From: an2531@anon.penet.fi (/dev/high)
Subject: Ministry review, SF
Organization: Anonymous contact service
X-Anonymously-To: rec.music.industrial
Date: Thu, 31 Dec 1992 00:42:36 GMT


X-Anon-To:rec.music.industrial

Yes indeed, I was quite the happy stoned camper at the
Ministry show this last Wednesday the 23rd of December
in San Francisco. And here is a quicky review for those
that care.

We intentionaly left late so that we would not have to
worry about traffic or Spatula, but we really screwed up!
We (just one friend and I) sat down in the WAY upper
bleachers like all good stoners should and commenced to
light up that fat thai stick J. I was only slightly bummed
to see that Helmet had already started, but then reality
hit and almost bummed my trip out - they had already been
playing for quite a while and we had only 3 songs to go!!

I had a chance to see them headline last time they cruised
thru, but did not feel like going on a weeknite for a band
with just one album (that I knew about), but now I really
wish I had saw them. Their sound was a fluid grunge that
was beautifully consistant, letting me mellowly bang my
head to a heavy beat. The live versions were recognizable
in my stupor, basically sticking to the style of the record
but with added bridges, adding a little bit of time to them -
or was my time sense just screwed up? Actually the songs
were longer, the extra bit nothing fancy, but much needed.

Now, the part of the nite that very nearly ruined my whole
high - the break between Helmet and Ministry was filled with
Hank Williams Sr. Straight, nothing else, loud, twangy, music
to commit suicide by. It was the worst experience ever. Has
anyone else had this happen with this tour? The crowd was
ready to riot, we were having our brains melted by this crap.
Al was desensitizing us to our concept of reality, all rational
thoughts can not exist in a state like this. Whatever pre-
conceived notions we had of the concert were smashed, we were
now zombies ready for the brainwashing.

Al's stage I am sure has been discussed here - very simple,
a couple of sheet size screens in the back changing pictures
every so often; the screen on top showing fuzzy trippy stuff.

If I remember some of the songs that were played I will try
to tell you, but I am not good with remembering names after
being so stoned. Mostly I will hilite the parts that I do
remember.

The beginning seemed like some kind of stew of misc new stuff,
I think there was NWO, the Scarecrow lyric with different music,
and damn, can't remember the others. It does not matter tho, it
was a rippen treat for me, very fast and furious.

So What - the hilite of the show for me. This version was a
stoner's dream song. A combo of Al does Pink Floyd - psychedelic
synth intertwined with grunge. The over head screen had purple
gelatinous blobs floating, crossed by bright blue horizontal lines;
later folled by a blue haze and other colors. The screen repeated
these types of visuals while the Floyd imitation was happening, then
would streak by fastly as the tempo went ballistic. The song would
stay slow, then speed up, then slow down, etc. An industrial type
of _Beyond the Realms of Death_ by Judas Priest.

Thieves - immediately followed _So What_. After _So What_ I was
still in a little zone so I did not really get off on this song -
which is really the song that got me into Ministry in the first
place.

Could someone help me on this one - Al says something about time
for the Revolting Cocks to do a Ministry song. Where someone (was
that Chris C?) sings _TV Song_. Fucking hard version at that, lyrics
just spewing out 90 miles per hour.

Just One Fix - Fuck. Best description of that song. Blinding strobe
lights on the stage made it impossible to look at them - not that
they ever really moved much. So I closed my eyes and still had
good visuals! I started seeing Mandelbrot sets on my eyelids. Great
colors and fast moving.

Scarecrow - my favorite song on the new album, second favorite at
this show. Songs that just repeat a grunge over and over are
incredible when stoned. Al gets bored with this one and quits early.

THE INCREDIBLE ENCORE: Kirk Hammett comes out for Suppernaut!!!
Great perk about living in the Bay Area :-) Kirk did his usual
just chillin' and playing, one cool lead tho.
Followed by _Suppernaut_ was _Breath_, which to me was a better
live song. Kirk needed help once in a while, but this kept it to
a nice consistent grunge, nothing fancy. The repetitiveness of
the lyrics is really trippy when stoned. Al and what's his name
trading off the "breathe" lyric, throwing in some "fuck"s here
and there.

Was it just me, or was the show short? Very worth it.
After the show found a rad shirt for $10. Black with Al and 2 others
on the back, with the dates of three shows. The front had the album
cover.


Enough bandwidth wasted for now, but one final question/suggestion:

Anyone pick up the Milk album: _Tantrum_? Great album, but would be
more considered your typical Seattle sound.

/dev/high

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