I'm a live NIN virgin despite formerly being pretty obsessed with NIN as a kid and teen, and getting into a huge amount of wonderful music based on TR's recommendations and music related to that, and also recording a ton of my own music solo-style after playing in bands didn't really feel comfortable for me. NIN has had an insanely big influence on my life. I always checked in over the years but wasn't totally sure about seeing NIN so many years after I originally planned to (there was a cancelled Fragility date the night after the MSG show, and then there was another ... five year gap and I sorta got into other music, even though I always checked in to see what he was up to).

MY GOD THAT WAS SO INCREDIBLE. I don't know if I've ever had that much fun at a show, period, in my entire life. And I'm in my early 30s now. The fans were incredible. I don't know if I've ever, ever experienced such a wonderful, communal experience in my life like that. I was a weakling when I was younger, so I'm not sure I would have held up in the pit when I was a teenager, but it was so, so much fun. I didn't even feel nervous about getting kicked or whatever.

As someone who was way too young to go to a show when TDS came out, and really sadly missed out on the Fragility tour, I loved the setlist. I can't believe I got to hear an old-style Somewhat Damaged (I saw that he was doing a reworked version of it for awhile?) I get that it was super-hit heavy and maybe not the most exciting stuff for die-hards (I mean, ... I'd have loved a show of deep cuts, too, or like ... maybe a Fragile show, heh, but I have no complaints), but hearing a lot of those songs live that I just heard alone in my room for, I guess, decades now, with the lyrics just being screamed by at least a quarter of the people around me, was really, really special. I cannot believe I got to see them for the first time in a venue that was probably like what they used to regularly play in the early 90s before NIN got insanely big? I was about three people from the rail for most of the show, but felt like I needed to rehydrate so moved to the back for Reptile and back up to the front for the end; everyone seemed drenched in sweat. I pretty much love the new EPs and it was amazing to get to hear Trent scream "Burning Bright" through a megaphone, and also see She's Gone Away debut. I was really excited to hear "The Loop Closes," damn the tease, hehe.

The lighting was great – it reminded me of a really old interview/press piece where the journalist mentioned that Trent had re-programmed the TDS era lighting show because he thought the original sucked, basically? – just total sensory overload in a club that size.

AAAH, so good. Probably like one of the best nights of my life. Can't believe I got to go.