post and pics by marc evan
NIN at Terminal 5. After attending two very different NIN shows this week (the prior being the epic Webster Hall show on Sunday), I am physically and emotionally drained. Mew opened with a short but wonderful set. They played a bunch of new songs but I was most thankful that they gave a beautiful rendition of “Comforting Sounds,” my favorite song of theirs and a great way to close the set. Unfortunately, the crowd at Terminal 5 had a very high douche factor, and I’m afraid the meat heads from across the rivers just aren’t going to appreciate how wonderful Mew is. Its amazing to me how fans of a headlining band often wont give a chance to opening acts that are handpicked by the same headlining band. That being said, the majority of the audience did seem to enjoy the opening set, even if most had never seen or heard Mew before. I am definitely looking forward to picking up their newly released album, No More Stories Are Told Today.
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It was amazing to see a few super drunk frat types have to leave before NIN made it to the stage. Puking before the headliner is never a good look. I barely managed to get out of the way of one projectile vomiter, who happened to be one of the more vocal assholes during Mew’s set. A moment of rock and roll karma. When NIN came out I was right up in the front center of the pit, and fought to stay there for most of the first half of the set. The music was as intense as ever and the band looked and sounded great, even after a week full of long setlists. Unfortunately, the bridge and tunnel douche factor, tarnished the pit for me. At Webster, as packed and chaotic as it was, the crowd still looked out for each other like a dysfunctional, psychotic but loving family. This crowd had a few too many kids who missed the glory days of NY Hardcore. They were punching, swinging, and trampling on people, oblivious to the fact that a great concert was happening around them. After I was trampled to the ground for the second time and had some 300 lb dude crushing my lungs with all his weight, I concluded it was time i enjoyed the show from a different vantage point. The feel of Terminal 5, seemed very fitting for a NIN setting, I just wish the venue had better sight lines for the stage. Although, as most NYC concert goers know, this is not a new problem- if you are not one of the lucky ones along a balcony rail, you will have a hard time seeing the stage. Also, Terminal 5 seems to have a new policy of pouring your bottle of water into a cup for you… very frustrating paying for water and then having it spilled all over you.
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After re-hydrating and catching my breath, I was able to catch the rest of a truly wonderful show. Probably not as awes inspiring as the night at Webster, but a great show anyway. 31 great songs played over a span of two and a half hours. Highlights for me were a remix version of “Piggy,” “Down In It,” “Terrible Lie,” from Pretty Hate Machine and Trent’s track from The Crow, “Dead Souls.” Peter Murphy of Bauhaus descending, upside down and singing Reptile to start the 2nd encore set was pretty amazing as well. Overall a fantastic farewell set. It is obvious that whenever or if ever Trent decides to tour again, NYC will be ready and waiting.
Here’s the pretty amazing career-spanning setlist…
1. Pinion/Somewhat Damaged
2. Wish
3. Last
4. Sin
5. March of The Pigs
6. Something I Can Never Have
7. Piggy (nothing can stop me now)
8. Metal
9. Terrible Lie
10. Head Down
11. Burn
12. Gave Up
13. La Mer
14. The Frail
15. The Wretched
16. Non-Entity
17. Gone, Still
18. Lights In The Sky
19. The Downward Spiral
20. 1,000,000
21. Survivalism
22. The Good Soldier
23. Dead Souls
24. Hurt
25. Suck
26. Down In It
27. The Hand That Feeds
28. Head Like A Hole
29. Reptile w/Peter Murphy
30. A Strange Kind Of Love/Bela Lugosi’s Dead – Peter Murphy
31. Final Solution w/ Peter Murphy (Pere Ubu cover)
…and a few more pics from the show…
