Industrial metal icons Ministry took over Roadrunner on the Boston stop of their North American tour. Joining them was Gary Numan and Front Line Assembly. The predominantly goth and metal crowd made their way to the Brighton venue, packing the room early on. First up would be Canada’s own Front Line Assembly, stunning the crowd with a combination of flashing lights and electronic industrial madness. The short but dynamic set kicked off the night with just the right amounts of energy.
Many fans in the room were excited to see Gary Numan, who took the stage with “Everything Comes Down To This”. Numan’s stage presence is dominating and enigmatic, constantly in motion against the bursts of light; he swiftly moved through the set like a dynamo. He would perform his mega hit “Cars” without much fanfare: right in the middle, no special introduction needed. The crowd went crazy, while also enjoying the slightly heavier arrangement of what was undoubtedly the most gentle song of the set. Finishing off with “My Name is Ruin” and “A Prayer For The Unborn”, a visibly grateful Numan thanked the audience.
At around 9:30pm the lights went down once again, this time to introduce Ministry. Frontman Al Jourgensen commanded all the attention, as the band kicked off the set with a bold move: they would perform five new songs in a row, off their recently released HOPIUMFORTHEMASSES. After the furious onslaught, Jourgensen thanked the crowd for their patience as they performed their newest tracks “without throwing a beer at me”. He cheekily proclaimed we would now be rewarded with some treats, “little squeaky toys from the 90s”.
From “N.W.O” to “Stigmata”, the room felt like the inside of a menacing machine: Ministry’s notoriously loud sound made every corner shake, and fans were dancing away. Jourgensen was pleased with the crowd’s energy, constantly hovering over the edge of the stage. One of the many highlights was the reintroduction of “Jesus Built My Hotrod”, performed live for the first time since 2019. Ministry would return to the stage, this time enlisting Gary Numan for the very last song, a cover of Fad Gadget’s “Ricky’s Hand”. The industrial titans delivered a stunning performance that was heavy, loud and gritty.
Photos and words by Maria Alejandra Mata
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