2013.10.05 - Cleveland, OH @ Wolstein Center

[redimmunity]

I thought the show was pretty great. Just thought I'd share some of my takes from it.

The Bad -

I'm never getting seats again. Being able to see the visuals was great, but it was boring. Maybe it was just my area, but no one even stood up, didn't hear or see anyone else singing along (except for HLAH and THTF).
Had to listen to the people behind me bitch every time he played anything off HM, because "his new stuff sucks."
The person in front of me smelled atrocious, like he had used month old used cat litter as deodorant.
There were a ton of people yelling and clapping during Hurt all around me.

The Good -

Got to talk to some cool people while in line outside, and in the half hour long line to get a water.
Wow, the visuals during Disappointed were amazing. Running and THTF was impressive too.
Sharlotte and Lisa added such a wonderful touch to the music, and loved their stage presence.
A Warm Place has always been associated with a certain part of my life, and hearing it live actually made me tear up. I suspect it's going to happen again Monday.
The end of While I'm Still Here and BLACK NOISE! So massive. Listening to it on the CD just won't be the same anymore.

[Amaro]

All rights reserved.


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[Murderbydeath]

I could have followed them, I sorta just let them go, I wanted to enjoy the show without being slammed every two seconds.

As as far as kind words to Cleveland, he sugar coated it. He said "mixed feelings" and " I wanted to get out of here"

It was actually pretty calm up at front right, where I was. I mean, we were definitely jamming out and screaming the songs at the tops of our lungs, but there was minimal pushing. The only thing that happened around me was when the thing I mentioned about when Robin was throwing water bottles and this poor dude next to me got his hand stepped on. There were lots of drunk idiots, I'll attest to that, but it seemed like up front was where most of the real fans were.

And yeah, his speech on Cleveland was great, and how everyone who lives in Cleveland feels for the most part, I think. "You know, I wrote all of Pretty Hate Machine here...and I think...I think, like most people, I just wanted to get the fuck out of here." I think that's pretty close to what he said, haha.

[jeffdill]

I have a few comments.

1. Worst fucking crowd of the 13 shows I've been to. I was on the rail towards the left side and no one gave a fuck. Why did you pay $100+ for these tickets to cross your arms and not participate in the show? God damn.
2. Explosions in the Sky opening was a mistake. Nothing they did was wrong, I think they performed their music well, but openers are supposed to get you pumped up for the headliner, not put you to sleep. The music between sets didn't help anything either.
3. When they spend all this time numbering wristbands and keeping people in line, why do you start running to the rail once you hit the floor? Can we stop this shit?
4. Pino Palladino. He just doesn't fit the band. We need someone with some energy.

OK, bitching over. Now the good stuff. Trent seems like he's on top of his game, he put on a great damn performance. The extra singers really added a great layer to the music. Josh Eustis was great. "Find My Way" was incredible. Great light show. I wasn't planning on going to Pittsburgh, but this show convinced me...

[NINisamazing]

It was actually pretty calm up at front right, where I was. I mean, we were definitely jamming out and screaming the songs at the tops of our lungs, but there was minimal pushing. The only thing that happened around me was when the thing I mentioned about when Robin was throwing water bottles and this poor dude next to me got his hand stepped on. There were lots of drunk idiots, I'll attest to that, but it seemed like up front was where most of the real fans were.

And yeah, his speech on Cleveland was great, and how everyone who lives in Cleveland feels for the most part, I think. "You know, I wrote all of Pretty Hate Machine here...and I think...I think, like most people, I just wanted to get the fuck out of here." I think that's pretty close to what he said, haha.

Yeah, I have been to rougher shows. It was rather tame compared to them. I just wanted to witness it without being hit, considering i was on the second and third row the night before.

For the show in Cleveland, I just didnt see anyone around me enjoying it. Nobody was singing. Maybe I was just at a bad spot. Perhaps because of that I should have moved up front. Oh well.. I think the crowd was just not that good, not only because of dbags but because a lot of people didnt seem very interested.

[Murderbydeath]

I guess how you feel about the crowd just depends on where you were. Apparently there were nearly 9,000 people in attendance, so I'm sure there were definitely pockets. Crowd aside though, I thought Trent was on point, but I do agree that Pino, despite his great talent as a bassist, has no stage presence, and must go.

[Amaro]

I have a few comments.

1. Worst fucking crowd of the 13 shows I've been to. I was on the rail towards the left side and no one gave a fuck. Why did you pay $100+ for these tickets to cross your arms and not participate in the show? God damn.
2. Explosions in the Sky opening was a mistake. Nothing they did was wrong, I think they performed their music well, but openers are supposed to get you pumped up for the headliner, not put you to sleep. The music between sets didn't help anything either.
3. When they spend all this time numbering wristbands and keeping people in line, why do you start running to the rail once you hit the floor? Can we stop this shit?
4. Pino Palladino. He just doesn't fit the band. We need someone with some energy.

1. I was surprised at how calm it was left center near the rail or on the rail, where I was at. Calm NIN shows annoy me up there, it's just too weird. I was trying to instigate movement after so many songs when I realized nothing was changing behind me...I jumped up and down during certain parts of songs. Center rail and center behind rail seemed to have more of what I would have liked. I believe Rob filmed our area right in our faces, I kinda hope he doesn't post that. I'll be in it, for sure, yelling and shit. But yeah...eh, definitely one of the calmest NIN shows I've been to, even factoring in that it got more alive during the second half.

2. At least they made NIN feel that much more energetic. Personally, I realize I actually get angry or tense inside when I hear Explosions In The Sky type songs, or their songs, obviously. The third song they played was hypnotic and nice for a change though, not simply because it was heavier, it was just digestible...the slightly upped tempo in it played a part in that. Like, unless there's really choice melodies, really moving ones, I won't take to drawn out songs, like theirs. Especially when it's one after the other. Something always felt missing to actually make me care for it. There's not much for divide with their song sections, they don't necessarily all sound the same in a song, it's the feeling that doesn't change for me. It doesn't bring me peace or happiness, even though it's all major keys, usually. lol Play it in the background, sure. Absolutely nothing against all instrumental music, I have a wide pallette of music I love, I just do not like their shit for the vast majority of the time. Good for them though.

3. Well, it'd be cool if they ushered us in all the way to the rail, but they don't so essentially it's no longer a line. Everyone has their own destination points on the rail in mind. However, it's most often the center rail people want. That's why people run. And some had been waiting in line since 10 p.m. the day before. 100.00 ticket, they can do what they want. :0) Risking being yelled at by security for running though, of course. I was speed walking this time until people in front of me started running. They should just say "If you run, you're out." They have done that before with pre-sale folk. And it worked.

4. I haven't yet really taken in that he's part of the live band...I'm simply appreciative to have seen such a good bassist that he is. I really actually enjoyed how he got into the music. You can see he really is deep in the thick of it in his head. I personally tend to love when a musician appears so enamored by their instrument, and they're a badass at playing it.

As I said earlier, I had successfully stayed off the spoiler threads, and I really gotta thank myself because it was very special to not know what was coming, time after time. I saw the rehearsal video clip on Instagram, but that was the most revealing thing I willingly checked into. Very little else came out through my friend circle.

While I'm Still Here/Black Noise live is really nice. Not just the Black Noise reworking (total surprise!), but the whole thing is surprisingly really pleasant live. It's one of those songs I liked enough before seeing it live, some parts I loved, but now I have the live experience in me. Trent was just great throughout...singing on fucking point (same with the rest of the show). Such a fitting NIN album closer for a rather weird NIN album.

The girls are amazing. All the way. End of story. Just wow.

The sound mix was damn near perfect, in my opinion. And very loud from the rail.

Disappointed sounds better live, certainly the vocals, and it's more satisfying to see the instruments being played. Still not a real fan of it though.

It's crazy to me Closer didn't happen. I'm okay with that though. "Only" didn't either, and I'm quite okay with that.

A Warm Place was pretty great...even though no members were to be seen. Some people had told me it was just a backtrack, but I heard what sounded like a guitar do the high key parts. Sounded really good to me.

The light show was better than LITS. I'm pretty sure.

All in all, quite the weird show for me, out of the many I've attended. Really good though. Memorable setlist, for sure.

[the_pusher]

I've seen NIИ six times (in four states) now & this was, by far, the best show of them; granted, a lot of the crowd never seemed to recover from EITS's set, the building was humid & stuffy, and the concession lines were 30-40 minutes deep (if the guy who let me cut in line to buy a Reese's to avoid a low blood sugar attack is reading this, THANK YOU again!) -- but the band's never sounded better. TR was dead on, the backup singers were FAR greater than I'd hoped they'd be ("The Wretched" will never sound the same to me now), and (though this will probably put me in the minority) I actually like what Pino's bringing to the table. The songs sound MASSIVE now, and I really wish I could make it to Piittsburgh to catch the show again, but it's just not in the finances right now. Hopefully they'll swing through on the 2nd leg.

[greenhorn1]

I've seen NIN probably 7 or 8 times going back to '94 and this was definitely my least favorite of those shows BUT it was still damn good and I think a lot of that is just personal preference. I just tend to prefer stuff off the older albums more than the stuff after the fragile (except I love Ghosts which we didn't get anything from) but I completely understand that bands evolve and this isn't a greatest hits touring band. And I thought the HM stuff sounded much better live than on CD. My bigger complaints were the overall volume wasn't anywhere near loud enough IMO and robins guitar especially needed to be jacked up. I also didn't care AT ALL for the effects used on the guitars in most songs as I much prefer the "crunchy" sound over the more electronic sounding effects. Light show was good (ie. far better than pretty much every other band out there) but was nowhere near lights in the sky tour quality IMO.

That's a pretty negative sounding review but I still enjoyed the show quite a bit and they still put on a far better show than most other bands. I thought the backup singers were great. Drums were pretty amazing as well. I agree the bass player is boring as hell to watch but really, who's watching the bass player at a NIN show anyway?

I had NIN presale tix and didn't get there until about 7:15...strangely enough there was no security whatsoever. No pat downs. Not even an "empty your pockets".

Explosions in the sky were great but I'm already a fan. I thought the crowd seemed far more appreciative of them than I would have expected. Curious to see how GYBE goes over (who I also love) since they're even more subdued than EITS.

Oh and SO happy to have finally heard A Warm Place live after all this time!

[OSLIN]

Some cell phone pics from the pit. The quality isn't great but I figured I could share them here.

http://imgur.com/a/U9LWE

[Amaro]

Some cell phone pics from the pit. The quality isn't great but I figured I could share them here.http://imgur.com/a/U9LWE

I don't think they're bad at all. Thank you! I saved them all to my iPhone (private collection only). I didn't take any because I didn't wanna bring mine into the show in case it got too crazy up front.

[Sarah K]

The next show I go to, I think that I wanna sit in a seat. Or at least not be in the first couple of rows. You get some of the light show, but it is hard to take in the whole thing when it is a few feet from your face.

[OSLIN]

I don't think they're bad at all. Thank you! I saved them all to my iPhone (private collection only). I didn't take any because I didn't wanna bring mine into the show in case it got too crazy up front.

Yeah, I stayed back for most of the show. I had a good spot where I could enjoy the atmosphere and get the most of the visuals. I don't get the complaints I thought the pit was mostly respectful and there were quite a bit of people singing the songs. I was actually surprised at the amount of people that sang the new stuff.

[Murderbydeath]

Copy Of A was really good live, I couldn't stop myself from singing it.

I'm listening to the recording posted earlier in this thread from RITC, but I was really hoping to hear his speech from before the encore again (the RITC recording does not have it); did anyone record it? Or, you know, happen to have a recording lying around...for some reason.

[Amaro]

Venturing into YouTube for the first time to recap the night, watching the first song on this big show experience , Into The Void--TONS of videos and pictures rolling in view, including the one shooting the video you're watching.

Why the FUCK care about it?? FUCK that policy. No...but seriously.

Film the concerts professionally, release that shit and virtually nobody will watch these clips anymore. But don't ruin it by putting up twice as much security on hound dog detail on the paid concert goer, and totally kill the experience for people like me who were just TRYING to watch the show, around a lumberjack or two in the goddamn way. Motherfuck!

They're not handheld cameras! Everyone has a smartphone nowadays.

/continued rant *shakes head*

[Brian Smith]

This was my 12th NIN show. I first saw them here back in 2000.

My summary:
Pino Palladino does not fit. PERIOD. He just looks odd up there. No energy from the guy.

I thought I would hate the 2 female backup singers. Turned out they really rock and fit just fine. They are there when it works and gone when it doesn't.

I was roughly 6 or 7 heads back on the left of the stage. People who think they can just walk up to the front after I have been standing there for 2 hours really PISS ME OFF. I'm a relativity big guy and don't mind showing them my disapproval in a non-aggressive way.

The crowd was VERY tame. I feared I would need to protect my wife from craziness, but I hardly had anyone bump into me. I did not necessarily mid this.

Too many drunk people there. This always happens though. I thought tickets at this price may keep away some of the people who don't care to enjoy the show, but go to party instead. It did not.

After seeing some of the new songs live I have a better respect for them.

$45 FOR A T-SHIRT????????? REALLY????????????

[Murderbydeath]

snip

Lol, my arm is in that video during Head Like A Hole. But yeah, I agree. There wasn't much trouble recording stuff for any of the previous tours to my knowledge, why start now, even if there is a live DVD planned? There was one planned for LITS and people still got tons of footage, from the rail... I don't fully understand it.

[Brian Smith]

My wife had to go to the back of the floor to lean against the rails and got some really good video and no one said anything to her. I'll see if I can get it uploaded to youtube. Mostly just snippets.

Also, this appeard to be far from sold out. There was tons of room on the floor. It wasn't half full.

[Murderbydeath]

I found video of Trent's speech before the encore, for those of you interested, uploaded by YouTube user ninmachine109:

[Brian Smith]

Disappointed. Not a full vid, but you can't enjoy the show if you film the whole thing. I have 9 others I can upload if anyone is interested

[Murderbydeath]

Oh, did anyone else notice that Trent sang the lyrics to Closer during the breakdown of All Time Low? I've heard he's done this at previous shows, so I guess it's the new "Closer / The Only Time" or something

[Brian Smith]

There's room for you, because the floor was not very full.

[Brian Smith]

Just a little Burn. Not much. Its nothing a dab of Aloe won't fix.

[Wish9]

Lol, my arm is in that video during Head Like A Hole. But yeah, I agree. There wasn't much trouble recording stuff for any of the previous tours to my knowledge, why start now, even if there is a live DVD planned? There was one planned for LITS and people still got tons of footage, from the rail... I don't fully understand it.

You can thank the record label for that. It's their decision to prohibit recordings, not NIN/Trent's. New label this time around so new rules.

[binaryhermit]

before the encore

For the record, that speech is during the encore, between "Even Deeper" and "In This Twilight". It is tracked seperately in RITCNIN/RyanJ's recording as track 22.

[Murderbydeath]

For the record, that speech is during the encore, between "Even Deeper" and "In This Twilight". It is tracked seperately in RITCNIN/RyanJ's recording as track 22.

Ah, okay. My bad, friend. I just missed it like an idiot.

[Moebius]

What a show, such incredible lights... I am so glad to have seen both the festival show and the full tour, it's almost a completely different show. They do some really clever stuff with the 3 x 3 grid overhead grid lights...

Comments:

* The backup singers added (or restored) some great dynamics; I mean, Robin & Co are great for the shouty backup vocals, but with these women they can finally do justice to some of the amazing multilayer vocals on the albums, especially with the Fragile material. Oddly though they were least noticeable to me on All Time Low.

* Pino: sounds great, not much to watch. Hopefully he loosens a bit more as the tour goes on?

* This was one of the tamest NIN crowds I've even been in. There was no surge at all until March of the Pigs, and it was generally pretty calm on the front right side, aside from a shirtless berserker who started a one man mosh pit. It was a bit more of a squeeze in the center but I never really had to choose between singing along and conserving my breath to try to keep from getting crushed, which is a bit of a novelty.

* Into the Void - Somewhat Damaged - Even Deeper -- all highlights - just play The Fragile already!

* Very lovely to see In This Twilight again, great memories of that from the LITS tour. I miss the Zero Sum ending though. Also fitting after his Cleveland speech... parts of the flats look just like that backdrop...

* Lots of new stuff from the new album. It would have been fun to have heard Satellite, Various Methods etc too but that just means there's more to look forward to at the next show... once i figure out what else i can get to...

[becoming]

Some cell phone pics from the pit. The quality isn't great but I figured I could share them here.

http://imgur.com/a/U9LWE

Man you had to be right by our group.

[OSLIN]

Man you had to be right by our group.

Yeah, I was in the same spot for the entire show basically. I had a grey t-shirt a navy blue hoodie (which I eventually took off). I'm six foot tall and I was with my buddy (who's a bigger guy, who had on a black hoodie and full beard). We were like 50 feet back, center stage. Where were you posted up?

[becoming]

Yeah, I remember seeing you with the gatorade and beer my buddy actually made a remark like this guys getting a buzz and keeping hydrated at the same time.

I'm 6' 1 and was wearing a neon blue DC shirt, I stood out like a sore thumb in the blackness... haha. My buddy was wearing a black pantera shirt and my other buddy was wearing a black metal malisha shirt, they're both like 6' 4 and all of our women are short.

There was a plume of chronic smoke around us 75% of the concert.