This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Nine Inch Nails put on a small but memorable show last night at the Troubadour.
Spin reports that the two-hour show in front of a 400-person crowd was a "time-tripping mix of luxe brutality." (Likewise, Billboard pronounced it "brutally intense.")
The L.A. Times reviewer (while seemingly not a fan of "Reznor’s perpetually-pained-deep-into-his-40s M.O.") wrote, "Tuesday’s Troubadour show was perhaps some of the most sheer sound that’s ever hit that stage. Some bands downscale at these sorts of underplays, but NIN—a quintet of black-clad performers, including Reznor—felt every bit the arena act in there."
The show began "shrouded in black skronk and white fog" with "Somewhat Damaged" and ended on an encore of "Hurt."
"I almost forgot," lead singer Trent Reznor said at one point. "We have a new record out today." It's called, darkly enough, Hesitation Marks, which Spin raved is "the most important artistic statement from NIN leader Trent Reznor since the late '90s."
"Our heads are kind of spinning. We're all jet-lagged," said Reznor. "So we're gonna fuck around and play some stuff we feel like playing tonight."
Spin reports that the 90-plus degree day didn't dampen the crowd's enthusiasm, which was mostly guys about Reznor's age.
"I'm kinda freaked out because normally we have a place to hide," Reznor joked, saying, "We have secrets... Like, you saw that I had lyrics [printed up] for 'I'm Afraid of Americans' because we can never seem to get that right... Normally at this part of the show, we've been replaced by robots and I'm backstage catching up on Breaking Bad."
Dude, of course he's a Heisenberg fan.
Editor's Note: We initially reported this was a surprise show. It was announced ahead of time with tickets being given away by Amoeba and KROQ.
