By Vlad T, Journalist, Detroit, and Chyrisse Tabone, Photographer, Tampa

Live Review: Ministry’s The Squirrely YearsTour w/Nitzer Ebb and Die Krupps – Cathedral Theatre at Masonic Temple, Detroit – May 10, 2025

Ministry has covered significant territory in its decades atop the alternative charts. Whether it was its time as a dark new wave hit machine in the early 80s or seminal industrial rock trailblazer in the late 80s, the group—principally, frontman Al Jourgensen—has aggressively pushed boundaries and punched the political and cultural status quo in the nose.

The early new wave period—from its days on the Wax Trax and Sire labels—seems to especially hold a fond place in the hearts of Gen X fans. In spite of Al’s long-standing disdain for this early material, Gen Xers like yours truly continue to listen and cling to this early material, still actively requested in clubs.

The band’s Saturday night show at the Masonic Temple Cathedral Theatre in Detroit played to a packed house, with the punters in a variety of costumes spanning multiple eras.

Ministry came to entertain, and, in times where the message and themes of tracks like “Halloween” and “Over the Shoulder” have come shockingly to life 40 years later, the rhythms and melodies of its early material—however “Squirrely” Al might have thought of it—provoked an immense, dare I say comforting, sense of nostalgia.

Closing out the evening were two sterling covers—Fad Gadget’s industrial pop classic “Ricky’s Hand” and RevCo’s even-seedier industrial rock take on “Do Ya Think I’m Sexy?”