Nine Inch Nails – 3Arena, Dublin – Live Review
by Killian Laher

The Dublin venue was packed out for the first visit of Trent Reznor and co to Dublin in 18 years, with lots of black, heavy makeup and Nine Inch Nails t-shirts everywhere.  Boys Noize played a warm-up set of bass-heavy dark techno, equal parts ominous and head-melting.

The main act opened with Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross and co occupying a platform in the middle of the venue.  Initial songs featured Reznor on keyboards for Right Where It Belongs and a sparse version of Ruiner.  You could be forgiven for wondering if the whole show was going to be like this.  It wasn’t to be.  There was a high-energy performance of Piggy, quickly followed by Wish and a breathless March of the Pigs, the band powering through the songs accompanied by dazzling lights.

Brooding versions of The Wretched and Reptile maintained the dark mood, while more recent material (relatively) Copy of A and Came Back Haunted felt like a full-on sonic assault.  But with the title of the tour being Peel It Back, the band were here to play the ‘hits’ and Mr Self Destruct, Heresy and Closer were delivered with power and precision.  Given world events, it was no surprise the band played the Bowie cover I’m Afraid of Americans, and the final two songs of the night, Head Like A Hole, and Hurt had the whole crowd singing along.

The large crowd witnessed what is probably best described as proper death disco.  As for Trent Reznor?  The diminutive frontman looked to be having the time of his life, far from the tortured soul of old.  Although of late his focus has been mainly on soundtrack work, here he and the band proved they can still conjure up the fiery angst of old.

Set List Available here.