After missing out on their 2017/2018 shows due to having no shows close to the Vancouver area and me being unable to travel to see them due to personal issues along with the global pandemic (by the way, remember when Year Zero came out in 2007 and predicted that the world would implode by 2022?), I finally saw NIN again for the first time in 8 years (my last show being in August of 2014). And boy did I really need it. And of all days Sept.9 (9/9), coincidentally 9 + 9 = 18, and this was my 18th NIN show. Furthermore adding the numbers of the date 09/09/22 = 40, and I'm 40 years old. #ILLUMINATI
Had to make the trek from Vancouver to Seattle via 3 hour bus ride, then Seattle to Portland via 3 hour train ride, then Portland to Bend via 3 hour car ride. 3 + 3 + 3 = 9. #ILLUMINATI. The long commutes were worth it though, despite a nearby fire making the skies all hazy and spoiling the beautiful views in Bend and surrounding areas. The smoke didn't effect the outdoor venue, although if anything it would've added to the ambiance of the show as anyone who's ever seen NIN live knows their extensive use of fog machines. It may be recency bias but open air, no seats Hayden Homes Amphitheater may be the best venue I've seen NIN in yet.
Setlist (with comments):
1. March of the Pigs - The first time they've ever opened with this song. I can't lie though, it had me a little worried. This is a song that is played at nearly every NIN show, but never first, but usually in the 3rd or 4th or 5th slot. I had expected NIN to start around 8pm, and when they started at 8:15pm with this, I was worried they had to skip a few songs. Fortunately, this was not the case and nothing was skipped.
2. Letting You - love the outro where Ilan just goes ham on the drums
3. Something I Can Never Have - haven't heard this one in a while
4. Sanctified - A personal favourite
5. The Lovers - always a treat to hear a song you've never heard live before
6. Discipline
7. The Becoming - man, this song is so killer live
8. Me, I'm Not - another personal favourite
9. Wish - yet another personal favourite, maybe it would be easier to just say which songs aren't personal favourites?
10. Every Day Is Exactly The Same - another live debut for me, an anthem for the pandemic
11. Closer - thanks to the sign language interpreter I now know how to say "I want to fuck you like an animal" in sign language (click to learn for yourself!). It's gotta come in handy some day
12. Heresy - holy f was this amazing, you haven't truly lived until you've heard this live
13. The Frail
14. The Wretched
15. Copy of A
16. Survivalism
17. The Perfect Drug - The holy grail of NIN songs never played live. As a long time NIN fan, I never thought I would ever have the pleasure of hearing it played live in person. The song was first released in 1996 and first played live in 2017, which is probably the longest time it took for a NIN song to make its live debut. Again, Ilan's drum solo is <chef's kiss>
18. Gave Up
19. Head Like a Hole
Encore:
20. Somewhat Damaged
21. The Day the World Went Away
22. Hurt - the typical set closer, made even more fitting that a falling star/meteor appeared during it (click for video proof!)
The venue before the show
Me before the show (face still intact before getting it rocked off by NIN)
One of the more unique setlists of the tour (and proof nothing was skipped)
Deer like to rest just outside the place I was staying at in Bend
