Ministry
19 July 2008 - Tripod, Dublin
By Paddy Walsh
So here it is – the last sucker – in more than name, as tonight we’re presented with Ministry’s final gig. Ever. Progenies of thumping, seiminal industrial metal whose legacy can still be heard ringing loudly in everything from Rammstein to Red Harvest. Anthemic stompers such as ‘Thieves’ and ‘Just One Fix’ have sealed their legendary status, and they will be sorely missed. It’s hard to believe that this is their swansong, and indeed Ministry go out in style tonight, as their raucous, politically soaked anthems wash over the sizeable throng amassed in Dublin’s Tripod.
Yet bizarrely, Ministry begin by treading water, setlist-wise that is. Al Jourgensson emerges behind a large chickenwire fence, separating him from the audience, his trademark Stetson and mic-stand resplendent in its antlery glory. He is flanked by his assembled bandmates, most noticeably the ever gurning figure of Prong’s Tommy Victor on guitar. 3 cuts from The Last Sucker open proceedings, best of all being ‘Let’s Go’. The Last Sucker is easily the least interesting of Ministry’s trio of anti-Bush tirades, and it’s a little disconcerting that they chose to open their finale in such a tepid fashion. Luckily, however, ‘No W’ heralds a batch of Houses of the Mole material and things suddenly erupt, both onstage and off. ‘Waiting’ and ‘Worthless’ are both up there with Ministry’s best, and things only get better as ‘Rio Grande Blood’, ‘Senor Pelegro’ and ‘Lies Lies Lies’ puncture the air. The latter is the apex of the night’s first half, as the greatest ‘9/11 was a conspiracy’ rant ever literally flattens an all too receptive crowd.
Ministry’s pot-shot at Bush Snr soon emerges as the steamroller riffs ‘n samples of ‘N.W.O.’ fly off the stage. By now the relentless strobes, menacing background imagery and aforementioned wire meshing give the impression that one is participating in a sort of metal rave, and it’s hard to know whether moshing or dancing would be more appropriate. Al’s voice is as abrasive and threatening as you’d want, and Tommy Victor stomps around the stage looking worryingly unhinged. ‘Just One Fix’, surely the highlight of the evening, has a riff that the likes of Rammstein have been basing their entire careers on for years. The figure of William Burroughs looms above the stage, and from here on in the whole thing is a treat. ‘Thieves’ rolls out of the speakers at full force, and the band close with a storming rendition of ‘What a Wonderful World’. People have decried the emphasis on their last 3 albums, as well as the omission of anything from Filth Pig, The Dark Side of the Spoon, or even their fantastic breakthrough album The Land of Rape and Honey. This may have been somewhat of a glaring oversight on their part, being as it was their last show and everything, but when they did pull out the big guns it was tantamount to a revelation. The world needs bands like Ministry to be a razor sharp thorn in the side of conservatism, and one of the few bands who truly exuded the kind of punk ethic that’s bandied about by so many but actually lived by so few.
19 July 2008 - Tripod, Dublin
By Paddy Walsh
So here it is – the last sucker – in more than name, as tonight we’re presented with Ministry’s final gig. Ever. Progenies of thumping, seiminal industrial metal whose legacy can still be heard ringing loudly in everything from Rammstein to Red Harvest. Anthemic stompers such as ‘Thieves’ and ‘Just One Fix’ have sealed their legendary status, and they will be sorely missed. It’s hard to believe that this is their swansong, and indeed Ministry go out in style tonight, as their raucous, politically soaked anthems wash over the sizeable throng amassed in Dublin’s Tripod.
Yet bizarrely, Ministry begin by treading water, setlist-wise that is. Al Jourgensson emerges behind a large chickenwire fence, separating him from the audience, his trademark Stetson and mic-stand resplendent in its antlery glory. He is flanked by his assembled bandmates, most noticeably the ever gurning figure of Prong’s Tommy Victor on guitar. 3 cuts from The Last Sucker open proceedings, best of all being ‘Let’s Go’. The Last Sucker is easily the least interesting of Ministry’s trio of anti-Bush tirades, and it’s a little disconcerting that they chose to open their finale in such a tepid fashion. Luckily, however, ‘No W’ heralds a batch of Houses of the Mole material and things suddenly erupt, both onstage and off. ‘Waiting’ and ‘Worthless’ are both up there with Ministry’s best, and things only get better as ‘Rio Grande Blood’, ‘Senor Pelegro’ and ‘Lies Lies Lies’ puncture the air. The latter is the apex of the night’s first half, as the greatest ‘9/11 was a conspiracy’ rant ever literally flattens an all too receptive crowd.
Ministry’s pot-shot at Bush Snr soon emerges as the steamroller riffs ‘n samples of ‘N.W.O.’ fly off the stage. By now the relentless strobes, menacing background imagery and aforementioned wire meshing give the impression that one is participating in a sort of metal rave, and it’s hard to know whether moshing or dancing would be more appropriate. Al’s voice is as abrasive and threatening as you’d want, and Tommy Victor stomps around the stage looking worryingly unhinged. ‘Just One Fix’, surely the highlight of the evening, has a riff that the likes of Rammstein have been basing their entire careers on for years. The figure of William Burroughs looms above the stage, and from here on in the whole thing is a treat. ‘Thieves’ rolls out of the speakers at full force, and the band close with a storming rendition of ‘What a Wonderful World’. People have decried the emphasis on their last 3 albums, as well as the omission of anything from Filth Pig, The Dark Side of the Spoon, or even their fantastic breakthrough album The Land of Rape and Honey. This may have been somewhat of a glaring oversight on their part, being as it was their last show and everything, but when they did pull out the big guns it was tantamount to a revelation. The world needs bands like Ministry to be a razor sharp thorn in the side of conservatism, and one of the few bands who truly exuded the kind of punk ethic that’s bandied about by so many but actually lived by so few.
