NIN @ Sydney, September 2007

Like everyone else, I was absolutely pissed off when Trent postponed the gigs in May, it was going to take a mammoth effort from the band to make up for that delay...

...and boy did they deliver!

Saturday 15/09 @ Luna Park
Luna Park isn't my favourite venue in Sydney, it really has no personality at all, not to mention it can sound terrible if not mixed right. The White Rose Movement really did sound terrible on the night, and it was not helped by the singers microphone technique. Decided to hang outside until Nine Inch Nails graced the stage. It was interesting seeing the crowd and there were a couple of "holy shit" moments, especially the obese goths wearing skirts and showing as much of their huge cleavage as possible, and the 30somethings in fishnet stockings.

Anyway to the show...

Positioned myself right in the middle about halfway back from the stage, turned out to be a great vantage point. Hyperpower was a solid opener, The Beginning Of The End sounded great, and the crowd just went off when Last began. It was a nice moment during March Of The Pigs when Trent apologised "And doesn't it make you feel better? I feel a lot better now, sorry for the delay", the track being as brutal as it was performed on Halo 17.

Apart from the always haunting Something I Can Never Have, the set kept its brutal intensity for the first hour, with strobe lights during Closer adding to the visual mystique. With the conclusion of Gave Up, the metal grid lowered and laptops were brought out for what I can only describe as "Kraftwerk gone wrong". The two Year Zero tracks came off surprisingly well live and the visual backdrop was just intense. Hearing Eraser live was just sublime, its even more intense than on the CD (if that is possible). And what they have done with Only live sounds really cool.

After the screen ascended, the show continued in much the same way as before. The inclusion of Down In It was a great surprise, as was the only two tracks played off The Fragile - No, You Don't! and The Day The World Went Away. Finishing with Hurt was a nice touch and the screen behind him was surreal.

Technical: Technically the show sounded and looked great. Very stripped back production, but still had a lot going for it visually. And aurally, they got every little bit of acoustic they could from the venue. Songs sounded fantastic, they have a real edge live that is missing on the CDs. Aaron North especially has really contributed a hell of a lot to the NIN live sound.

Performance: Performance wise, it seemed a little flat. Apart from Trent's enthusiasm, they all looked quite tired and seemed to be just going through the motions. There was still that energy, just not as much as you would expect from a NIN performance; Jeordie White seemed especially lethargic. Trent talking to the audience was great, talking about the bandmembers futures was a nice thing to do (though I was unaware at the time that this would be their 3rd last show together ever)


So in the end, it was a great show, I rate it on par with their Sydney gig in 05. Last and Eraser made my night and everything else was just icing on an already very sweet cake... Now onto Sunday




Sunday 16/09 @ Hordern
I don't think I've ever seen a band twice in 2 days where the 2nd day was better than the first. Then again, I had never seen NIN live twice... There was something different about the Sunday show, more energy in the performers, a bigger venue and crowd, everything just seemed to click.

Watched White Rose Movement this time, their sound was a lot better than the night before. Didn't blow me away but I did enjoy it on a certain level. They are the kind of band I'd watch during the day at a festival.

Even though the Hordern is essentially a Cowshed with speakers, it is a much nicer venue than the Big Top. Decided to go seated and watch rather than jump around which was a good decision, though I did feel the urge to mosh during a few tracks.

Same opening as last time, Heresy instead of Last was a worthy replacement. The Frail / The Wretched instead of Something I Can Never Have was also a great choice. Ruiner being played after Closer made my night, absolutely love that track. Also had Terrible Lie, Piggy and Reptile to add variation to the Saturday set. And I never thought there would have been a point in my life where I was so happy to hear Starfuckers, Inc. What a great way to finish the show, especially seeing it was here 2 years ago where we fucked up the clapping. Trent exercising his demons perhaps?

During The Day The World Went Away I shed a tear at Aaron North's guitar work as the realisation hit me that I wouldn't be hearing it again.

Technical: It was very much the same as the night before, though early in the performance the keyboards were a little down in the overall mix. Aside from that, no complaints about the visual or audacity of the gig.

Performance: A big improvement on the night before. Aaron and Jeordie were both a lot more energised, Aaron was everywhere, doing his moves. A highlight was him smashing his guitar right at the start of Head Like A Hole, then not being able to get a new one because of his vocal duties. Everything just seemed on about this gig, Josh Freese was at his technical best, and the little I could see of him, he was really putting on a show behind the drums.


Leaving the show I was lost for words. There weren't any adequate superlatives to describe what I had just witnessed. Possibly the best gig experience of my life. Amazing, just amazing.



Setlists
Saturday: (In order)
Hyperpower
The Beginning Of The End
Last
Sin
March Of The Pigs
Something I Can Never Have
Closer (The Only Time)
Survivalism
Burn
Gave Up
Me I'm Not
The Great Destroyer
Eraser
Only
Wish
The Good Soldier
No, You Don't!
Suck
The Day The World Went Away
Dead Souls
Down In It
The Hand That Feeds
Head Like A Hole
Hurt


Sunday: (In order)
Hyperpower
The Beginning Of The End
Heresy
Terrible Lie
March Of The Pigs
The Frail / The Wretched
Closer (The Only Time)
Ruiner
Survivalism
Gave Up
Me I'm Not
The Great Destroyer
Eraser
Only
Wish
The Good Soldier
Reptile
Piggy
No, You Don't!
The Day The World Went Away
Hurt
The Hand That Feeds
Starfuckers Inc.
Head Like A Hole