they keep calling me

the nine inch nails concert on saturday night with justin and dougie was amazing. i had big expectations going in, and i can't say i was disappointed. the opening band was bland and mediocre, and the microphone kept cutting out on the singer. this made it amusing for us, but i feel a little bad for them in that situation, because i'm sure being the opening band is never an easy thing.

anyway, they kept it decently short, and nin came on. and they were fantastic. i am so glad justin went for the floor seats, as it was a much better experience than it would have been sitting up in the seats. we must have been twenty or so feet from the stage. i started off with a terrible view behind the tallest couple at the show, with the guys shoulder directly in my face, and some big dude right behind me. thankfully everyone pushed forward more at the beginning of the show, giving me a lot more room, and a pretty good view. it was fun to watch, they had a lot of really great looking lighting and effect. plus, you always like seeing trent screaming, and the guitarist either flailing his guitar while he plays, stage diving into the crowd, or trashing his guitar at the end.

its really hard to pick a highlight from the show. dead souls, terrible lie, something i can never have, and march of the pigs all stand out (the last one partially just because their guitarist, aaron north, is insane). although i didn't like with teeth as much as their older albums, the songs came out really well live. only, you know what you are?, getting smaller, and the hand that feeds were probably among the best from that album. the acoustic version of right where it belongs was cool, but i'd have to say i like the piano version from the album better. i'd say i liked that title track a lot better live too (and seeing trent reznor use a tamborine is pretty hilarious). wish and gave up are always favorites of mine, and always are even better live. and you can never go wrong with the classics (hurt, closer, and head like a hole). you know they'll play those, but getting other great songs you wouldn't expect like eraser, burn, and dead souls is what really makes it great.

looking back, it was a little disappointing not to here anything off the fragile. actually, shocking is more like it. but to be honest i hadn't even realized it till justin mentioned it after the show. like he said in his recap on the concert, you always wish you could write the setlist to a show like this. its always hard not to hear all the songs you'd like to hear, especially from the fragile and the downward spiral. but regardless, it was an awesome show, totally worth the money, and i'd go see them again if i got the chance.

justin took pictures with his camera phone, which you can see here. his comments on the show can be found on his blog. if anyone's interested, people have also posted some low-quality video clips of the show on youtube.


the full set list:

1. intro - The New Flesh/Pinion
2. Love Is Not Enough
3. You Know What You Are?
4. Terrible Lie
5. The Line Begins To Blur
6. March Of The Pigs
7. Something I Can Never Have
8. Closer
9. Burn
10. Gave Up
11. Eraser
12. Right Where It Belongs
13. Beside You In Time
14. With Teeth
15. Wish
16. Only
17. Every Day Is Exactly The Same
18. Getting Smaller
19. Dead Souls
20. Hurt
21. The Hand That Feeds
22. Head Like A Hole