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San Francisco Chronicle
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- San Francisco Chronicle
Review: Nine Inch Nails brings beauty, brutality and a leaky baptism to Oakland Arena
As Nine Inch Nails coursed through 1989's 'Sin' — with its religious overtones and lyrics about pain, suffering and consequences — Trent Reznor received an unexpected baptism from a higher source: a leaky fog machine, strapped to a lighting rig above the group, that briefly doused him with water like a divine prank. 'I'm trying to play it cool up here,' the NIN frontman quipped in front of 13,500 fans gathered at Oakland Arena on Wednesday, Aug. 6. 'It's the first time that's happened in my life, so thank you for sharing that with me.' More Information Oakland Arena setlist Right Where It Belongs Ruiner Piggy Wish March of the Pigs Reptile Heresy Copy of A Gave Up Vessel As Alive As You Need Me To Be Sin Came Back Haunted Somewhat Damaged Less Than Closer The Perfect Drug The Hand That Feeds Head Like a Hole Hurt Reznor is evolving. Back in the '90s, the mercurial alt-rock icon regularly curbstomped keyboards and guitars that didn't cooperate. Now at 60 years old with a family and trophy shelf full of Oscars and Grammys for his soundtrack work with fellow NIN member Atticus Ross, this was a kinder, gentler Reznor on display. That said, the rage and vulnerability that fuels decades of NIN anthems ('Closer,' 'Head Like a Hole,' 'The Hand That Feeds') is channeled in a more productive way. The band's 90-minute concert was divided into four acts, each with a different framing and presentation. The members got their steps in, moving from the main stage to a mini-stage in the center of the arena and back again. The overall feeling was that of a museum installation that artfully flowed through moments of intimacy, detachment and reconciliation. It was also very loud, and very Nine Inch Nails. Oakland was the first U.S. stop of the band's global Peel It Back Tour, their first in three years. At 8 p.m., German techno DJ Boys Noize set the tone with a pulsing hourlong set that stretched from Djedjotronic's 'Are Friends Electric' remix to Curses' 'Fortify' to a track by his tour bosses Reznor and Ross, 'I Know,' from the 2024 ' Challengers ' soundtrack. Then the show quickly shifted gears. At exactly 9 p.m., a curtain dropped, revealing Reznor sitting solo at a keyboard in the middle of the arena, opening with a tempered 'Right Where It Belongs.' At its conclusion, bassist Alessandro Cortini, guitarist Robin Finck and keyboardist Ross joined Reznor for two deconstructed B-sides, 'Ruiner' and 'Piggy,' confirming this part of the show was for longtime supporters, many sporting vintage NIN shirts and leather jackets. The band then moved from the mini-stage to the main stage to reunite with 2005-2009 NIN drummer Josh Freese, who rejoined the band after his split with the Foo Fighters. In his first show back, Freese kept pace with minimal movement powered by muscle memory. 'This f—er rehearsed with us for one day,' Reznor remarked about Freese. 'It took the rest of us months to learn this sh—.' The main stage was encased in translucent fabric. Camera and spotlight operators scurried around the stage capturing raw hand-held footage that was projected onto this scrim, giving an eerie 3-D effect. 'Copy of A' benefitted from this treatment, as jittery images of Reznor played off the song's search for identity. During this six-song set, NIN faithfully recreated their trademark buzzsaw sound. Reznor's voice was in fine form, able to summon anguish and loss with both force and nuance. 'Wish' and 'March of the Pigs' formed a lethal one-two punch that leaned into hardcore. 'Gave Up' was another adrenaline spike with Finck adding vocals and Freese coolly keeping double-time. To reset the vibe, Boys Noize joined Ross and Reznor back at the mini-stage for a four-song set of remixes including 'As Alive As You Need Me To Be' and 'Came Back Haunted.' The trio fed off each other in what was the most futuristic and spontaneous part of the night. During 'Vessel,' Reznor switched between standard mic and vocoder to straddle man and machine personas. Then the translucent fabrics came down for a roaring seven-song main stage closer that highlighted NIN fan favorites like the naughty stripper anthem 'Closer' and caustic anti-authoritanian screed 'Head Like a Hole.' Freed from the artful window dressing, NIN pummeled the crowd with waves of archaic sound as a small circle pit opened up and a couple people crowdsurfed like it was their Gen X heyday. Loud moments like these made the quiet ones stand out. NIN's fragile lament on addiction in 'Hurt' closed the show on a solemn note. Single spotlights illuminated the band as Reznor summoned visceral pain and regret, emptying his soul on the line, 'Everyone I know goes away in the end.' Those words still possess power decades later.
Forbes
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
‘Ballerina' Movie Scores A No. 1 Song On The Charts Before It Hits Theaters
Halsey and Amy Lee's 'The Hand That Feeds' hits No. 1 on Billboard's Alternative Digital Song Sales ... More chart ahead of Ballerina's release. BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 12: Halsey arrives at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party Hosted By Radhika Jones at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on March 12, 2023 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Robert Smith/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images) Ballerina is set to hit theaters across the United States on June 6. The latest installment in the John Wick franchise shifts the focus from Keanu Reeves's namesake character to a new lead, portrayed by Ana de Armas. The previous films were hugely successful at the box office, and there's hope that this new feature will follow suit. To build anticipation and remind audiences that Ballerina is on the way, the first single from its soundtrack was released a little over a week ago. "The Hand That Feeds" by Halsey and Evanescence lead singer Amy Lee has become a hit, earning both artists appearances across a number of Billboard rankings — including a new No. 1. "The Hand That Feeds" performs very well on a number of Billboard charts upon its arrival, driven largely by strong sales. According to Luminate, in its first tracking frame, the tune sold just under 1,950 copies. That sum is enough to propel it onto three purchase-only rankings in the U.S. Most notably, "The Hand That Feeds" debuts at No. 1 on the Alternative Digital Song Sales chart. Both Lee and Halsey have previously topped this ranking of the bestselling alternative tracks in the country, but it's been several years since either has claimed the top spot. The same track narrowly misses launching at No. 1 on an additional list. It starts its run at No. 2 on the Rock Digital Song Sales chart. It also appears on the highly competitive Digital Song Sales tally — which encompasses all genres — where it enters at No. 21. Lee and Halsey are among the most successful women in rock and in the American music industry. The two artists earn another hit under their own names on the Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart — a consumption-based roster that factors in purchases, streams, and radio airplay – as their popular collaboration debuts. Sales seem to be primarily responsible for the track's placement, as "The Hand That Feeds" manages to open on the list at No. 49, in second-to-last place on the roster.
