The highly anticipated Industrial Strength Tour featuring Ministry with support from Melvins and Corrosion of Conformity makes a stop in Oklahoma City.
The Industrial Strength Tour brings in a large fan base for each band. Corrosion of Conformity is first on the bill. Mike Dean begins the night with a groovy bass riff that acts as a beacon, summoning the crowd to draw in closer. The rest of the band takes their places and starts the night off right with “Bottom Feeder,” “Paranoid Opioid,” and “Shake Like You.” From the get-go, the audience’s enthusiasm is through the roof.
This is the first tour C.O.C. has been on in the past two years due to the pandemic. The members living in different states and countries made it hard for the band to practice together. Their first time practicing together in two years was only a few days before the tour kicked off, though their performance would lead you to believe they never skipped a day. Being the opening band, C.O.C. cherry-picked a setlist of favorites from their impressive catalog with songs ranging from their albums Wiseblood, In the Arms of God, Deliverance, and American’s Volume Dealer. Two exceptionally notable songs of the night were “Albatross” and “Clean My Wounds,” both of which had the audience singing along at the top of their lungs. Pepper Keenan, vocalist and guitarist, made a point throughout the night to say how grateful he was for everyone showing up early to catch their set.
After C.O.C.’s set, Pepper could be found with a Coors Light in hand at the merch table chatting with fans. When you have a band with as much creditability as C.O.C. for the opening act, you know you are in for a wild night.
Following a heavy-hitter such as Corrosion of Conformity is no easy feat, but Melvins rose to the challenge. Melvins is known for having a sound of their own and leaning into their weirdness, with their clothing being no exception to this. King Buzzo, vocals and guitar, came out sporting a psychedelic robe with eyes on it like the riff wizard he is. Meanwhile, Steven McDonald is laying down the funk on bass while rocking a most excellent silk white suit with golden floral accents. Melvins came out of the gate ready to rock LOUD starting their set off with “The Kicking Machine,” “It’s Shoved,” and “Anaconda.” The passion and energy each member put into the music are what makes Melvins one of the best bands to see live.Buzzo and Steven make good use of the room on stage, with Buzzo gliding across the stage and putting his all behind every riff while belting out eerie vocals. Steven works the crowd with jumps, kicks, and melting to the ground while making faces that made it evident he was feeling the music. The set was thoughtfully laid out with one song transitioning seamlessly into the next and intricate drum fills from Dale Crover to fill the gaps while Buzzo and Steven tuned between songs. The only two times during the set the crowd was addressed is when Dale Crover jokingly acted surprised when Ministry drummer, Roy Mayorga, jumped on a second drum set and joined Melvins in playing “Hooch” and “Honey Bucket.” During these two songs, the crowd came unglued, and the first crowd surfer of the night could be seen. After these two songs, Dale started a chant, “I Like Roy, I Like Roy.” Melvins finished out their set with “The Bit.”
The set consisted of 12 songs over the span of nine different albums, offering something for every Melvins fan. During their set, Melvins played “Charlie,” a Redd Kross cover from their latest album Five Legged Dog released on October 15th, 2021. Exciting news for Melvins fans: they just announced a collaborative EP with Dumb Numbers entitled Broken Pipe. The Single “Broken Pipe” is currently out, and the full EP is set to release on April 29th.
The crowd’s excitement and participation have been at a 10 throughout the night, and Ministry takes that up to 11. The stage is set up with a fence along the front making for an interesting visual experience and giving you the feeling of holding back a riot. Ministry starts their set off with “Breathe” from their 1989 album The Mind Is a Terrible Thing To Taste. The crowd is given a second wind and pushes in closer to the front. Ministry’s fusion between heavy metal and experimental industrial music is crafted masterfully and makes them one of the leaders in industrial metal.Ministry’s third song of the night is “Deity” from their album The Land of Rape and Honey. This fast-paced song really gets the crowd moving and the circle pit doubles in size. Al Jourgensen, vocals, is a great frontman to watch as he runs across the stage to each member, rocking out beside them, then going to the fence and shaking it frantically. The audience doesn’t let up all night and Ministry keeps up the momentum. They perform a few covers: “Supernaut” by Black Sabbath, “Don’t Stand in Line” and “Man Should Surrender” by Pailhead. Ministry’s ability to put their own flavor on these covers impressed the crowd. Before the encore, the roadies took down the fence while a slideshow in honor of fallen musicians played. Ministry comes back out and for the first time of the night, they play a few songs from their new album Moral Hygiene, released in 2021.
The Industrial Strength Tour only has a few remaining dates. This is a tour that you don’t want to miss. If they are in your area, act quickly!MINISTRY
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