From Denial To Devotion: A Synth-Pop Resurrection No Fan Of Al Jourgensen’s Ministry Ever Thought Possible

May 13, 2025 admin_bitlc Features, Music News, Reviews 0

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By James Currie

On Friday night, the unthinkable happened in Chicago: Al Jourgensen smiled. Often. And not the twisted, maniacal smirk familiar to fans of Ministry’s industrial aggression, but genuine, almost boyish grins — the kind that suggest reconciliation, not just with a city or a crowd, but with the ghost of a long-denied past.

Before Jourgensen history was met, Nitzer Ebb took the stage and warmed up the house with live renditions of their classics kicking it off with “Control, I’m Here”, “Captivate” and “Join in the Chant”. Their 45 minute set got fans primed to dance even more. From this, we dove into the early Ministry era fans have been denied for 40 years.

At the historic Riviera Theatre, a favorite stomping ground for the band for decades, Ministry stepped out of the shadowy thunder of their later years and into the neon-lit shimmer of their synth-pop origins. For the first time in decades, Jourgensen embraced the band’s earliest material — the polished, melodic dance sounds of With Sympathy (1983) and the transitional club darkness of Twitch (1986). It was a radical move for a man who once disowned these albums so fiercely, he refused to perform anything from them for over three decades.

It was a home coming show every Chicago fan was waiting for. From the opening notes of “Effigy (I’m Not An)” to the slinky pulse of “Work for Love,” it was as if Ministry had time-traveled into an alternate universe where eyeliner and drum machines had never gone out of style. The production was era-authentic with a hint of kitsch — lush pads, vintage synths, even the drum programming had that unmistakable ‘80s sheen. And the fans — a mix of longtime loyalists, curious newcomers, and goths who never gave up their trench coats — were utterly here for it.

Jourgensen, usually shrouded in his dreadlocked outlaw cowboy persona, seemed relaxed, playful, and — dare I say — joyful. “It only took me 40 years to admit these songs don’t suck,” he quipped after “Here We Go,” eliciting laughter and cheers. Dressed in a hybrid of his current aesthetic and a wink to his ’80s wardrobe (yes, sequin jackets wear worn by all members), he radiated a kind of peace rarely seen in past performances. This wasn’t nostalgia for nostalgia’s sake. It felt like catharsis as we know next years album and tour will be his and the bands last.

The setlist was a celebration of contrast and evolution — the bright synths of “Revenge” collided gorgeously with the more brooding textures of Twitch-era tracks like “We Believe” and “Just Like You.” These weren’t museum pieces; they pulsed with new life, reimagined with the benefit of hindsight and a band willing to lean into melody and vulnerability. The early singles that Jim Nash and Dannie Flesher at Wax Trax! Records of Chicago released for Jourgensen helped relaunch his career in his newly discovered sounds. Music that he would help reshape and create a genre that fans have embraced ever since.

Hearing these songs live by the man who created them as reworked by his band to fix a 2025 world, was a synth pop dream. They were still the same songs, but thanks to his band members John Bechdel (who worked his magic on digital audio stems) and Ray Mayorga, Cesar Soto and Paul D’Amore for pushing it to happen.

Then, just when the night couldn’t feel more surreal, a familiar figure stepped onto the stage as Jourgensen said, “We talked about how could we make this a more Chicago-centric night” then introduced, Chris Connelly. The crowd roared at the sight of the former Ministry and Revolting Cocks collaborator, and the energy spiked. What followed was an absolutely riotous rendition of the RevCo cult classic “Da Ya Think I’m Sexy?” — a sleazy, swaggering, tongue-in-cheek closer that had the entire venue dancing like it was 1988 in a smoke-filled Lincoln Park nightclub.

Jourgensen and Connelly, shoulder to shoulder, traded vocals and smiles like old friends who’d buried the hatchet and found something better in its place: fun.

As the house lights came up and the synths faded out, there was a strange but beautiful sense of closure. Ministry, the band that once tried to erase its early identity, had given it the spotlight — and, in doing so, revealed a side of Al Jourgensen that fans had rarely seen: one at peace with the journey.

An unforgettable night where the past finally got its due — and Al finally cracked a smile.

Setlist Highlights:

• Effigy (I’m Not An) – ‘With Sympathy’ 1983
• Work for Love – ‘With Sympathy’ 1983
• Revenge – ‘With Sympathy’ 1983
• I Wanted to Tell Her – ‘With Sympathy’ 1983
• We Believe – ‘Twitch’ 1986
• Over the Shoulder – ‘Twitch’ 1986
• All Day – ‘Twitch’ 1986
• Ricky’s Hand (Fad Gadget cover)
• (Every Day Is) Halloween – Wax Trax 12″ Single – 1985
• Just Like You – ‘Twitch’ 1986
• Da Ya Think I’m Sexy? (Revolting Cock cover with Chris Connelly) – Wax Trax 12″ Single 1993

For more on Ministry, click here

For photos from that night, click here

For videos from that night, click here

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• 12" single, Al Jourgensen, Chicago, Cold Life, concert review, Dannie Flesher, Jim Nash, Live Review, Ministry, Riviera Theatre, wax trax chicago, wax trax records

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