jmtd → log → Nine Inch Nails, Cornwall, June
In June I travelled to see Nine Inch Nails perform two nights at the Eden Project in Cornwall. It'd been eight years since I last saw them live and when they announced the Eden shows, I thought it might be the only chance I'd get to see them for a long time. I committed, and sods law, a week or so later they announced a handful of single-night UK club shows. On the other hand, on previous tours where they'd typically book two club nights in each city, I've attended one night and always felt I should have done both, so this time I was making that happen.
Newquay
approach by air
Towan Beach (I think)
For personal reasons it's been a difficult year so it was nice to treat myself to a mini holiday. I stayed in Newquay, a seaside town with many similarities to the North East coast, as well as many differences. It's much bigger, and although we have a thriving surfing community in Tynemouth, Newquay have it on another level. They also have a lot more tourism, which is a double-edged sword: in Newquay, besides surfing, there was not a lot to do. There's a lot of tourist tat shops, and bars and cafes (som very nice ones), but no book shops, no record shops, very few of the quaint, unique boutique places we enjoy up here and possibly take for granted.
If you want tie-dyed t-shirts though, you're sorted.
Nine Inch Nails have a long-established, independently fan-run forum called Echoing The Sound. There is now also an official Discord server. I asked on both whether anyone was around in Newquay and wanted to meet up: not many people were! But I did meet a new friend, James, for a quiet drink. He was due to share a taxi with Sarah, who was flying in but her flight was delayed and she had to figure out another route.
Eden Project
the Eden Project
The Eden Project, the venue itself, is a fascinating place. I didn't realise until I'd planned most of my time there that the gig tickets granted you free entry into the Project on the day of the gig as well as the day after. It was quite tricky to get from Newquay to the Eden project, I would have been better off staying in St Austell itself perhaps, so I didn't take advantage of this, but I did have a couple of hours total to explore a little bit at the venue before the gig on each night.
Friday 17th (sunny)
Once I got to the venue I managed to meet up with several names from ETS and the Discord: James, Sarah (who managed to re-arrange flights), Pete and his wife (sorry I missed your name), Via Tenebrosa (she of crab hat fame), Dave (DaveDiablo), Elliot and his sister and finally James (sheapdean), someone who I've been talking to online for over a decade and finally met in person (and who taped both shows). I also tried to meet up with a friend from the Debian UK community (hi Lief) but I couldn't find him!
Support for Friday was Nitzer Ebb, who I wasn't familiar with before. There were two men on stage, one operating instruments, the other singing. It was a tough time to warm up the crowd, the venue was still very empty and it was very bright and sunny, but I enjoyed what I was hearing. They're definitely on my list. I later learned that the band's regular singer (Doug McCarthy) was unable to make it, and so the guy I was watching (Bon Harris) was standing in for full vocal duties. This made the performance (and their subsequent one at Hellfest the week after) all the more impressive.
Via (with crab hat), Sarah, me (behind). pic by kraw
(Day) and night one, Thursday, was very hot and sunny and the band seemed a little uncomfortable exposed on stage with little cover. Trent commented as such at least once. The setlist was eclectic: and I finally heard some of my white whale songs. Highlights for me were The Perfect Drug, which was unplayed from 1997-2018 and has now become a staple, and the second ever performance of Everything, the first being a few days earlier. Also notable was three cuts in a row from the last LP, Bad Witch, Heresy and Love Is Not Enough.
- ninlive.com recordings for Friday
- setlist.fm page for Friday (nerdy song stats etc)
Saturday 18th (rain)
with Elliot, before
Day/night 2, Friday, was rainy all day. Support was Yves Tumor, who were an interesting clash of styles: a Prince/Bowie-esque inspired lead clashing with a rock-out lead guitarist styling himself similarly to Brian May.
I managed to find Sarah, Elliot (new gig best-buddy), Via and James (sheapdean) again. Pete was at this gig too, but opted to take a more relaxed position than the rail this time. I also spent a lot of time talking to a Canadian guy on a press pass (both nights) that I'm ashamed to have forgotten his name.
The dank weather had Nine Inch Nails in their element. I think night one had the more interesting setlist, but night two had the best performance, hands down. Highlights for me were mostly a string of heavier songs (in rough order of scarcity, from common to rarely played): wish, burn, letting you, reptile, every day is exactly the same, the line begins to blur, and finally, happiness in slavery, the first UK performance since 1994. This was a crushing set.
A girl in front of me was really suffering with the cold and rain after waiting at the venue all day to get a position on the rail. I thought she was going to pass out. A roadie with NIN noticed, and came over and gave her his jacket. He said if she waited to the end of the show and returned his jacket he'd give her a setlist, and true to his word, he did. This was a really nice thing to happen and really gave the impression that the folks who work on these shows are caring people.
Yep I was this close
A fuckin' rainbow! Photo by "Lazereth of Nazereth"
Afterwards
Night two did have some gentler songs and moments to remember: a re-arranged Sanctified (which ended a nineteen-year hiatus in 2013) And All That Could Have Been (recorded 2002, first played 2018), La Mer, during which the rain broke and we were presented with a beautiful pink-hued rainbow. They then segued into Less Than, providing the comic moment of the night when Trent noticed the rainbow mid-song; now a meme that will go down in NIN fan history.
Wrap-up
This was a blow-out, once in a lifetime trip to go and see a band who are at the top of their career in terms of performance. One problem I've had with NIN gigs in the past is suffering gig flashback to them when I go to other (inferior) gigs afterwards, and I'm pretty sure I will have this problem again. Doing both nights was worth it, the two experiences were very different and each had its own unique moments. The venue was incredible, and Cornwall is (modulo tourist trap stuff) beautiful.
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