I wound up getting free tickets for last night's Nine Inch Nails show through the Pageant, and to be honest, I really had no intention of going, due to the fact that $50+ is a bit pricey in my mind this day and age. The last time I paid that much, it was for the KISS reunion shows back in 1996 & 1997, and for Queensryche back in 1995. My interest in NIN had also waned since "The Fragile" (I felt that Trent was losing his edge, and I was finding it elsewhere in other underground projects). Boy, was I in for a surprise. This show is one of the best that I have seen in a long time as far as production and quality, especially in an age of emo/pop rock bands that are more interested in keeping the kiddies' short attention span than actually putting out something that tickles the cerebellum and leaves people walking away feeling like they got their money's worth. Hands down, some of the best visuals I have ever seen at a concert, and that includes some of the arena shows that I saw back in the early-mid '90's (RUSH, KISS, Queensryche). Musically, I also feel that it's given me pause to reconsider my jaded stance on Trent's material. The newer stuff that I heard was some very challenging material.

(Check out some of the incredible clips of the show at Steffaneena's journal!)

This was also the first arena concert that I have seen in 12 years (amphitheatre shows not counted). We have a whole generation who doesn't even understand the concept, as most of the acts of the past fifteen years simply have stripped the stage show down to its barest elements of amplifiers and drums. This was evident by the opening act, A Place to Bury Strangers (a vaguely familiar mix of early Sisters/Joy Division elements, minus the clever lyrics), who looked very odd with their minimal equipment and being squeezed into the center of the stage. They seemed like they would be better at home on a smaller theater-sized stage, and didn't seem to want to spread out and play to an arena crowd. I'm pleased to say that NIN are one of the few remaining who can pull off playing to an arena (strange, considering that the music that Trent writes is hardly arena fare). I'll have to keep some extra cash set aside for the next show.