Show Review: NIN: COLD AND BLACK AND INFINITE

If anyone ever asks me what my three favorite bands are, the answer is fairly easy. It’s been the same since I was around 15 years old, and Nine Inch Nails is one of them (equally followed by Depeche Mode and The Cure). I’d already seen them live twice before, but hadn’t in several years, so I decided to go again and of course, Trent did not disappoint.

The Band: Trent Reznor founded Nine Inch Nails in Cleveland, Ohio in 1988. For most of the band’s existence, Reznor was the only constant producer, writer, and instrumentalist of the group until 2016, when Atticus Finch became a more permanent fixture. NIN has released 9 full length albums with several EP’s released in between throughout their musical tenure. They’ve also been on 10 International tours since 1988.

The Venue: Comerica theater is a multi-use theater in downtown Phoenix. It hosts comedians, musicians, plays, etc and seats roughly 5,000 people. It’s hosted several filmed concerts and live events over the years.

The Show: I’m just going to get this out of the way to start. Nine Inch Nails is better live than recorded. Yes, their albums are great, I listen to them all the time. BUT, nothing compares to their live performance. The lights, the band, Trent. There’s not much that can compare.

The set list started with “Mr. Self Destruct”. The song is the first track on the album The Downward Spiral. It set the tone for that album, just as it set the tone for this show. Angry, unapologetic, and yet, complex.

Yes, that’s a saxophone in Trent’s hands. Wish I had a clearer picture but the lighting wasn’t cooperating.

The band followed up with “March of the Pigs” and “Closer”, rounding out the first part of their set. They then switched gears, and started playing songs from their most recent album, Bad Witch. The band played “Play the Goddamned Part” and “Over and Out”, and yes, he brought a damn SAXOPHONE. I mean, can the man musically be defeated? You’d be hard pressed to find talent like his in this musical landscape. He comically commented that they were enjoying themselves so far (this was only the 2nd show of the tour) and they liked to get weird. Personally, I say bring it on, Trent, because frankly, you’re a genius.

From there, the sax was put away and songs like “Copy of A,” “This is the Beginning,” and “Survivalism” were played. The entire show was supported by an aggressive light show and backdrop screen, which either displayed background images or was left blank for the rest of the lights to take control. It varied from colored, dimmed lights with the band covered by smoke, to blinding, in your face pulses, which led to the group still seeming invisible.

The show ended with known hits like “Wish” and “Head Like A Hole,” which probably received the most enthusiastic response from the crowd.

I partially wish I’d gone to both opening nights of the band’s tour because they completely changed the set list between the two shows, with the first one showcasing the entire Broken EP, which has never been played in full live.

The show on Friday was spectacular nonetheless and ended with the final song of their encore, “Reptile,” which felt like an appropriate ending to the set list.

If you ever have the opportunity to see Nine Inch Nails live, please make sure to do so. You don’t get musicians like Trent Reznor much these days, and his talent is something to be fully respected and enjoyed.