Ministry “Stigmata (Remix)” b/w “Tonight We Murder” 1988. 12″ single. Last night we saw Ministry at Turner Hall where they did NOT play “Stigmata,” instead focusing mostly on more recent material which skews toward the speed metal edge of industrial metal. I hate to say it, but I was pretty bored (even employing my unfortunate superpower of being able to fall asleep in very loud, very crowded places). I get – and appreciate – musicians’ desires to introduce fans to evolving sounds and new artistry, but when over half the audience is hovering just below or above the age of card-carrying AARP members, please please play some of the old stuff. (At least they played “Thieves,” so that was cool.) Al Jourgensen, who turns 60 later this year, is still kicking hard and angry, railing against everyone and everything, especially the current political scene as evidenced by the nihilistic video loops and the two enormous inflatable anti-Trump ducks that framed the stage.

Opening for Ministry were The God Bombs from New York, young and traditional industrialists whose sound better matched old Ministry than new Ministry. After their set, Joe made the observation that The God Bombs opening for Ministry was akin to 1980′s Stray Cats opening for 1950′s Carl Perkins (I’m not sure that ever really happened) in that there is a 30 year difference in the emergence and popularity of the genres and it’s also the approximate age variant between the performers. Which made us and our friends feel really fucking old.

Also performing before Ministry was Chelsea Wolfe, who I guess is a big deal (her track “Feral Love“ was featured in the trailers for the fourth season of Game of Thrones). Super-heavy ambient goth, like Cocteau Twins wearing 100 pound cement boots.