I just made you up to hurt myself.

Chances are, if you were a pre-teen, teen, 20, 30, and maybe early 40-something in the 90's, you listened to Nine Inch Nails. Maybe you didn't own every remix album or B-sides, but you recognized "Head Like a Hole" or "Down in it" when it came on the radio or Mtv. And when the Downword Spiral was released, a whole new fandom was born with the genious composition of "Closer".
I remember when I first started listening to NIN. I think I was in the 7 or 8th grade; my brother, the responsable party for all of my new wave/industrial/80's tastes, was a big NIN fan. I would go upstairs to his room, in the attic, and listen to Pretty Hate Machine, sometimes when he wasn't home. At the time, "Black as your soul/I'd rather die than give you control" didn't have a profound effect on my life, but as I progressed through my teenage years, NIN somehow always managed to express how I felt. "Turn off the sun pull the stars from the sky/the more i give to you the more i die"; I think that follows heartbreak pretty well. "you give me the reason. you give me control. i gave you my Purity. my Purity you stole. did you think i wouldn't recognize this compromise. am i just too stupid to realize. stale incense old sweat and lies lies lies." Again, can't we all relate?
That being said, last night was the first time I saw NIN in concert. Totally.amazing. Really, honestly, probably the best show (and I mean show, not just concert) I have ever seen. I don't go to stadium or arena shows anymore because I hate paying the high prices. Plus, most of the bands I listen to don't play large venus. But, I didn't mind shelling out the 60 bones for this ticket, and it was worth every penny. The musicianship and genious minds of NIN band members electrified the stage, and Trent's raw, sexual, commanding power took over. The amazing lights and media show was mesmerizing; the color sequence and themes changed with every song, every beat. There were film shorts (very socially aware), scientific images, and shapes and colors that would make an acid trip seem like a nap. Not that I would know. Seriously.
I'm still reveling in last night's performance. I also have to include some pictures of the gorgeous Mr. Reznor. I think everyone has had a crush on Trent at some point- gay or straight, guy or girl, you can't tell me you wouldn't let him rip you from limb to limb. I know I would.