Review - 4/8/08 Marquee Theatre, Tempe, AZ

Discussion
1

I showed up at Marquee 10 minutes before Ministry took the stage (intentionally), so there’ll be no Meshuggah or Hemlock reviews. [:|]

Set list:

Let’s Go
The Dick Song
Watch Yourself
Life Is Good
The Last Sucker
No W
Waiting
Worthless
Wrong
Rio Grande Blood
Señor Peligro
Lies Lies Lies
Khyber Pass
So What
NWO
Just One Fix
Thieves
Roadhouse Blues
Just Got Paid
Under My Thumb

Some song reviews:

Let’s Go - works as a good opener, actually. Lots of intensity, and it energized the crowd right away.

Watch Yourself - my favorite TLS track, and it sounded good live. The live drums seemed to ‘legitimize’ the TLS songs, if that makes any sense.

Worthless - the only Houses song that sounded good last night.

So What - not the best live version, but a welcome relief after the main set. Al on vox

Just One Fix - Burton Bell does a serviceable job on vocals, but I felt a little jipped not hearing Al sing it

Thieves - again, not the best version, but I’ll take what I can get from the “old” songs. Al and Burton share vocals.

No W/Waiting/Wrong - No W is one of my favorite Houses songs, but it was a complete mess last night. Don’t know if it was the mix, but the drums seemed to drown out everything. Waiting was uninspired, and Wrong just isn’t very good when performed live.

Khyber Pass - I was bored, and forgot how cheesy those Bin Laden lyrics are.

Overall thoughts:

I felt like I got some sort of closure on Ministry last night. It was like going to a wake to see your dead friend’s corpse in the casket. The Ministry I once knew is gone, replaced by a cover band full of metalheads. I knew what to expect, but felt I had to be there to see it. I think the TLS songs are better served with live drums, but that doesn’t make them good songs.

The “old” songs felt a bit like a backhanded compliment to the fans…sort of like Al saying, ‘Here’s your classics you so desperately want to hear, hope you like how we play them now’. He obviously uses the line “We’re gonna play some old ones now” as a device to keep the fans interested, because after the TLS songs, people were already shouting for the old songs. Of course, he followed that comment with, “Well, they’re not that old…” You could almost feel the impatience and disappointment growing as the Bush Trilogy plodded on. I was looking around the crowd, and could see the confusion and disappointment on some people’s faces, it was alarming to witness.

The crowd itself was generally loud and pretty crazy, and seemed to surprise Al and Burton (unless they scripted to acknowledge that every night). Kudos for the enthusiasm, but it was also the biggest pack of scumbags I’ve ever been around at a concert. I almost felt like I didn’t belong there. It was a smorgasbord of dirty, smelly, unshaven butt rock white trash, wannabe Aryan skinhead Hitler youths, and hairy, heavily-bearded metalhead burnouts. I was pissed off by all the a-holes who would just plow through the crowd with no manners whatsoever. I realize we’re not at a freakin’ etiqutte class, but there’s a way to walk around people if you want to make your way to front. I had a seemingly non-stop parade of jerk-offs forcing their smelly asses forward by slamming shoulders, stepping on feet, and parting people like the Red Sea. I won’t miss being around those fans anymore.

The end of the show was interesting. Once Ministry came back on stage for Encore 2 and announced they were a ‘cover band’ ("…like your local cover band that plays down the street at Bennigans", says Al. Uh, what?), some people started leaving . When Burton announced Under My Thumb, a guy behind me yelled out “Lame!”. I turned around just as he was flipping off the band, yelling “Fuck you”, and then walked out the door. I saw looks of confusion and disbelief on people’s faces while the band played that embarrassing ZZ Top song. When the lights came on, you could hear people groan as if they were asking a question, like “what, that’s it?” I felt exactly like I thought I’d feel - disappointed, yet relieved I won’t have to subject myself to this again.

It wasn’t the worst concert I’ve ever seen, but it was the most disappointed I’ve felt at a Ministry show. The set list, the second-rate performance, the pigheaded fans, it was more like a rowdy Friday night kegger than a farewell show. It was odd watching Al hug everybody at the end, as if they’d all been in Ministry for the past 27 years.

The second half of the show made me feel like I was watching a Ministry cover band, with special guest Al Jourgensen. The fence constantly reminded me of the show in '90, but the absence of Barker, Connelly, Rieflin, and Ogre was telling. Filling the main set with nothing but the Bush Trilogy is a really bad move. Just seems like Al wants to make some sort of self-righteous statement by clogging the main set with those songs. The set list felt incomplete with all the albums they ignored. But, it’s Al’s farewell tour, and he’s going out on his terms, so screw me if I don’t like it. So, anyway, that’s my verbose review of last night’s show.

3/10

1002

2

Thanks, worst Ministry show had to be when they came out at the Vic forever late and played 40 minutes right before the Dark Side tour.

So even if its all new crap, I won’t have to wait for 2 hours to see Al smash thorugh 40 minutes.

3

Wow that concert sounds like total shit.

4

Tenohtwo, the most detailed review on the show I have read (and honest) - thank you for posting. So, would you say, most people in attendance was expecting older songs (I figure so as they were chanting for it)? Would you say most people in attendance were familiar with the new material or not? If so, then they are obviously not Ministry fans (!!).

5

thanks 1002.

welp, i’m not going to go the the ATL show. that is unless i’m going to get a free ticket. my buddy keeps saying “are we gonna go to ministry?”, last time he asked i thought eh, why not.

now - fuck it.

rev, you going to go?

6

Yeah, I bought my tickets a month ago.
Ah well. Th old lady’s always looking for an excuse to hit the town, so this’ll do.
On the other hand, she doesn’t care for Ministry’s newer material at all…

7

…Damn.

8

That sucks. The Marquee is great, though. NIN in '05 was amazing.

9

Tenohtwo, the most detailed review on the show I have read (and honest) - thank you for posting. So, would you say, most people in attendance was expecting older songs (I figure so as they were chanting for it)? Would you say most people in attendance were familiar with the new material or not? If so, then they are obviously not Ministry fans (!!).

I got the impression that the older fans were in the minority this time (most of whom stayed towards the back of the theatre). A lot of people appeared to know the Last Sucker material, too. It was a very ‘metal’ crowd and show, moreso than two years ago. It seemed like everyone around me was headbanging and throwing up the devil horns. The atmosphere was just strange last night, like I’d accidentally shown up at a Headbanger’s Ball tour. Al did two things I’ve never seen him do before - got the fans to clap in unison (not unlike Dave Gahan from Depeche Mode), and then motioned the fans to light their lighters (and it was more lighters than cellphones!) during Kyber Pass. It made me feel like I was at a Motley Crue concert in the 80’s, as if the band was about to break out “Home Sweet Home”! It was bizarre.

Most of the sour looks that I saw came from the back where I was standing. Those people were also the ones either standing with their arms folded, or leaving early. When the guy standing behind me yelled at the band and left, it felt like he was speaking up for the old fans. Ministry didn’t exactly get booed off the stage, I mean most of the crowd had a great time, but almost in a ‘we don’t know any better, we’re just here to rawk out’ way. I can only imagine what the older crowd was thinking as Ministry finished the Bush trilogy, and Al said “gooood niiiight” through his Cookie Monster effected mic, then left the stage (before the encores). It just didn’t feel like a ‘final’ Ministry show, which makes me wonder. I wouldn’t put it past Al to change his mind and bring Ministry back one last time, but at this point, I don’t want to see it happen.

If last night’s show was a movie, imagine watching all of Godfather III, followed by highlights of Godfather II, but nothing from The Godfather.

1002

10

If last night’s show was a movie, imagine watching all of Godfather III, followed by highlights of Godfather II, but nothing from The Godfather.

1002

That’s the best comparison I’ve heard.

11

Thanks for the review.

I’ll be at the May 2nd show…basically the crowd I expect is the one 1002 is describing. Although once you have seen Slayer at Roseland in NYC, nothing surprises me. Irving Plaza which I suggested to Angie is a very small venue. I just saw Alan Parsons last week and it wasn’t that crowded…mine you a MUCH older crowd too. I’ve seen KMFDM at this venue and it’s gonna be a fuckin’ hot & sweaty night. I’m hoping the VIP will get me up top and to the right…At least I won’t have drunken fools breathing down my neck!

I was listening to the unlistenable bootleg off of Dime and let’s go does sound intense. I’m looking forward to the show.

12

yeah, i actually bought tickets to three shows based on the “farewell tour spanning Ministry’s catalog”. It’s pretty ridiculous that the “special guests” have been playing songs Ministry always used to play anyway. Where the hell are Burning Inside, Land of Rape and Honey, anything off Filth Pig, Dark Side, or Animositisomina, What About Us, etc… I like the last 3 albums, but i will be pissed if i go to all 3 shows for the exact same setlist. btw, i’ll be in NYC on the 2nd as well.
good to see some honesty here, at the piss army they would have just said “i have no idea what was played, but it was the best concert ever and my gift bag was well worth the extra $75”.

13

hrm. funny. it seems i felt almost the same way about the LAST ministry tour.

i was in Chicago for 2 (3?) shows because a bunch of my friends were there as well. i was apprehensive about “revco”, but they turned out great live. mysfyt and i didn’t even really watch the ministry set. we kinda milled around by the merch booth and listened to a ton of songs we could barely recognize. and we drank. to help kill the pain of what wasn’t happening, which was us getting totally fucking into the set.

still going though, i’ve committed too many resources already to back out now

14

hrm. funny. it seems i felt almost the same way about the LAST ministry tour.

i was in Chicago for 2 (3?) shows because a bunch of my friends were there as well. i was apprehensive about “revco”, but they turned out great live.

Best part of those days was hanging with you, the wife and Afra and a whole bunch of peeps in the hotel room :slight_smile:

good times.

And Revco fuckin ruled both nights.

16

I I felt like I got some sort of closure on Ministry last night. It was like going to a wake to see your dead friend’s corpse in the casket. The Ministry I once knew is gone, replaced by a cover band full of metalheads. I knew what to expect, but felt I had to be there to see it.

That’s exactly how I feel. It’s a sense of closure, a crappy sense, but closure regardless. I almost wish I hadn’t seen Ministry when they were great, since that will forever be the bar at which they are set.

I’m also expecting the same bunch of metalheads for the show in Montreal. Especially with Meshuggah opening. I’ll be one of the fans at the back of the club, or maybe up in the balcony looking on…

17

Thanks for the review.

I’ll be at the May 2nd show…basically the crowd I expect is the one 1002 is describing. Although once you have seen Slayer at Roseland in NYC, nothing surprises me. Irving Plaza which I suggested to Angie is a very small venue. I just saw Alan Parsons last week and it wasn’t that crowded…mine you a MUCH older crowd too. I’ve seen KMFDM at this venue and it’s gonna be a fuckin’ hot & sweaty night. I’m hoping the VIP will get me up top and to the right…At least I won’t have drunken fools breathing down my neck!

I was listening to the unlistenable bootleg off of Dime and let’s go does sound intense. I’m looking forward to the show.

good luck with getting to the right side balcony. once you are in you’ll find out that all but 2(??) tables in the back are reserved for schmucks that never show up anyway or worse do show up but don’t give a shit. Irving plaza is nothing but a menace of a venue. there are so many better places to play in nyc. why irving?!

18

I have to agree about the type of people that show up to Ministry concerts these days. I did not enjoy being around the people at all at the concert last year. I remember there was some old drunk redneckish looking guy with a beer gut that was near me. While we were waiting for the encore I heard him yell out in his Texas redneck voice, “SANG INTO THAT GOAT HEAD ONE MORE TIMEEEEEEEEEE!” I much prefered the days when there were nothing but goths and weirdos with mohawk sat the concerts.

Omfg, that is hilarious. I have the most awesome mental image right now.

19

[reply]I have to agree about the type of people that show up to Ministry concerts these days. I did not enjoy being around the people at all at the concert last year. I remember there was some old drunk redneckish looking guy with a beer gut that was near me. While we were waiting for the encore I heard him yell out in his Texas redneck voice, “SANG INTO THAT GOAT HEAD ONE MORE TIMEEEEEEEEEE!” I much prefered the days when there were nothing but goths and weirdos with mohawk sat the concerts.

Omfg, that is hilarious. I have the most awesome mental image right now.[/reply]

Plaaay suuum skynard!!!

20

i also d/l’ed the boot from the 4/5/08 show.

it’s funny as the taper says the show ranges from tolerable to unlistenable. haha but he meant the audio quality! ZING!

at the end of the show this guy near the taper can be heard saying, after sitting through those terrible covers, something like “WHAT? NO STIGMATA? NO JBMHR?” i felt bad for him that no one had warned him. i knew how he felt.

other things bothered me. burton yelling “SAY GOODBYE TO MINISTRAY!!” “SAY GOODBYE TO UNCLE AL!!!” there is a part where al is all “whoa, look who that is! looks who’s walking out on stage! it’s burton c bell from fear factory! he’s gonna sing some old shit. i’m too old to sing it, but he’s awesome.” them referring to themselves as a cover band was ghey as well, because it hurt on multiple levels.

glad i caught the '03 tour 3 times. this tour is just making me sad.

21

[reply]
why irving?!

I believe it’s a cheaper venue. Also, if I remember correctly, Angie wanted a different place to play besides bb’s & Roseland. I think the Nokia theatre was also looked at but I guess it didn’t pan out.