The sign says everything you need to know. You’ll know you’re in the right place when you see Lemmy’s face staring back at you. If you take a walk down Washington Street in Denver to the E 13th Avenue intersection, the past is what you’ll find. By manually spinning them, the kids could hear disembodied sounds from the past hinting at “Tomorrow-Morrow Land.” There is no electricity in Mad Max’s dystopian future, but there are records. What exactly was the “sonic”? It was a record. Those are the words spoken by Mad Max to the kids waiting for the return of Captain Walker in the 1985 film Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome. “In that context, it’s pretty cool.“They had videos, and they had the ‘sonic’.” “It’s important to understand it in the context of what it meant then and what it still means now thirty-five years later,” he continued during the rare look back. “What’d you guys think of that movie? It’s pretty creepy for me to watch it,” said Jourgensen of Industrial Accident and his place in it.

Ultimately, the evening ended with the almost shocking selection of an acoustic take on Ministry’s “(Everyday is) Halloween,” a song Jourgensen began performing again in December for the first time in decades following it’s 1984 release. Saturday night, Connelly surprised fans by joining the group on stage, assisting with vocals on “Burning Inside” and “So What.”Ĭonnelly stayed on for the encore, opening with a Wax Trax! era appropriate performance of “No Devotion,” by Ministry offshoot Revolting Cocks. That particular era is a favorite amongst long time fans, having featured members like Paul Barker and Chris Connelly alongside Jourgensen. “This song is one we haven’t done in such a long time.”įrom the group’s 1989 album The Mind is a Terrible Thing to Taste, “Burning Inside” was reportedly last performed by the group in 2003. “We have something so deep dish for you,” joked Jourgensen in Chicago. In their nearly forty years, Ministry has been defined by turnover in the group’s ranks, with Jourgensen consistently surrounding himself with new members, pushing things forward in a steadfast refusal to look back, making Saturday's Record Store Day set something of a rarity. “We haven’t done this one in about twenty years,” remarked Jourgensen heading into a rare performance of “Jesus Built My Hotrod.” It was here the show hit its stride, continuing with some of Ministry's biggest hits in “Just One Fix” and “N.W.O.” next. Saturday’s set opened with “The Missing,” moving into “Stigmata” soon after. On this tour, Ministry has focused primarily on the 80s and 90s, going out of their way to incorporate songs they haven’t performed in decades. “We figure we’ll play a lot of old s-t for ya.” “Well, obviously this is a cool vibe here with the whole Wax Trax! thing,” said frontman Al Jourgensen early in Saturday’s special Record Store Day set. Record Store Day - Saturday, ApPhoto by Barry Brecheisen (Left to right) Sin Quirin and Al Jourgensen of Ministry on stage at House of Vans in Chicago. Having formed in Chicago in 1981, with release of their first single by Wax Trax! that same year, Ministry is the perfect choice for this tour, with the Windy City a logical starting point. Fans can also RSVP for first come, first served general admission spots HERE.

Partnering with independent record stores in each city on the current tour, which continues this week with f ree showcases in Austin on April 19, San Francisco on April 22 and Los Angeles on April 23, VIP tickets were distributed with purchases of the official documentary soundtrack, which was released earlier this week.

The tour kicked off Saturday in Chicago at House of Vans, a unique event space in the city’s West Loop neighborhood which celebrates and showcases skate culture just like the Wax Trax! store did with music during its initial run.Ī Wax Trax! pop-up up on site peddled posters, vinyl and more in an area adorned by original artwork featuring documentary director Julia Nash behind the counter. Celebrating a revived Wax Trax!, skatewear company Vans partnered with Record Store Day in presenting a unique tour featuring a screening of the film followed by a panel discussion and live performances by both Cold Cave and Ministry.

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