The Wellmont Theater in Montclair NJ was burning inside when Ministry, Melvins and Corrosion Of Conformity took the stage on Saturday night.
The theater itself seats about 2000 people with general admission on the floor which is perfect for a swirling mosh pit. Built in 1922 as an old vaudeville house, it was enovated and reopened in 2008. Now under the Live Nation umbrella, it hosts some major acts and The Montclair Film Festival. It should be noted that if you are going to a show there, plan to arrive early as parking can be a challenge of Herculean proportions.
First to hit the stage was Corrosion Of Conformity (COC), longtime journeymen on the metal circuit. COC formed in 1982 and has been going ever since with a small break from 2006-2010. It seemed that much of the audience was at least familiar with their catalog as they worked their way through highlights of their near 40 year career. A stripped down drum kit on the stage sets the mood for a bare bones, no nonsense, good old heavy metal set. Opening with ‘Bottom Feeder’, COC set a methodical pace through an eight song set through songs like ‘Shake Like You’ and ‘Vote With A Bullet’ that crescendoed into a driving finale of ‘Clean My Wounds’. It should be noted that after the show was over, founding member Woody Weatherman and the rest of the band were at the COC merch booth, clearly enjoying the opportunity to meet with, talk to and take the occasional selfie with fans.
A few minutes to get a drink or use the facilities and the house lights dim again. The theme from Sanford and Son filled the theater as Endora from Bewitched appeared on the large screen behind the band. Melvins were up next and they picked up right where COC left off, maintaining the same methodical pace. The three man band has been around every bit as long as COC and Wikipedia describes both bands as playing a genre known as Sludge Metal. That may or may not be accurate but both bands do have a similar style. Opening with ‘The Kicking Machine’, they worked their way through a twelve song set including ‘Queen’, ‘Civilized Worm’, ‘Never Say You’re Sorry’, and finishing off with ‘Honey Bucket’ into ‘The Bit’. All the while Buzz Osborne, with a huge head of puffed out white hair, drove the band with his guitar and Endora watched over it all.
Another quick break and the stage was set for Ministry. A chain link fence was run across the front making the stage look like an abandoned lot and a light up green cross was front and center hinting at a revival meeting. As the lights go down again the screen lights up with the Ukrainian flag over which is written the words “Ministry Stands with the Ukraine” The PA comes to life and plays the Ukrainian national anthem. There is a scattering of applause from the audience; some who understand what just happened and some who are happy the show is starting.
Corrosion Of Conformity and Melvins maintained a steady even tempo but Ministry is having none of it. They start off with ‘Breathe’ and drummer Roy Mayorga (ex Soulfly, Stone Sour, Hellyeah) sets a blistering pace combining with Cesar Soto and Paul D’Amour (ex Tool) on guitar. They explode into their set like a javelin missile being launched at a Russian tank. Colorful front man Al Jourgensen announces the title of each song as the six man ensemble tears from one to the next and blasts them into the theater. A mosh pit forms on the floor and the crowd is writhing and circling to the beat. This is called ‘Stigmata’, this one is ‘Supernaut’, before you know it the set ends with ‘So What’ and the band walks off stage.
Hurriedly the crew removes the fence and the band returns for their encore. With the barrier gone there is much more of a connection with the audience and the evening continues with ‘Alert Level’ into ‘Good Trouble’ and finishes off with a cover of an Iggy Pop tune, ‘Search And Destroy’.
Ears ringing, the crowd filters out of the theater in the frigid night and smiling, head off to enjoy a New Jersey tradition, midnight breakfast at the nearest diner.
TLDR: Ministry Kicked Ass
Ministry Set list – via Setlist.fm
Breathe
The Missing
Deity
Stigmata
Supernaut (Black Sabbath cover)
Don’t Stand in Line (Pailhead cover)
Man Should Surrender (Pailhead cover)
Burning Inside
N.W.O.
Just One Fix
Thieves
So What
Encore:
Alert Level
Good Trouble
Search and Destroy- Iggy and The Stooges cover
WORDS BY MATTHEW KOCHEK