you know what's bothersome? idjits who boo opening acts. now, i'm sure that when i die someone's going to show me some video of me booing an opening act, but, well, the mooney suzuki sucked. what a pain, for some people, to be exposed to new music! the dunderheads behind us booing saul williams must not have realized that this is an artist who mr. reznor supports, and has put him on stage so that nin fans can get a taste of something that isn't a carbon copy or peer in the whole "anrgy rock" genre. jo and i sat in section 113 -- where the above picture was taken from -- but soon received a text from beki saying there were seats by her over in section 124. so i waited for a song to sacrifice by which to make the pilgrimmage around the arena...and boom -- "the line begins to blur." not that i don't like that song, but had i moved during "march of the pigs," well, then, i just couldn't call myself a nine inch nails fan, much less look at myself in the morning.
the set list:new flesh/pinion (for those that know how it goes, realize that whenever i am cast in shows, i play "pinion" in my head to get me jazzed to go out on stage.)
love is not enough (dude. seriously becoming one of my favorite songs.)
you know what you are (didn't have the power that the record gives it. hey, sorry, that's just my opinion.)
terrible lie
line begins to blur (ok. this is is. beki just texted and said there are some open seats. move! move! no, fuck your shoe, you shoulda tied it better! go go go!)
march of the pigs (this song makes me believe that i was put on this earth for one reason: to act like a silly little school girl whenever that beautiful, beautiful drum part gets a-spanking.)
piggy (a thumb piano? joanna -- whose character in geva comedy improv's fiasco used this same instrument -- was very pleased.)
frail/wretched (you know what? it's very simple. this song kicks some serious ass.)
closer (interesting take on the guitar parts. that aaron north is one rocking mother fucker. when he leaped into the crowd jo and beki were excited; when he threw his shattered instrument into the crowd later in the show, i wanted to jump into it as well and go swimming for something that would have sat on my coffee table for years.)
burn (when mr. reznor said, "this is a song from natural born killers," it was like remembering a childhood crush. the adoration, the giddies, all those kids during the self-destruct tour, dressed like "the crow.")
gave up (bestest. song. ever.)
eraser (i hate making it sound like i came to the show with a grocery list of demands, but this song seems half-empty without "a warm place." but still one of my faves.)
i think it's also important to mention somewhere, and here's good, that mr. reznor has such a good grasp of song placement and space -- how much fun would two hours of hard-on head-smashing be? the show, with its swayings of emotion, is a piece of work in itself. it also helps one who hasn't done much head-banging in a while recouperate for a spell.
right where it belongs (paired with the imagery movied on the stage-wide screen, this song has developed in me new admiration. all those ballroom dancers? perfect.)
beside you in time (see: "right where it belongs.")
the day the world went away
wish
only
every day is exactly the same (i liked this live. a lot.)
suck (i think it's time to be honest. i never really liked this song. i don't know why. i just don't.)
hurt
hand that feeds (i just want to say: straight-on, no frills, great bass line, fuzzy and sweaty, tight tight tight.)
head like a hole
everyone, it seemed, was trying to take pictures with their cell phones. what crappy pictures, but nice enough to evoke the memories, right? trent said a bunch of thank yous, but then had a nice monologue about being thankful that he had run into a friend he hadn't seen since the last time he was in rochester, and how after all this time, it was great for him to look out at an arena full of people who were still into his band. cheers from the crowd. i took the picture above while trent played "hurt."
i soon realized that beki's seats were in the section of "tickets given away to fancy people;" the kids from wber were sitting in front of us (i haven't been to a show with shaun dulen in a long time) and kevin leas was behind us. the show was really great; although jo and i had a nice talk afterwards about how i don't have as much anger to connect with nin's songs like i used to (i was excited to hear the new songs but felt like the old stuff was more like visiting old friends; joanna made an interesting connection between relationships with bands and relationships with significant others), it's great to be able to look at a stage and say, "right now, trent reznor is right there. he's no where else in the world." $30 for a new nin shirt, $15 for one of saul williams' books, $20 for two rounds of beer, a sore neck from some headbanging, a few pbr's with beki, her cousins, and jim at lux afterwards. a great night.