Nine Inch Nails & Jane’s Addiction bring the ’90s alternative to Jones Beach
Author: Elliot Levin - June 8, 6:07 PM
It was a throwback to radio waves of 1995 at the Nikon Theater at Jones Beach last night, as industrial thrashers Nine Inch Nails and alt-rockers Jane’s Addiction played to an almost sold out crowd.
Due to the co-headlining nature of the so-called NINJA tour, NIN had to play an opening slot, which was unfortunate to some extent. The seething hatred and frenetic disaffection that Trent Reznor spews with every inch of his being was offset by calm, blue skies and a delightful oceanic background at the Jones Beach amphitheater. Additionally, the jumbo projection screens on either side of the stage are invisible during daylight hours, leaving those in the upper seats with a poor view of Reznor and his band.
Nonetheless, Nine Inch Nails delivered a spectacular performance, with a lengthy setlist and impeccable stagemanship. Reznor, as the sole creative interest in his ‘band,’ regularly switched between his guitar and keyboard as he blasted through classic NIN fare such as March of the Pigs, I Do Not Want This, and new song Hand That Feeds. Drummer Ilan Rubin was an impressive sight to behold as he thrashed through the mechanical, highly complex beats inherent to many NIN songs, often without a second to pause for the duration of the song.
Dusk fell towards the end of the set, and after a brutally intense performance of Head Like a Hole, the band returned for an encore performance of Hurt under a pitch black sky. The entire venue sang along on the painfully depressing song, in an almost cathartic fashion. The only disappointment of the night was Reznor’s decision to leave Closer, easy the most famous NIN song, out of his setlist, but even that was at least partially atoned for by the wide variety and large amount of material he played instead.
Watch my video of Nine Inch Nails playing Hurt below:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wM1Rp6LbOi8
It was only 20 minutes after Reznor & Co left the stage until Perry Farrell and Jane’s Addiction ripped right into Three Days, the first of what would be just over a dozen classic JA songs. Right away, it was obvious that despite both being “alternative rock bands,” the bands did not have many fans in common. Throughout Janes’ set, there was a small but steady stream of people leaving the venue, with noticeable gaps in what had been an almost sold-out show visible by 10pm.
While guitarist Dave Navarro and the other musicians in Jane’s Addiction lay down an impressive, often bass-based rhythm, frontman Perry Farrell was his flamboyant, insane self, flirting with the audience before, after, and even during songs. The musicianship in Jane’s was truly impeccable, as the group jammed on Ain’t No Right, and Navarro proved that he is a far better guitarist than the group’s songs might lead one to believe, effortlessly shredding like a thrash metal player while Farrell pranced about stage.
Ultimately, Farrell’s breathy, often wordless singing was too much for this rock fan, and I left the show after only 6 songs, reaffirmed in my distaste for much ‘alternative rock’ music. However, I was impressed by Navarro’s playing, and look forward to future projects of his.
The late 1990’s was a time of greedy disaffection, teenage angst offset by the booming economy and ever-growing technological advances. The cultural mindset that gave rise to bands such as Nine Inch Nails and Jane’s Addiction will likely never occur again in our lifetimes, and many of their fans have moved on to more refined tastes in music and life. However, last night was a final hurrah for two bands that made a distinct cultural mark in their times, and should be rightfully recognized as the superstars they once were.
:Brabo:
