It’s rare for me to get excited about live performances these days, especially when it comes to big name artists, but Nine Inch Nails and their Lights in the Sky tour is by far an exception.  I attended the show in Dallas this year and had a great seat for one of the best live performances I’ve been able to see.

Trent Reznor, the man behind Nine Inch Nails, has really outdone himself this time.  The tour not only showcases the fine music of Nine Inch Nails, but does so with some amazing musicians backing Reznor up.  Trent is accompanied by drummer Josh Freese, keyboardist Alessandro Cortini, guitarist Robin Finck and Justin Meldal-Johnsen on bass.  Not only do each one of these members have some great credentials; they back them up with some extrordinary talent.

 The band started off the night with a few songs from their new album, The Slip as well as a handful of songs from previous ones.  The light show during the earlier part of the set was reminiscent of past NIN shows with heavy fog and a lot of bright, flashing patterns.  They cut from the past quickly and eventually started playing behind and in between several mesh type LCD screens which could literally make the band disappear from the crowd’s sight at any given moment, and gave them a very stimulating stage set to play with. 

Then there were the different intermission like sets that the band played in the middle of the show.  The first smaller set was a four piece setup at the edge of the stage that you might see a more traditional electonic / industrial band use.  Each member had access to a number of instruments, control surfaces and keyboards to create all the music including the drums.  In a top notch performance, the band manipulated their electronic toys with ease, creating a unique performance of which will probably be never heard again in the way it was presented:  One of kind and amazing!  After several songs presented in this manner, the band once again left the stage.

 The next set of the show was put together in what would be best described as a pseudo-acoustic type setup.  Reznor performed on a marimba for several of the songs, Meldal-Johnsen played upright bass, and the stage was arranged in a smaller, more intimate kind of way.  Material from the instrumental album, Ghosts was heard, as well as one of the coolest arrangements of Piggy, which included phenomenal drum breaks from Josh Freese.

 As the night progressed, the band returned back to their larger style stage setup, played several big hits including Wish, March of the Pigs and Head Like a Hole.  At the shows end, a very kind Trent Reznor and crew, left the stage one by one, each waving to the crowd until only Trent remained, who finished playing, waved and left.  A very classy ending to an amazing show.

 All in all, this would have to rank in the very top as being one of the best, (if not the best,) live performance I’ve ever attended.  With the quality of some amazing musicianship and great songs to go with it, this show was almost like experiencing Nine Inch Nails for the first time.  Much attention was obviously paid to details from the lights, to the arrangements to even the quality of sound in the venue, and it made for a show that will be hard to top.