Twenty-five years ago, Nine Inch Nails The Downward Spiral was an unlikely mainstream hit, causing many a ‘90s parent to gripe about the moral decay of music as a leather-clad Trent Reznor howled about his more animalistic urges on “Closer.” This year, Trent Reznor became a two-time Oscar winner for his work on a Disney/Pixar children’s film about embracing the little things in life.
Funny how that happens.
Those thirsting for the industrial-rock beast version of Reznor of old will have a chance to see the newly ordained master composer back in his natural habitat this fall, as Nine Inch Nails has announced a two-night stint at Cleveland’s Jacobs Pavilion.
The shows are being billed as the “only NIN headline shows of 2021,” and Reznor is bringing fellow ‘90s rock royalty Pixies along for the ride. It’s an ideal pairing, as much for the acts’ shared love of infectiously abrasive hooks and presence in the films of David Fincher (Reznor’s first Oscar was for The Social Network, while Pixies’ found a wider audience playing over the end credits of Fight Club).
Cleveland might seem an odd choice for a stadium-headlining gig, but it’s Reznor’s hometown, and a city that embraces its link to musical history as the home of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Reznor himself became an inductee to his hometown’s most famous landmark last year, which was supposed to launch a series of shows that ultimately fizzled out in the face of the pandemic.
Tickets go on sale Saturday, May 14.
The shows come as the US eases back into normalcy and a return to concerts. And fans will no doubt linger over the band’s “only NIN headline show” statement while pondering which festivals they could appear at, or what children's franchise the frontman will be writing music for next.