More photosTechnology got the best of Trent Reznor in the end.
Try as he might to make the opening night of Nine Inch Nails’ farewell tour, Wave Goodbye, a fully interactive multimedia cybershow, the tech wizard was foiled by a lousy PA.
Friday night’s NIN/JA show at the Cruzan Amphitheatre was a feast for the technophile set. Nine Inch Nails and Jane’s Addiction fans were allowed to bring personal cameras, video and audio recorders. A running photo blog documented the action on NIN.com and fans who had downloaded the NIN iphone application posted real-time updates and commentary, chatting with nearby friends on the “app” since long before the gates even opened.
But someone turned off the PA before Nine Inch Nails could come out for their encore, “Hurt”.
Nails frontman Reznor shared his thoughts via a Twitter update he posted around 11 p.m.: “NIN/JA temper tantrum #1 thrown tonight in celebration of the PA being turned off for our encore, ruining an otherwise good set.”
If you don’t follow @trent_reznor or @nineinchnails on Twitter there’s a good chance you missed the beginning of the set, which started with the sun still out, at 7:45 p.m. You also may have missed the “tweet” explaining that the headliners would actually go on before Jane’s Addiction because, as Reznor is alleged to have posted on NIN.com, “there’s no way that we could rock after them.”
But they rocked. Hard. With sonic brutes like “March of the Pigs,” “Mr. Self Destruct,” “Burn,” “Wish,” “Survivalism,” “The Hand that Feeds,” and “Head like a Hole,” it’s a wonder no one got carried out of the mosh pit. The pulverizing industrial romps were balanced out by ominous and calm tracks, “Home,” “The Fragile,” “Gone, Still”‘ and “Right Where It Belongs”, scattered sparingly throughout.
Sherry Lanza, of Wellington, who had never seen Nine Inch Nails before, was left wanting more.
“I wish they would have played more from Pretty Hate Machine,” she said. “But the show was awesome. They were incredible.”
Reznor, a man of few words, rarely seen in anything other than all-black clothing, did pause briefly to tell the crowd, “We’re trying some different (stuff) out tonight.” Then after a long pause: “White pants.”
But the only visible difference was the make-up of the band, with guitarist Robin Finck, drummer Ilan Rubin and bassist Justin Meldal-Johnsen. The group of relentless professionals melded together so perfectly that any kinks in the chemistry weren’t audible.
“They sounded beautiful,” said David Kievit of Sebastian, who drove to West Palm for the night for the show. “They have really emotional songs. The music is just beautiful.”
It’s possible Reznor knew his white pants really couldn’t compete with Perry Farrell’s frontman fashions. The Jane’s Addiction lead singer dazzled in his black sequins slacks, an embroidered shirt and, of course, a black sequined boa.
Jane’s Addiction is sharing the stage with Nine Inch Nails for the first time since Lollapalooza 1991. Farrell, touring with original band members Dave Navarro, Stephen Perkins and Eric Avery, may have scared off a few Nails fans with his shine, as the crowd thinned out a bit.
But Farrell didn’t notice. He was in paradise.
“My friends, we have been here all week, setting this up, enjoying your beautiful, beautiful coastline. There ain’t a more beautiful place in the world to start this off,” he says with a smile. “The girls are fine. The men are macho. The water’s warm. You can’t wear much clothes out here. I love it.”
And so did Jane’s Addiction fans. The set was a bit shorter than Nails’, but it was filled with the rocking classics that made Jane’s the quintessential alternative band of the ’90s.
“Jane’s was radiant,” said Fernando Aguado of Miami. “To start a set with ‘Three Days’ means you’re telling people ‘I’m gonna throw down a set right here’.”
By the end of the show Farrell, now in a gleaming satin sage suit, had them all screaming for more.
“I thought the whole show was amazing,” posts user Cinder8887 at 2:10 a.m. to her nearby NIN app friends. “I will def be checking out SSSC and would never have heard JA without this show. Nails left me shaking they were so good.”
” It was a great show!! ‘The Fragile’ and ‘I’m Afraid of Americans’ — I have no words to describe how good it was..” posts Mitcky53 on NIN.com.
And so begin the hundreds of catalogues of NINcasts which will be charged with capturing the final farewell of the techno-genius who, by the way, is doing daily ticket giveaways on Twitter.
That’s, of course, if there aren’t any more bugs.
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I was right at the front. Directly in front of Perry. This writer is nuts – the crowd did not “thin out” when Jane’s came on – it got larger. I say one thing – I was so close that I could feel the heat from NIN’s lights! And it was HOT!!!
Waited 13 years to see Jane’s Addiction. They were so great!
The crowd DID thin out… Nine Inch Nails fans trickled out before Jane’s hit the stage. Personally, as far as a twenty year reunion goes, I think NIN did a horrible job of making their long time fans feel at home… So many great songs were not played, and truly I don’t want to hear them play ballads… to me NIN was a buzz kill and I was really shocked by that. At least I wasn’t the only one let down… All you heard in every direction was “really, that’s it?” Even if the did play Hurt…the boo-ing said it all. On a positive side… they were on point! They did sound AMAZING…But they just didn’t put on a “show”
As for Jane’s… their song list could have made true fans cry… Dave Navarro was simply breathtaking… and Perry, you just want to hug the guy… what a great performance. The only negative I could give is that though musically their connection is awe-inspiring, their personal chemistry is uncomfortable. It almost seems as if they could care less if they are together. I love when a band loves each other so much that you can “feel it.”
Yea they did trickle out.. it’s called.. A: Bathroom. B: Cigarettes, C: Food… and D: Beer!!!
When I arrived to NIN/JA concert at 7:45pm, I was shocked to hear Trent Reznor already on stage. I checked out his website the morning of the concert and did not see a posting about NIN performing before JA! On top of that, I don’t Twitter, so obviously I didn’t get that memo of line up schedules!
NIN performed an awesome show; however, I felt abondened when they just left the stage. I wanted more! When JA was on stage, I told my friend, “I know Trent Reznor wouldn’t just leave us like that! He has to come out right after Jane’s Addicition! Just wait! Just wait!! Maybe Trent will pull a blitz and jump on stage and perform a one man band encore!”
Then upon reading this review on pbpulse.com, the PA was turned off too soon???!!! And NIN was going to perform “Hurt” as an encore???!!! WHAT!!!!!!!!!!
At the end, I’m glad the pbpulse.com explained why NIN performed before JA. I’m sorry Trent, I think you rocked more than JA.
GO GATORS!!!!
Yeah disappointed NIN left out some key material especially after having to cancel last go round due to one of our storms….
Wanted to stay for JA but a tad under the weather and not wanting to give Cruzan any more of my money after the NIN shortening. Somebody had to take the heat. hahahaha
All I know is we finally got not one but two awesome bands for $30 bucks what a deal. Plus the music live from these shows sounded sooooo good. The vibe at the show was great, awesome people, full moon gave intro to NIN. WOW. I don’t know what some people are talking about this show rocked. NIN gave a surreal Pink Floydish performance from dark and creepy to snaring upbeat riffs. Then Jane’s came on and plain just rocked their set. I even saw small mosh pits sprouting on the lawn. Please let’s have more shows like these….