Music revolutionist Trent Reznor took the stage at the forum in Los Angeles September 6th heading up the critically acclaimed Nine Inch Nails. Nine Inch Nails are one of music?s most prized possessions today and yet the band only got the 18,000 screaming fans wet. It was the light show that got them all off.

Reznor is known for being nothing less than fucking amazing live and this show was no exception. He was pure rock and roll. He was completely destructive and volatile along with extremely sexy and seriously vivacious. In true rock and roll fashion Reznor destroyed four mics, one guitar, and one drum machine during the show. His obvious passion for his music fueled the venue of Nine Inch Nails devotees.

The night started strong with a burst of ?999,999? and ended brilliantly with ?In This Twilight?. Reznor gave the crowd a breather in between ?Vessel? and ?The Greater Good? with a collection of songs from his instrumental album titled ?Ghosts I-IV”. Lighters were put to the air while Reznor played the melodica and vibraphone. Even our shit head of a president, Bush and our potential douche bag of a president, McCain made a short appearance during ?The Hand That Feeds?. Bush?s face appeared on the back screen and during the song it cleverly morphed into McCain?s face. The crowd went absolutely bananas.

Reznor used 3 large LCD screens, 112 lights and god knows how many strobes on this tour, ?Lights In The Sky?. The entire venue was taken to a gray swamp, a golden desert and outside into the rain. Blinking meant you might miss something incredible on stage. At one point, Reznor erased a screen with a flashlight. At another point, Reznor was stuck in a scrambled television channel while a black hole of clarity followed him around the stage. Nothing could be seen but Reznor and the scrambled screen. It was truly mesmerizing. During the song ?Survivalism? the back screen turned into two rows of smaller screens showing live footage from hidden cameras that were placed all over the venue. One camera targeted the security and another was placed in an empty bathroom stall. It was very big brother and appropriate for the song?s political nature.

The night ended too soon with an encore including strong songs and hits such as ?Echoplex?, ?Reptile?, and a beautifully performed ?Hurt?. The return of Nine Inch Nails to Los Angeles is too far away for most. Trent Reznor gave an unforgettable combination of lights and an unparalleled performance that raised the bar for all artists to come. The game will never be the same after what Nine Inch Nails brought to the table on their ?Lights In The Sky? tour.

Charlie Peace

Author: bushe