Corrosion of Conformity, Ministry @ The Fillmore, Nola
Coast Observer
Words and photos by Canonblue Lalley.
Corrosion of Conformity brought their incredible energy to the Fillmore stage, coming in hot with “Bottom Feeder” and proceeding to just rock out. It was an amazing experience watching Pepper Keenan in his natural habitat, thrashing and jamming out. There has always been something so incredibly relatable about his voice, and Woody Weatherman’s guitar skills are always highlighted in a humble but concise way.
I remember hearing CoC for the first time as a young child of 8, and it was my first toe into that sludgy, powerful metal scene. CoC has this authentic quality about their live show that makes you feel like you’re laying on the floor, listening to their records for the very first time. Mike Dean came through with the chunky base lines and they just looked like they were living the time of their lives. The crowd erupted at the beginning chords for “Albatross” every head in the room banging in time.
The Melvins were also set to play this show, but due to unforeseen circumstances they were unable to make the drive. They still remain on my unicorn bucket list. Sigh.
Ministry brought an entirely different feel to the stage. A seven foot chain link fence separated them from the rest of the world, and yet Al Jourgensen had zero trouble connecting with the fans. The light show that followed and display set an overarching scene along to hits such as “Breathe” and “Stigmata” with the classic Ministry Cross prominent as the mic stand for Al. Visually, the show was stunning, just as much an experience for the eyes as it was the ears.
The industrial pioneers kept an incredible energy throughout their set, and it’s easy to understand how with such a packed lineup. The return of Monte Pittman after his hiatus from the band to tour with Madonna was such a welcome surprise. Paul D’Amour, formerly of TOOL has also joined the lineup, as well as Roy Mayorga, on hiatus from Stone Sour. The lineup is rounded out by guitarist Cesar Soto and keyboardist John Bechdel.
All in all, it was an incredible night of metal,and hopefully a sign of things to come!
