Industrial music living legends Ministry played a set filled with classics at one of their final stops of their 2018 tour at the Fonda Theatre in Los Angeles. Not the least of which, was an acoustic performance of their early career masterpiece “(Every Day Is) Halloween” for the set finale, the first time in over thirty years. Lead singer/mastermind Al Jourgensen claimed before performing it that it was his first time performing the song live on stage ever, but setlist.fm appears to contradict that statement, indicating eleven performances of the song in the band’s early career, though not since 1987. Those present for the finale encore saw Jourgensen do an acoustic rendition of the spooky, counter culture cut joined by Chris Connelly and Jane’s Addiction guitarist Dave Navarro. The remaining crowd on hand that didn’t exit thinking the set was over were elated singing along with the song’s rhythmic vocal melody “bop / bop bop.”

 

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The set otherwise was divided into two sections, the first half the entirety of their outstanding new album AmeriKKKant, the second half a bevy of the band’s famous singles and hits. The first section particularly triumphed on its opening two cuts “Twilight Zone” and “Victims of a Clown,” both expertly decrying the evils of the Trump presidency and offering the best solution for counteracting it. A sample on “Victims of a Clown” proudly proclaims “You the people have the power / Let us all unite! / And in the name of democracy / let us use that power.” “Game Over” and “AmeriKKKa” ended that first half of the set strong with menacing weight and crunch.

For anyone familiar with the first ten years of Ministry’s career present, the second half of the set just got better and better and better as it went on. Starting with keyboards and drums only, Jourgensen maniacally danced along the stage singing the title track from The Land of Rape and Honey. Also from that album, next came the pulse pounding “The Missing” and freight train fury of “Deity.” The crossover smash “Stigmata” provided the enrapturing intensity that made them famous at the apex of the first wave of industrial music’s explosion.

The best from their flawless ‘90s album Psalm 69 delivered the most powerful moments of the evening. “Just One Fix” was apocalyptic in its full-on force while “N.W.O.” demonstrated the sheer genius at play in the song. The song’s hypnotic tapestry weaves ever outward as each new layer is added. The pummeling beat is punctuated by thrilling samples, just the right amount of lead guitar and even eventually, an ominous sample from the now recently deceased George H.W. Bush. The set proper ended with the metal onslaught of The Mind is a Terrible Thing to Taste cut “Thieves” and a dead-on rendition of “So What” featuring Chris Connelly on vocals.

No doubt about it after seeing this set—and after several turns where it appeared Jourgensen had planned to fully retire the band—Ministry is back with a vengeance. Once the most vital and innovative band in American music, now the band feels focused, aware of its vital past and deeply connected to making thrilling, inspired music.

Setlist

Twilight Zone
Victims of a Clown
TV5 / 4Chan
We’re Tired of It
Wargasm
Antifa
Game Over
AmeriKKKa
Missing
Deity
Stigmata
Just One Fix
N.W.O.
Thieves
So What
(Every Day Is) Halloween

All photos by Raymond Flotat