Ministry at Wax Trax! Show in NYC: See Photos of Throwback Set, Thrilled Fans | Revolver

Ministry at Wax Trax! Show in NYC: See Photos of Throwback Set, Thrilled Fans

Al Jourgensen dusted off 80s and 90s classics at celebratory Brooklyn event
ministry al jourgensen, Rose Callahan
photograph by Rose Callahan

To coincide with the Industrial Accident: The Story of Wax Trax! Records documentary film soundtrack launch, Wax Trax! partnered with Vans and Record Store Day to bring the Wax Trax! experience to six cities around the U.S. and Canada. A special Record Store Day 2019 edition of the soundtrack was released on April 13th and includes 10 unreleased tracks by essential Wax Trax! artists, including Ministry, Revolting Cocks, My Life With the Thrill Kill Kult, and others.

Following its Rooftop Films' debut at House of Vans Brooklyn last summer, Industrial Accident: The Story of Wax Trax! Records screened at Music Hall of Williamsburg on Monday, April 15th. Featuring performances by Cold Cave and Ministry, the event included a panel discussion with the filmmakers and two of the musicians interviewed in the film, Chris Connelly (Revolting Cocks, Ministry, Cocksure) and Groovie Mann (My Life With the Thrill Kill Kult).

Announced as a Wax Trax!-era set, Ministry's performance featured a thrilling selection of classic late Eighties and early-Ninties cuts (dubbed "doggie treats" by the band's founder, Al Jourgensen, who was clearly enjoying himself) from Land of Rape and Honey, Psalm 69 and The Mind Is a Terrible Thing to Taste. Long-time fans were also treated to "No Devotion," Revolting Cocks's first release on Wax Trax! in 1985 (the supergroup was a side-project of Richard 23 of Front 242, Luc van Acker and Jourgensen at the time), and "(Everyday Is) Halloween," with Connelly providing backing vocals alongside the current members of Ministry.

041519_4597.jpg, Rose Callahan
photograph by Rose Callahan
cold cave jolene-siana21.jpg, Jolene Siana
Cold Cave
photograph by Jolene Siana
041519_4741.jpg, Rose Callahan
photograph by Rose Callahan
ministry 041519_4923.jpg, Rose Callahan
photograph by Rose Callahan
ministry-jolene-siana-003.jpg, Jolene Siana
photograph by Jolene Siana
ministry 041519_5096.jpg, Rose Callahan
photograph by Rose Callahan
ministry 041519_5194.jpg, Rose Callahan
photograph by Rose Callahan
ministry 041519_5229.jpg, Rose Callahan
photograph by Rose Callahan
ministry-jolene-siana-006.jpg, Jolene Siana
photograph by Jolene Siana
ministry-jolene-siana-008.jpg, Jolene Siana
photograph by Jolene Siana
ministry-jolene-siana-005.jpg, Jolene Siana
photograph by Jolene Siana
ministry 041519_5364.jpg, Rose Callahan
photograph by Rose Callahan

Originally released by Wax Trax! in 1984 as a B-side to "All Day," "Halloween" was considered Ministry's "comeback" single following their departure from Arista Records. Jourgensen and his bandmates dusted off it live in late 2018 at a show in L.A. with Dave Navarro and Striker's Dan Cleary joining the group on acoustic guitar. While a recording of the song at a Toronto show in 1986 exists on a live album, it's a very rare treat to catch the song on any of Ministry's current set lists.

"Halloween" has been described as "a universal Goth anthem" and for many in attendance at the NYC event, it has likely remained as relevant as ever.

041519_4605.jpg, Rose Callahan
photograph by Rose Callahan
041519_4711.jpg, Rose Callahan
photograph by Rose Callahan
041519_4712.jpg, Rose Callahan
photograph by Rose Callahan
041519_4718.jpg, Rose Callahan
photograph by Rose Callahan
041519_4719.jpg, Rose Callahan
photograph by Rose Callahan
041519_4730.jpg, Rose Callahan
photograph by Rose Callahan
041519_4732.jpg, Rose Callahan
photograph by Rose Callahan

"(Everyday Is) Halloween" lyrics:
Well, I live with snakes and lizards
And other things that go bump in the night
'Cause to me everyday is Halloween
I have given up hiding and started to fight
I have started to fight

Well, any time, any place, anywhere that I go
All the people seem to stop and stare
They say, "Why are you dressed like it's Halloween?
You look so absurd, you look so obscene"

Ministry set list, April 15th, 2019:
The Missing
Deity
Stigmata
Jesus Built My Hotrod
Just One Fix
N.W.O.
Thieves
Burning Inside
So What
No Devotion
Supernaut
Land of Rape and Honey
(Everyday is) Halloween