerals’ album)
‘Big Rig’ (from 2023 ‘Land Of Sleeper’ album)
‘Blockage’ (from 2025 ‘Death Hilarious’ album)
‘Collider’ (from 2025 ‘Death Hilarious’ album)
‘A66’ (from 2018 ‘King Of Cowards’ album)
(Outro tape) ‘Vengabus’ (Vengaboys song)
