Here you go Gavin (hope yu don't mind Gary - if you do just punch me in the head
)
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What can I say?
My first time at a NIN gig and it was well and truly awesome.
I am so glad we were upstairs, we had a brilliant view but it was SO HOT...(No wonder Trent kept throwing out bottles of water etc to the moshpit).
Saul Williams (a DECENT hip hop artist with a message) got a really good response from the crowd.He's on the same label as Bloc Party and as I knew what he was like already, I quite enjoyed his performance...quite powerful.
Before NIN came on I expected to hear some decent tunes but there were'nt any really, it was just pretty quiet.Even the crowd were quiet until someone started shouting and that ignited the atmosphere..clapping,chanting etc right up until the lights went down.
The sound was spot on, you could hear Trent and the backing vocals quite clearly and all of the instruments.The lightshow was simple but very effective. There were 5 big panels at the back of the stage that illuminated ( a bit like Wembley 81) and they were programmed to have different effects on them, sometimes just basic and sometimes complicated LED effects.
The intro tapes played, the stage filled with dry ice and the distorted guitars from 'With Teeth' blasted out of the pa speakers.As the band took to the stage the crowd went mad and they turned it up a notch as soon as Trent walked on before going into 'Terrible Lie'.
As soon as this track started, you knew it was going to be good. He had the crowd in his hands within 3 minutes.
Tracks like 'Closer','Head like a hole', 'The Hand that Feeds' and 'March of the pigs' were very very powerful. Each of the band doing their bit and doing it well...(The drummer is amazing).
'Hurt' was absolutely brilliant, Trent on his own in the middle of the stage and the crowd singing along with him.
'Piggy' was a great chilled out groove and Trent went to the front of the stage and people from the audience sang the "Nothing can stop me now" bits...classic.
'Starfuckers' ended the show after about 1hr 40mins..It was mental.The guitarist smashing his guitar and throwing it across the stage.
And then they were gone! No encores and the lights went up within 2 minutes.It was a wierd ending (possibly as I am use to acts going off and then coming back again)....
Bit dissapointed not to hear the new single 'Only' or 'Everyday is exactly the same' (best track on 'With Teeth') and because of that, this gig gets a 9/10.
Overall, this was a great night...The fans love Trent and I am glad I went as it's taken so long to actually get tickets after years of trying.
Saw a few Numan t-shirts and I am guessing that Mr Numan was probably there somewhere (I hope he took notes).
BUT...
Why is it that no matter where you are, some fucking circus freak is stood in front of you. I had my new rocks on and was around 6ft myself but this dude was near on 7ft and covered in sweat from the heat...everytime he 'freaked out' and threw shapes, I got covered.
T-shirts were cool too.
'I am one of the chosen ones'
Cheers
Gary
