Thursday, July 21, 2016

Ministry: at the church of industrial metal

Al Jourgensen, vocals, Ministry
Al Jourgensen, Ministry
One band that I somehow didn't ever expect to be lucky enough to see, let alone photograph, in person, live on stage: Ministry. And if I hadn't been at Chicago Open Air this weekend... who knows if that opportunity would come around. Read Al Jourgensen's autobiography, and know that he prefers being shut away in a studio making music to being on the road and on stage. Know that in 2008, Jourgensen disbanded the band, saying it was the end... but then reformed Ministry in 2011. Who knows what's coming next?

Ministry
Ministry, playing at Chicago Open Air
Heavy, heavy, industrial metal, Ministry, together with Friday's headliners Rammstein, rule the genre, with Jourgensen's band coming into existence about 12 years before the German group formed in Berlin.

Johnny Depp may say that he based his characterization of Jack Sparrow partly on Keith Richard, but today the movie character bears a far closer physical resemblance to Jourgensen, who also sports as many piercings as a pincushion, a pirate's cheeky smirk, and nips nimbly around the stage while playing some of the heaviest music you're likely to hear anywhere. A bit like the engine which powers some underground, dark-but-purposeful machine; the setlist included newer songs Hail To His Majesty (Peasants), Punch in the Face, and oldies such as LiesLiesLies, Just One Fix and The Missing.

Al Jourgensen, vocals, Ministry
Al Jourgensen, Ministry
Ministry are heading to Europe for more tour dates in August, back to the USA in September. Check their tour page for details,

Full photogallery: click here to go to the Ministry photogallery from Chicago Open Air.

Al Jourgensen, vocals, Ministry
Ministry

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