Concert Review: Ministry, Melvins, Corrosion of Conformity at Emo’s, Austin: ‘Industrial Strength’ tour pulverizes rabid crowd.
The last time I was at a concert was January of 2020. I have avoided shows since COVID reared its ugly head. And even once lockdown was eased up and bands began touring again, I was still reticent to check out a show.
But when I heard about the Industrial Strength tour, featuring Corrosion of Conformity, Melvins and Ministry, how could I resist? A triple bill like that is not to be missed.
The pre-show atmosphere at Emo’s was charged with anticipation, especially given this tour had already been postponed a few times.
I got the feeling I wasn’t the only one who had emerged from their cocoon, and while the crowd was mostly old timers like me, there was also a healthy assortment of younger kids, and a more diverse crowd than you might expect, which was great to see.
COC kicked things off with their patented gnarled stomp, the Pepper Keenan fronted outfit leaning largely on their 90s crossover output. The singer/guitarist was in fine form throughout, flanked by founding member and bassist Mike Dean (who sounded amazing despite some guitar strap issues), lead guitarist Woody Weatherman, and drummer John Green.
They ripped through a short but sweet set, with their unique mix of hardcore, sludge and Southern rock, highlighted by deep cuts like Paranoid Opioid and The Door, along with rock radio hits Albatross and Clean My Wounds.
The sludge metal continued with cult icons the Melvins, and the power trio brought their trademark weird humor to the proceedings, with a backdrop featuring a blown up portrait of Endora (Agnes Moorehead) from Bewitched, with the band taking the stage to the Sanford and Son theme.
The group looked resplendent in what I’m calling “cult leader chic.” Bassist Steve McDonald wore a flowing, bright white ensemble, while guitarist /vocalist King Buzzo wore a cosmic flecked tunic. Both members prowled and stomped across the stage, buoyed by the relentless heaviness they cranked out their amps, all while drummer Dale Crover proved he’s one of the all-time greats.
The group roared through a bevy of their classic tracks, opening with the appropriately titled Kicking Machine, along with other choice selections, including guttural classic It’s Shoved (off their seminal 1991 release Bullhead), the deep churn of Queen, and a cover of Charlie (from McDonald’s other group Redd Kross).
The group also included a new cut, Never Say Your Sorry, from their recent EP, Lord of the Flies, which went over with crowd just as well as their classic material.
The band saved the best for last when they were joined by Ministry drummer Roy Mayorga, offering dual drummer bliss on both Hooch and Honey Bucket off their ’93 major label debut Houdini. It was a deafening reminder that they remain one of the heaviest and uncompromising rock bands around.
Shortly thereafter, Ministry took the stage after voicing their solidarity with (and playing the national anthem of) Ukraine. This tour celebrates the delayed 30th anniversary of their 1989 industrial metal classic The Mind Is A Terrible Thing To Taste, and they kicked off with album track Breathe, creating an oppressive mood that made the crowd stand at attention.
The band, separated from the audience by a chainlink fence (in a nod to their 80s stage setup) blasted out a barrage of their most notable work. In addition to select tracks from Mind (Burning Inside, Thieves, So What), frontman Al Jourgensen and co. led the audience through a deep dive of their discography, introducing each song with a bit of trivia.
This trip down memory lane included nods to Jourgensen’s various Ministry-adjacent side projects including 1000 Homo DJ’s cover of Black Sabbath’s Supernaut, and Don’t Stand In Line and Man Should Surrender from Pailhead, his collaboration with Fugazi’s Ian McKaye.
Jourgensen’s latest lineup of the band (guitarists Monte Pittman and Caesar Soto, bassist Paul D’Amour, the aforementioned Mayorga) was in fine form , plowing through The Land Of Rape and Honey numbers The Missing and Stigmata and Psalm 69’s alternative classic NWO and Just One Fix, all of which whipped the crowd into a frenzied pit, which rarely slowed down the entire show.
The group’s encore featured three selections off their excellent 2021 release Moral Hygiene, including Good Trouble, a tribute to late civil rights activist and politician John Lewis, which continues Ministry’s unabashed embracement of progressive politics, offering a much needed message of hope during these dystopian times.
The band closed with a cover of The Stooges’ Seek and Destroy, with Jourgensen flashing a beaming smile as he expressed fondness for a town he called home during the 90s.
I wore ear plugs, but my ears are still ringing. That’s how you know you’ve seen a triple bill of three of the most gloriously loud bands around. Industrial strength, indeed. It was a fabulous rude awakening from being in hibernation for far too long.
Ministry Setlist:
Breathe
The Missing
Deity
Stigmata
Supernaut
(Black Sabbath cover)
Don’t Stand in Line
(Pailhead cover)
Man Should Surrender
(Pailhead cover)
Burning Inside
N.W.O.
Just One Fix
Thieves
So What
Encore:
Alert Level
Good Trouble
Search and Destroy
(Iggy and The Stooges cover)
Melvins setlist:
The Kicking Machine
It’s Shoved
Anaconda
Queen
Charlie
(Redd Kross cover)
Billy Fish
Civilized Worm
Never Say You’re Sorry
Evil New War God
Hooch
(with Roy Mayorga)
Honey Bucket
(with Roy Mayorga)
The Bit
COC setlist:
Bottom Feeder (El que come abajo)
Paranoid Opioid
Shake Like You
Diablo Blvd.
The Door
Vote With a Bullet
Wiseblood
Albatross
Who’s Got the Fire
Clean My Wounds
Dude I really appreciate you taking the time to leave this review. I felt the exact same way as you, it was like going to my first concert again after not been to a show for two years. I wish I could relive it nightly. Ministry is one of my all-time favorite bands and I’ve seen the Melvins many times but something about Sunday night was very special. Thank you so much for creating that setlist which help me add those Melvins songs to my library. I really appreciate it!
Matt, it’s my pleasure! I had a feeling this was a lot of people’s comeback show. It just felt extra vibrant and celebratory. Glad you had as much as I did!