Ministry, Melvins, and Corrosion of Conformity: A Tour For The Ages!

It has been a long touring hiatus for the three bands that graced the stage at New Haven’s College Street Music Hall but you would never know that. The bands performed high-energy sets that left fans drenched in sweat and wanting more.

Corrosion of Conformity hit the stage first. C.O.C. kicked the night off with a resounding jolt. Their brand of heavy alternative metal combined with the visual effects of heavy smoke and wild lighting warmed the crowd up as all good opening bands do, but better! The energy the band built up over their 2 year plus touring break seemed to be released all at once. Starting as a hardcore punk band in the early ’80s, C.O.C. has shaken up its lineup and sound over the years. They have settled into the metal community quite nicely much to the delight of heavy metal fans.

Melvins were up next and continued to keep the crowd fired up. Frontman/guitarist Buzz Osborne took the stage in what could be described as a wizard robe adorned with eyeballs peering forth. Perhaps the wizard robe is why their whole set was backdropped with a large projection of Agnes Moorehead as Endora, from the 60’s sitcom Bewitched. Certainly one of the oddest backdrops of any concert.

Osborne wandered the stage with his lucite guitar non-stop throughout their set. Bassist Steve McDonald seemed to be enjoying himself as he stroked pose after pose while laying down some killer bass lines. Dale Crover held things together with his rock-steady drumming and also seemed to be enjoying the return to touring. Formed in Washington in 1983, these “sludge rockers” have a hardcore following. They have put out numerous releases over the years but nothing compares to their live sets. Their intensity pulses through the crowd and is returned to the stage, firing up the band. It’s a circular flow of energy that has made them as popular as they are.

During the break between sets, a curious thing happened. Harkening back to earlier days of Ministry, a chain link fence was set up at the front of the stage. This was reminiscent of the famous scene in the movie The Blues Brothers when the band took the stage at the country and western bar, Bob’s Country Bunker. Fortunately, no bottles or debris were tossed at Ministry as happened in the movie. Before the band hit the stage, the lights fell and the backdrop was lit up with a projection stating “Ministry Stands With Ukraine”. Then came the moment all were waiting for!

Ministry is touring to celebrate 30 years of their release, “A Mind Is A Terrible Thing To Taste”. Fittingly, they hit the stage with a roar with a song from that release. Their ode to corporate greed and the raping of the Earth, “Breathe” brought the crowd to a frenzy that didn’t stop until they left the stage. Frontman Al Jourgensen stalked the stage like a caged animal and no doubt, he had felt like one throughout the pandemic. He’s known for not being fond of touring. However, when he hits the stage, one would never know.

Their set was filled with old and new songs but conspicuously absent was their smash hit, “Jesus Built My Hotrod”. With so many great songs in their repertoire, who can blame them for wanting to change things up a bit? At one point Al complimented the crowd as having been the best pit of the tour thus far. As fitting, they ended their main set with another great song from their anniversary release, the hard-driving “So What”.

The band left the stage and the fencing was removed. This gave a more intimate feel and brought things to the present. This was fitting because the 3 encore songs were from their latest release, “Moral Hygiene”. The show ended with a powerful cover of Iggy Pop’s “Search and Destroy” which is on the 2021 release. Written and recorded as the world was falling apart during one of the worst pandemics in history, Moral Hygiene is Al’s response to what was developing. It’s a call to arms so to speak, urging for folks to stand up and demand changes.

Ministry’s Industrial Strength Tour continues through to the middle of April. This is a heavy-hitting lineup of die-hard metal bands that you won’t want to miss! To see dates remaining, click HERE.