Shows at the Urban Lounge are notorious for starting late. As in, after 10:30 or 11 p.m. for the openers. So when I arrived on Tuesday, Nov. 24 to see Nitzer Ebb, I was expecting to catch local deathrockers Tragic Black’s opening set. But as I walked up to the building at 10:20, I could hear the thumping drums and synths of “Lightning Man.”

It wasn’t till after the show that I saw the setlist that one concert goer picked up as a souvenier that I found out I missed five songs! Not just that, but after the Nitzer Ebb show ended at 11:20, it was announced that Tragic Black would be playing in 20 minutes.

Although I was annoyed, I still left buzzed from an incredible show.

The crowd of mostly 30-somethings were bobbing to the music in unison to “Lightning Man” as Douglas McCarthy was roaming the stage in a long-sleeve, white button-up shirt with a black tie and his signature cop glasses while growling the lines “baby, come to daddy!”

The next track was a new one (not sure of the song title), and there were a few from the night. They opened with “Promises” which is on the soundtrack for “NCIS” and later played “On Your Knees” which is set to be released on the new album “Industrial Complex.”

Going back to 1989 with “Blood Money,” Bon Harris blasted energy from behind his synths, drums and assortment of instruments I can’t identify, striking notes with a mallet that looked like something you would play a xylophone with. Although Harris launched each track from an Apple laptop, the beats soared from the drums with each solid hit. Reunited with drummer Jason Payne, the trio performed a show just as powerful as the show I saw them perform almost 20 years ago at the Salt Palace when they opened for Depeche Mode.

Following “Blood Money,” the industrial powerhouse seamlessly fused the gap between their old tracks with a new one that holds the structure and sounds of the Nitzer Ebb tradition. “Payroll,” a song featured on the “Saw VI” soundtrack fit into the set and segwayed back into 1991’s “Godhead” — another favorite with the crowd.

With ‘Ascend,” “Murderous” and “Control, I’m Here” out of the way, “Join in the Chant” marked the end of the set with the crowd’s arms pumping as they sang “Fire! Fire! Fire!” Seeing the club-hit not on a dancefloor, but with a crowd singing along with the band warmed my heart. Even I, still bummed I missed the first part of the set, joined in the chant.

For the encore, I had my fingers crossed for “Fun to Be Had,” but was happy to hear “Getting Closer” with Harris joining in on vocals, pacing the stage tag-teaming McCarthy. Nitzer Ebb closed with the rich melody of “I Give To You.”

Nitzer perform with the same energy that they did in a bigger venue, with a bigger crowd 20 years later. It saddens me a little to think each time I have seen them the venue is even smaller than the last one, but that’s not to undermine the influence this band has had on the industrial scene and music world. As Douglas McCarthy yelled to the crowd “We’ll see you next time!” at the end of the set, it felt genuine as if they have so much passion and energy to give the fans even more.

I only wish I got to hear the first five songs of the set.