Defibrillatour (stylized DeFibRilLaTouR) is a 2012 concert tour by the American industrial metal band Ministry in support of their twelfth studio album, Relapse. It was their first tour in four years as well as their first in six years with guitarist Mike Scaccia (as well as their final, due to his death in December 2012).

Background

After Ministry broke up in 2008, frontman Al Jourgensen stated in interviews that a reunion would never happen. In the November 2008 issue of Hustler Magazine, Jourgensen said that the reason they were breaking up was that they "take up so much time" as well as the hassle of getting out new albums. He also said he was responsible for six other bands and could get seven albums done a year while not working on new Ministry material.

On August 7, 2011, it was confirmed that Ministry had reformed and were going to play at Germany's Wacken Open Air festival, set to take place August 2–4, 2012. Later that month, Jourgensen told Metal Hammer that Ministry had begun work on Relapse, which they hope to release by Christmas. Regarding the sound of the new material, he explained, "We've only got five songs to go. I've been listening to it the last couple of weeks and I wasn't really in the mood, I was just taking it as a joke. Just to pass the time at first but [Mikey's] raving about it. It's like, dude c'mon, this is not about Bush, so... that part's over. The ulcers are gone and Bush is gone so it's time for something new. I think this is actually gonna wind up being the fastest and heaviest record I've ever done. Just because we did it as anti-therapy therapy against the country music we would just take days off and thrash faster than I've done in a long time, faster than Mikey's done in a long time. He just did a Rigor Mortis tour and said it was easy compared to this Ministry stuff so it's gonna be brutal and it's gonna freak a lot of people out."

In addition to the Wacken Open Air appearance, the band will play five North American dates and will not be adding any more cities to the Defibrillatour tour, as the band is scheduled to perform at Tuska Open Air Metal Festival in Finland from June 29–July 1, 2012.

Tour dates

Completed

DateCityCountryVenue
North America
June 17, 2012DenverUnited StatesOgden Theatre
June 21, 2012Los AngelesClub Nokia
June 23, 2012New York CityBest Buy Theater
June 28, 2012ChicagoThe Vic Theatre
June 29, 2012
Europe
July 1, 2012HelsinkiFinlandTuska Open Air Metal Festival
July 4, 2012OsloNorwayRockefeller Music Hall
July 5, 2012GävleSwedenGetaway Rock Festival
July 7, 2012NibeDenmarkNibe Festival
July 10, 2012LeipzigGermanyWerk 2 / Halle A
July 16, 2012BristolEnglandO2 Academy
July 17, 2012BelfastNorthern IrelandMandella Hall
July 18, 2012DublinIrelandVicar Street
July 20, 2017LondonEnglandThe Forum
July 21, 2017ManchesterManchester Academy
July 24, 2017MadridSpainRiviera
July 25, 2012BilbaoRockstar
July 27, 2012SélestatFranceLéz’Arts Scéniques Festival
July 28, 2012ParisLe Bataclan
July 31, 2012LucerneSwitzerlandKonzerthaus Schurr
August 2, 2012Kostrzyn nad OdrąPolandWoodstock Festival Poland
August 4, 2012WackenGermanyWacken Open Air
August 6, 2012MunichBackstagewerk
August 8, 2012BudapestHungarySziget Festival
August 9, 2012JosefovCzech RepublicBrutal Assault Festival
August 11, 2012MoscowRussiaMoscow Arena
August 12, 2012Saint PetersburgGlav Club

Cancelled

List of cancelled concerts, showing date, city, country, and venue
DateCityCountryVenueNote
July 29, 2012ÉtaplesFranceRock en Stock FestivalCancelled due to Al Jourgensen’s sickness