Photos by Andy Argyrakis

As Chicago’s industrial rock institution Ministry sets sights on a final studio project slated for 2026, the Al Jourgensen-led band is going back to the very beginning and taking a totally fresh approach to its previously disowned synthwave era.

Considering those early albums, “With Sympathy” and “Twitch,” alongside several singles on Wax Trax! Records, have since become bonafide cult classics, some of which haven’t been performed live for literally 40 years, made “The Squirrely Years Revisited” Tour an immensely anticipated occasion.

In fact, there wasn’t a seat or spot to be had at the Riviera Theatre when the original singer/guitarist led fellow guitarists Cesar Soto and Monte Pittman, bassist Paul D’Amour, drummer Pepe Clarke Magaña, keyboard player John Bechdel and a pair of backing vocalists through 90 minutes of exhumed tunes exclusively from the 1980s.

During those days, Ministry seemed closer in sound to English imports Duran Duran or Depeche Mode, then moved to more underground electronics, but notables such as “Work For Love,” “Here We Go,” “All Day” and “I’ll Do Anything For You” nonetheless came across with a “thoroughly brutal makeover” closer to the latter day leanings of Nine Inch Nails or Rob Zombie.

No matter how they were arranged or presented, there was nothing really “Squirrely” about any of them, including follow-ups “Same Old Madness,” “I’m Falling,” “Effigy (I’m Not An)” and “Revenge,” amongst others, since after all, they were concise and super catchy songs for starters.

Obviously, stripping any dated production elements was welcome and simultaneously less of a shock to fans of extremely aggressive epics “The Land Of Rape And Honey,” “The Mind Is A Terrible Thing To Taste” and “Psalm 69: The Way To Succeed And The Way To Suck Eggs” onward.

Of course, any version of “(Everyday Is) Halloween” was and continues to be a gothic anthem for the ages, making even the heart of spring feel spooky and reinforcing Ministry’s unexpected decision to freshen up these intensity-driven favorites.

For additional information on Ministry, visit MinistryBand.com.

For a list of upcoming Jam Productions concerts, visit JamUSA.com.

Upcoming shows at the Rivera Theatre include Saint Motel (May 10); Hippie Sabotage and Two Feet (May 16); “Small Town Murder” (May 17); Ice Nine Kills (May 18-19); Coco Jones (May 21); Malcolm Todd (May 30); Sir (Jun. 7); Jay B (Jun. 11); Vincint (Jun. 20); Band Of Horses (Jun. 21); Banks (Jun. 26); Aimee Mann (Jun. 27); OMD (Jun. 28); IDOBI Radio Summer School (Jul. 12); Todd Rundgren (Jun. 13); Silversun Pickups (Jul. 20) and The Warning (Jul. 22). For additional details, visit RivieraTheatre.com.

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