Acid Bath Performs Second Reunion Concert (Video)

Cult-favorite sludge metal pioneers Acid Bath performed their second reunion show of 2025 on April 30th, delivering what attendees described as a phenomenal performance at The Fillmore in New Orleans, Louisiana. Reports from the show highlighted the power of the band’s return, with particular praise lavished on frontman Dax Riggs, whose vocal delivery was noted as exceptionally strong and compelling throughout the night.

The band treated the enthusiastic crowd to a comprehensive setlist spanning their influential, albeit brief, recording career from the 1990s. The performance included iconic tracks such as “Tranquilized,” “Bleed Me an Ocean,” “Graveflower,” and “Dr. Seuss Is Dead.” Fans were also treated to “The Bones of Baby Dolls,” “New Death Sensation,” “Venus Blue,” and “Paegan Love Song.” Notably, the set included a rendition of “Dead Girl,” originally by Riggs‘ subsequent project Agents of Oblivion, and featured a poignant dedication of “Scream of the Butterfly” to Acid Bath‘s late original bassist, Audie Pitre, who tragically died in 1997.

This 2025 iteration of Acid Bath features original members Sammy “Pierre” Duet on guitar, Dax Riggs handling vocals, and Mike Sanchez on guitar and vocals. They are joined by a formidable new rhythm section consisting of drummer Zack Simmons, known for his work with Goatwh*re, and bassist Shane Wesley, whose credits include Crowbar among others.

While the reunion itself has excited fans, the reasons behind it add a layer of emotional weight. Speaking recently on the Tales From The Riff Podcast, guitarist Sammy Duet shed light on the catalyst for getting the band back together after decades of inactivity. He explained that an initial inquiry from the Sick New World festival, via Goatwh*re‘s booking agent Dan Rozenblum asking, “So what would it take to make this happen?“, set things in motion.

However, Duet emphasized that a more personal event played a crucial role: the passing in 2024 of their friend and former live keyboardist from the Pagan Terr*rism Tactics tour era, Tomas “Tommy” Viator.

“And we had recently had a passing of a very good friend of ours that was playing keyboards for us on the Pagan Terr*rism Tactics tour,” Duet shared on the podcast. “His name was Tommy Viator — better known as Tomas. And I think that had a big role to play in the situation, to where, you know, a lot of us aren’t going to be around forever, right?”

This reflection on mortality spurred a conversation between Duet and Riggs. “So… I had spoken to Dax about this, when we were talking about getting it back together, and I was like, you know, we need to do this before… I didn’t put it that way, but I just kind of hinted,” Duet recounted. The timing finally felt right. “And he was like, ‘maybe it’s time.’ And that’s how this whole thing kind of came into play.”

Given this poignant backstory and the passionate reception at their recent New Orleans show, Acid Bath‘s reunion offers fans a chance to reconnect with the band’s unique and enduring legacy, underscored by a reminder of the importance of seizing the moment.