It's definitely a 1988 date, as fillow says, because of the song arrangements, the stage arrangement, personnel, clothing, etc. NIN just labeled it incorrectly as 1989 on the Closure DVD.

As for the location, if you look at the comments in the YouTube video here:



there are numerous people commenting who confirm that it is the Phantasy. Here are a few examples:

Not Available
3 years ago
@Isabella Swan That definitely looks like the Phantasy, I spent countless nights there at the time also.

Zachery Allan Starkey
8 years ago
This is at the Phantasy in Lakewood, artsy neighborhood in Cleveland. I used to play there quite a bit when I was in college, before I moved to NYC.

J. Good
1 month ago
Looks like the Phantasy club in Lakewood (CLE).

waitandbleed47
6 years ago
WHAT. i never dreamed the F I R S T show was at The Phantasy. I live a few minutes from it. I knew they got started in Cleveland and were from the area, but idk. I guess I never connected that the original show was in a club I go to frequently. Too fucking cool.

Danielle Bjelland
1 month ago
I as well have performed on that stage many times in the past. My uncle Bart Koster recorded Trent's very first pro studio recordings - I've held the DAT and listened to it. The Phantasy will reopen in a few years as a large chunk of the new lgbtq entertainment district in Cleveland.

StuffedShark
7 years ago
This WAS the first show at the Phantasy night club in Lakewood Ohio (not very "artsy" back then...nor now) Lakewood is the first suburb west of Cleveland ... I remember the show I was front row stage left


Regarding the Cleveland poster, I think that's probably just revisionist history on Trent's part. If you read some of Trent's interviews from 1989, he totally bashes the 1988 appearances and the band, so I think saying the 1989 date was NIN's Cleveland debut is his way of trying to erase, disavow, or just ignore the 1988 stuff.