NITZER EBB – THE TURF CLUB – ST PAUL, MN – AUGUST 25, 2026

NITZER EBB – THE TURF CLUB – ST PAUL, MN – AUGUST 25, 2026

Review and photos by Legion Ratfell

It was a beautiful night for some EBM (electronic body music) at The Turf Club this past Tuesday, August 25^th, 2026. Even for a Tuesday night, it was a pretty packed place early on. I didn’t know who Nitzer Ebb was before this, but wanted to check them out via recommendations from other industrial/EBM fans. I have recently found out about EBM as compared to EDM, and think I may fall more into the EBM category with the kind of electronic music I enjoy. Nitzer Ebb are apparently powerhouses in the scene, hailing from Essex and having been around since the 80s.

Opening the night as doors opened was Sam Woodman, who provided an excellent aural appetizer, a goth and industrial set that set the mood just right. I do love when a show brings in a local DJ who fits the style of the night while people are coming in. It’s a great way to set the tone.

Next up was Rhys Fulber, hailing from Canada. Utilizing very minimal visuals, namely just a projector upon his person and the black curtain behind him, Rhys brought a pounding and trance-like set. It was easy to fall into the thumping bass, and I will admit I did kind of space out at one point, but not necessarily in a bad way. I think that can kind of be the point. I was carried on a ride, and it was pleasant. He was the kind of artist that people were coming up afterwards to get a picture of his gearset. I’m sure there were a lot of technical things going on that I am not learned in, but I definitely still enjoyed it.

People seemed a little afraid to dance right away, but once Nitzer Ebb came out, the crowd moved forward. It is, at least for me, almost impossible not to dance to this kind of pulsing, industrial beat. I had listened to a little bit of them beforehand, but it is always so interesting to me how different things can be when you see them live. The music on its own is very dark, thumping, industrial to a fault, with frontman Bon Harris’ vocals yelling through your headphones. But when witnessed live, Bon was grooving, the vibe was light, and a lot of the lyrics were actually quite uplifting. It was more danceable and pleasant than I would have initially anticipated. The crowd was moving and grooving along, and though the lights and stage setup were also very minimal, it was more about the music itself and moving your body to it as a collective. Some songs were downright funky. I loved the pulsing beats and crazy synths, and Bon’s charisma was infectious.