2014.08.05 - Virginia Beach, VA @ Farm Bureau Live at Virginia Beach

[TheBang]

Virginia Beach, VA

[head_lice]

Its been the usual setlist with only and eraser. Trent gotta stop licking his lips during closer, grrrr. Not sure the hate with the greatest hits songs. Some I havent heard in 5 years. Got a last minute orchestra seat and wound up 3 rows from the stage. Had I known that, I would have brought a camera. Trent pretty much said thank you and that was it. I cut out during hurt to beat the traffic. Talked to a cool 60 year old WHO brought his son to see them for the first time.

[la_mer_27]

I guess what happens when I don't see NIN, but every 3-6 years, is somewhat similar to a religious experience.
Yes, I'm pretty sure last night's show could be classified as part of a greatest hits tour. And, for those who have seen several shows of this tour, maybe the setlists have seemed somewhat rigid and predictable.
I really hope I didn't bump anyone last night. I didn't mosh, didn't try to. Stood in place, but could not seem to control the dancing. And it probably came off weird, but I cannot describe how I was feeling, how everything sounded.
Orchestra 2, with seat far over and a little ways back from Robin...maybe I wasn't at the best place for sound...or the moving visuals. Or photo-ops. But those things did not factor in as soon as I let myself go.
I was surprised how many people were getting into the music and moving, having read here that many shows included large groups of people just standing still. I thought I was going to stand still. Usually, I'm way too self-aware to do anything but bob my head.
But last night...
And I met some pretty cool people who put up with my erratic behavior. Justin, Laura, and Doc, all from Richmond, good people, and a pleasure to sit near and rock with.
I did not get the name of this one lady, but her first and last time seeing NIN was 25 years ago. I'm sure it was a very full-circle experience for her, as her 1989 show had also been in the summer.
Powerful.

Didn't mean to type so much. I gave hardly any real details, but those descriptions have already been contributed to this forum. I'm not that impressed with the pictures I took.
I just had to let it out, though.
Maybe my last NIN show for awhile. ...Hopefully not 25 years *shudders*...but I know "soon" is a ways off, now.
Last night, still in the bias of afterglow, was beautiful, perfect, just what I needed.

Thank you for tolerating my flying sweat.

[kyleprecise]

Best $13 I've ever spent. Took my early bird Lawn ticket up to the almost empty upper middle left Lawn, claimed a spot to stand where nobody was, and gave myself permission to dance as the spirit moved me--nobody around to distract with said dancing if it turned out to be silly looking, and nobody's view to block with my 6'4" big-haired frame.

First, I'd like to thank everyone who echoed the sentiment that the set list is often the same because it's an exceptionally good set list. Having that thought in my mind staved off disappointment when the show started with "Copy of a." A few seconds later, my body took over when it realized just how much of a groove that song has when piped through amphitheater speakers. When the lights cut out at the climax and I was suddenly looking at giant shadows, I shouted in delight as I realized that these six (?) movable screens could do things just as remarkable as the more elaborate lighting setups I'd seen in the past.

The show was perfectly paced, with songs for dancing mixed with songs for flailing about, with "Find My Way" placed near the middle to serve as a breather--but a breather with a groove, unlike "Something I Can Never Have" from the 2006 shows, which was, for all its virtues, a momentum killer. The only moments I stopped moving were the second half of "The Great Destroyer" and "Hurt." Even "Eraser" has a groove, far more than it did at Richmond in 2006, whether due to a tighter band with bouncier bass playing or to improvements in venue sound over an eight year period and/or the benefits of standing on the Lawn instead of in an arena pit.

I went into this show thinking I would miss Josh Freese's drumming and Aaron North's guitar ("The Big Come Down"), but the drumming was impressive throughout, and especially prominent during the end of "Piggy," which is also when Robin introduced himself properly to me with some intense soloing. Robin also played the nylon string guitar on "Hurt," and the video screens even caught Alessandro using his four-track tape recorder to play the four chords of the chorus--the song has atmosphere and pulse now that it lost when Trent was playing piano.

As you might infer from my comparisons, I've only seen NIN live during the With Teeth era (2000 was not a good year, from a touring standpoint, to start getting into the band!). I ran into some true OGs in line for the bathroom, though. "I saw Nine Inch Nails when they opened for Peter Murphy at the Boathouse in 1988! Peter Murphy was so mad that the audience liked the opening band better than him!" "I was there too!!!" Then, from a guy way too young to have been at that show, "Yeah, when Bauhaus opened for Nine Inch Nails, that was a great show!" The OGs had to set him straight. :)

@la_mer_27 (http://www.echoingthesound.org/community/member.php?u=2499), I'm glad you were able to get out of your own way down there (so hard!), and that there was an enthusiastic crowd with you. There was a little baby in a stroller a little ways to my right; the parents had him/her in big construction worker headphones and were taking videos . . . he/she'll have a good "my first NIN concert" story!

[la_mer_27]

kyleprecise
You know...you just gave me a whole new perspective on lawn tix. That's where I started, when I would go to shows with my parents as a kid. And, back then, I was grateful just to see live music, no matter how far back I was, to be that close to a favorite band.
Then, came expectations.
The Rezinator said that this tour would be more stripped down, but even in this tour, there still so many little tricks of the eyes and ears to pick up on. In fact, these past few tours, the farther back you've been, the better you've been able to receive the more technical qualities.
And, the idea of a decent amount of space to dance...
I'm glad to hear/read that it exceeded expectations. But really, it sounds like you would've had a blast in any section of the amphitheater!
And, it really was nice to just let myself enjoy it fully, finally.
Again, apology to anyone who may have been thrown off from all my jitterbugging...If it makes any difference, I was somewhat sore the next day.

!!! "Black Hole Sun" just started playing on the radio as I am typing this.