Igorrr’s Long-Awaited Return Possesses New York’s Webster Hall
On October 16, Igorrr’s North American tour arrived at Webster Hall in New York City, with support from Violent Magic Orchestra and Secret Chiefs 3. It was the band’s first New York show since 2023, and for me, a long-awaited one.
I stumbled across Igorrr one night while doomscrolling Instagram and was instantly hooked. The video showed a raging mosh pit, one vocalist in full face paint, the other with blacked-out irises. Intense stage lights pulsed to a sound uniquely theirs: baroque and opera colliding head-on with death metal and EDM. It’s the kind of crazy mash-up that’s a neurodivergent’s delight, scratching an itch deep in your brain.
VIOLENT MAGIC ORCHESTRA
Osaka’s Violent Magic Orchestra, better known as VMO, kicked off the early evening show. Everyone but the vocalist wore corpse paint, a nod to the classic black metal bands whose names they borrow for their stage names. One member topped off the look with a headpiece resembling a porcupine’s quills.
Smoke filled the stage, the strobes began firing, and within seconds the room was transported into a violent, alternate universe. All this at 6:30pm on a Friday in NYC? Amazing.
My adrenaline was pumping the whole set. After three songs at the barricade, I made my way to the edge of the mosh pit, where I came face to face with the goth porcupine again. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a crowd this amped up for an opener. Toward the end of the set, one band member rallied a handful of guys to carry him around the floor on their shoulders. At some point, he ended up with a cold beverage in his hands, carefully taking sips while perched on his makeshift chariot.
If you’re a fan of techno and metal, VMO is for you. Start with DEATH RAVE, their aptly named 2024 album.
SECRET CHIEFS 3
Secret Chiefs 3 took the stage next. Their set was long, winding, experimental rock with the feel of a jam band. I didn’t recall hearing any vocals, and after the show I learned their music is mostly instrumental. The crowd thinned out a bit as people refilled drinks, took a smoke break, or just recharged after VMO’s chaotic set.
Despite the dramatic shift in genres, it was no coincidence why the band was on tonight’s bill. Guitarist Trey Spruance and violinist Timba Harris both appear on Igorrr’s “Blastbeat Falafel.” Igorrr mastermind Gautier Serre has said he and Spruance met at a show in Mesa, Arizona, and stayed up all night talking music over beers. Spruance would return later during the Igorrr set to play “Blastbeat Falafel” live.
IGORRR
The stage crew quickly changed over the stage for Igorrr. The left riser held Gautier Serre’s keyboard, mixing equipment, and miscellaneous instruments. On the other riser sat Rémi Serafino’s sprawling drum kit. Vocalist JB Le Bail appeared mysteriously in a hooded cloak, adorned with gold, ancient-looking jewelry. Vocalist Gerda Iguchi wore a green dress with matching gold jewelry. Rounding out the band was guitarist Martyn Clément.
Not even a minute into the first song, I was already entranced. Neither singer stayed at the front of the stage. They stepped in and out of the shadows to carry a verse or two, then disappeared again. Every movement and placement was precise and planned. It reminded me of Puscifer earlier this year, every last detail was intentional.
A show this theatrical can easily become too much, and fans will turn on a live act that feels over the top. That wasn’t the case tonight. When you pour that much of yourself into a project, it shows, and Igorrr kept the crowd engaged from start to finish. Half the packed room was headbanging while the other half was dancing.
If you’re looking for an introduction to this French project, spin their 2025 album Amen, which founding member Guatier Serre has called the darkest Igorrr record yet. Igorrr’s North American run wraps up in Toronto on October 20, followed by a handful of dates in the UK and Ireland to finish the year. In early 2027, the band heads to Australia, then mainland Europe in the spring.
iGORRR SETLIST
Webster Hall, New York (10/16/2026)
Daemoni
Spaghetti Forever
Nervous Waltz
Blastbeat Falafel (With Trey Spruance)
Downgrade Desert
ADHD
ieuD
Hollow Tree
Polyphonic Rust
Headbutt
Infestis
Pure Disproportionate Black and White Nihilism
Silence
Viande
Himalaya Massive Ritual
Very Now
Camel Dancefloor
Opus Brain
