SKINNY PUPPY / LEAN INTO GOLD 04.23.2023

May 3

Words and Photos By Maria A. Mata

Industrial metal pioneers Skinny Puppy took MGM Music hall by storm, as part of their 40 Year Anniversary Tour, joined on the road by Lead Into Gold.

It was a goth celebration down in Fenway, with a fascinating crowd in stunning outfits making their way to the doors. Experimental band Lead Into Gold kicked the evening off, taking the stage in a blue haze. Many fans were excited to see the duo, as the side project of Ministry’s former bassist Paul Barker; they were able to experience several tracks off their latest album, The Eternal Present, released just a few days earlier. The duo’s heavy synth/dance influence was the perfect balance to ease into the rest of the night.

As Skinny Puppy’s setup started taking shape, many bits of iconic imagery popped up everywhere, with an intriguing structure with a curtain right in the middle. The lights went down and the band started to slowly emerge from the darkness, with frontman Nivek Ogre’s shadowy figure controting from behind the white curtain. He would slowly make his way out, as if he was a beast trying to escape. “Rodent” saw him come out in a black cloak, menacingly making his way towards the edge of the stage, revealing a large alien head shortly after.

The band’s performance was stripped down, in comparison to their wild stage antics in the past. Regardless of the simplicity, the theatrics were still there, as the audience followed a strange figure that kept torturing Ogre throughout the rest of the show. Skinny Puppy’s 40 year career was reflected across the set; from “Worlock” to “worlin”, their impressive catalog was celebrated on what will be their final tour. Many in the audience were seen taking up space, dancing and having a great time, with others just silently watching and taking the show in.

Nivek Ogre would come out without the costume towards the end, giving a heartfelt speech full of gratitude towards the fans who, in his own words, made their long lasting career possible. The crushing “Assimilate” and “Candle” brought the evening to a close, a worthy display of the immense legacy that Skinny Puppy has left for decades to come.

LEAN INTO GOLD