I'm still trying restore my equilibrium following this show, both due to the concert experience itself (epic show, unexpected rail spot) and my seat-of-the-pants logistics (which involved a solo, last-minute, 27-hour round trip from the east coast, including 14 hours of driving and <4 hours of sleep at a highway rest stop). My ass has figuratively and literally not yet recovered! As such, just recording some fragmented thoughts for now:

--Not gonna lie, I've developed a stupid fixation on crossing songs off my "never seen live" list. When Everything, Sunspots, Fashion, and Deep either debuted or were sound-checked, that was what really lit a fire under me after catching both Philly shows in May. When the veterans appeared at the Q&A, my first thought was literally, maybe with Danny around they'll trot out GDML - another favorite I've longed to see live. So, stupid as it sounds, I initially wrestled with a bit of disappointment on those fronts...

--...HOWEVER, having taken some time to reflect and digest others' reactions, I've definitely turned the corner. This isn't Pokemon, and what I have been extremely fortunate to witness in my 25 shows over the years has been incredible...and this show is a gem. My absolute favorite? Probably not, just due to some very tough comps, but safe to say I have zero regrets about throwing stupid money at a pit ticket and enduring hours of white-knuckle driving.

--Charlie's theremin on Sin was freaking awesomely wonderful.

--I'm really, really over Gave Up live, but the madness of having both Ilan and Chris wailing away simultaneously but not 100% in synch (at least based on what my ears could perceive from right in front of Ilan) was something else.

--I can't get Hey Man Nice Shot out of my head for the life of me.

--My favorite thing about this entire experience may just have been the folks I met at various points throughout the night (though sadly no one who acknowledged being on ETS). All genuinely nice, thoughtful, and similarly obsessed. I was on the rail between two Black moms - both coincidentally from Chicago, where I lived for a decade - one of whom had also made the pilgrimage solo. It was great to bond over the shared NIN love, widely varied entry points into the fandom, and the stress over taking leave from our families to partake in something that many folks cannot grasp on many/all levels.

--Oh, and of course Trent sounded fantastic. Every time I listen to his shredded vocals on the LITS Gift soundboards, I thank my lucky stars that he managed to find a touring approach that wouldn't destroy him like that clearly did. Fingers crossed he takes the needed time to re-energize, maybe release some new music, and surprises us on the road yet again. While I do enjoy the TRAR scores, I'm hopeful that a less-aggressive future live experience (e.g., the Katrina or Bridge School performances but with an ensemble) would take precedence over something purely instrumental. Or another HDTA tour...or both? Regardless, can't wait to see what happens next!