BITE ME! Nine Inch Nails Live

Nine Inch Nails, Queens Of The Stone Age, Autolux

@ Cox Arena, San Diego

On the website for the mini enormodome that is Cox arena it states that displays of extreme public affection will not be tolerated. Well if that’s the case arrest me now because myself and every other 6000 fans here tonight were, well truly and repeatedly fucked out of our minds. This was an event for sure! Sadly it turned into more of an event than anybody would have expected. It’s been way, way too long since I have seen the only band I would always swap for any other I was seeing. So many times I have been at a show and wished it could be NIN instead.

The day is perfect. Persistence on Ticketmaster got me a seat close to the stage. The drive down is awesome - Indie plays “Jane Says” as I drive along the ocean. Life is indeed good. The arena is great…well recommended. My seat, bought just this morning, puts me almost backstage about 20 feet away. It’s cool. I like watching everyone work all the knobs and such.

On to the music. In front of 3 or 4 hundred Autolux open up things with their moody bass heavy Sonic Youthisms and manage to sound tight and lazy at the same time. The bass playing vocalist works particularly hard to get all sorts of sonic hell from his groaning 4 string. Their brand of overdrive and distortion looking particularly nice whilst bathed in purple and gold light and just as the crowd warm to them they exit too soon.

Then, after a few minutes, we get Jesse Homme and his Queens who roar into "Go With the Flow". The band is tight, but strangely many in the throng are not won over. I guess this is a tough crowd after all, and this stoner style blues rock isn't lighting the Goth kids (black clad) asses. He growls, "All I wanna do is three things: Drink, get high, and fuck," before launching into the speedbilly drug punk of "Feel Good Hit of the Summer". I pause a minute to study the Queens drummer Joey Castillo. The guy is an animal. His huge arms pumping like pistons on a drag strip bound V8. We then get the instantly recognizable stop start jerk of "No One Knows," which finally wakes people up.

After a powerful reading of oldie but goodie "Avon" Jesse has a revelation as he realizes that apparently no booze is available here. "No wonder you’re all quiet. You’re all fucking sober. Fuck this place. I know it’s not us...cuz we rock." Meanwhile my seat neighbor arrives along with a cup of hot chocolate! Ha, ha, ha…that’s awesome. Jesse you totally called it. I think to myself these seated arena gigs are kinda like not being able to choose your family. At last everyone at least pretends to be high during the shifting tripped out patterns of "Long Slow Goodbye".

After the Queens the toilets are thick with dope smoke as an army of Ninja crew prepare the expanding stage behind a shiny mesh curtain. Expectation is way high. Then, at last its time! It must have been 5 years since I last saw NIN, which is now essentially a different band from then. First of all, ex Mansonite Twiggy is with them. However, my extreme stage left position meant that my eyes rarely glimpsed him through the thick stage smoke. No Robin Finck anymore as we now get a crazy little guy called Aaron formerly of The Icarus Line, who does a good job of pretending to be pissed off whilst at the same time must be secretly freaked that he got such a gig. Of course the reason we all love this band, and they all do, is Trent Reznor, who despite now being clean and fit as all fuck still has plenty to be angry about. Recently he has seen his years of hard work raped by his pissant ex-manager and then he saw his long time home half blown off the face of the earth before being flooded with shit and the remnants picked clean in front of the world.

Opening to huge cheers and the strains of “Pinion”, “Love is Not Enough” kicks it all off properly. Everyone around me is screaming every word as loud as possible. Yes, even hot chocolate girl. Then headfirst into “Wish,” everyone is freaking out. The arena is electrified. Trent is in his element throwing himself around and running between the drum and keyboard risers to the back of the stage. With barely a pause for breath drummer Jerome pounds the battle punch
of “March of the Pigs”…. "Doesn’t it make you feel better," too fucking right it does. My brain becomes scrambled as it tries to keep up with the messages my eyes and ears are sending it. This is sensory overload, the likes of which I have not experienced for a long time. The uber famous “Closer” is played early on and had some great added effects from bouncing Aaron. Following this was “Burn” a little heard song. This was a really eclectic set tonight.

”Gave Up's” white hot intensity has Aaron and Geordie screaming back up like possessed demons and then there is an abrupt halt. The mesh is drawn again and for a few seconds an uncomfortable silence. What’s going on? Set dressing? Cher like costume change? We hold our breath. After a few minutes Trent comes back on stage, "Please be patient with us as we deal with a medical emergency." From my vantage point I can see no activity in the pit, so it must be an onstage thing. Maybe a light guy has fallen? We wait for news. Another ten pass then Trent returns to the still covered stage. "No bullshit. Jerome just told me he has heart palpitations and chest pains during the last song. We have EMT's checking him out. Be patient please while we sort this out.” After another 15 minutes the lights come on. The band’s manager informs us that Jerome cannot come back on and the show is over for tonight. Shivers and a numb feeling descends on the arena. Saved only by the news of a rescheduled date in November. Get well soon Jerome. Meantime I look forward to another chance to experience this short lived bliss. See you then. -Glen