Ministry with Die Krupps and My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult at History

Ministry stopped in Toronto at History on a cool, gray Sunday evening for a concert that would warm the hearts of longtime fans, performing songs from their first two albums Twitch and With Sympathy. It was almost shocking when the band announced they were revisiting these albums which had previously been left for dead by Al Jourgensen. Tainted by the traumatic experiences of working for a major record label and fuelled by copious amounts of drugs, no one expected a tour dedicated to these buried treasures.

The evening was a time‑warp back to the ‘80’s and the early days of industrial-rock. The band tore through their earliest synth‑pop material with psychotic whimsy. The sold out crowd danced and undulated feverishly proving these tracks still had a strong impact four decades later. Revisiting the Squirrely years had everyone going nuts!

It was a visually stunning show as brightly hued lights blasted the stage with intensity while a large screen with animations for each song made for a stimulating backdrop. Most of the band members were wearing sequined jackets in a rainbow of colour, providing a glittery shimmer to the already dazzling display.

Highlights from the setlist were Here We Go with its catchy hooks. The electro industrial metallic beats of Over The Shoulder excited the audience and the room exploded when they busted out the long time fan favourite (Everyday Is) Halloween to close out the set. The encore included a cover of Fad Gadget’s song Ricky’s Hand which they released on their latest album, Hopiumforthemasses. They also pulled out a gem from Al’s side project Revolting Cocks. Turning Rod Stewart’s Do Ya Think I’m Sexy into a bouncy rave up.

Die Krupps and My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult opened the triple bill and provided a solid foundation for a night of pre‑internet industrial history.

Goth kids young and old, dressed in black and denim adorned with studs and chains revelled in the performance. For a few hours, fans were transported to a place pioneered by these artists. Paying tribute to their collective roots.

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Be sure to check out Live Nation Ontario to see all of the artists they’ll be bringing to Toronto.