struttin' their stuff on the streets
twoheaded (twoheaded@aol.com):
Somebody tell us about that show last night in New Orleans. My friend who lives there left me a message this morning saying that at lunchtime yesterday the radio station announced a NIN show for THAT NIGHT at a small club in New Orleans. She said only 600 people could get in and she was one of them.
I've been calling her ever since I got home but now she's not home (fuckfuckfuck).
SOMEBODY TELL US ABOUT IT!!!
exodust (exodust@cris.com):
Well, I just got back from my excursion to New Orleans to see NIN.
The show was very poorly organized and the fact that I had to wait in line for seven hours (it was only supposed to be four) to get my ticket wasn't really worth the effort. Granted, it was a highlight of my life to see NIN in a club, but I truly HATE the manager of Jimmy's in New Orleans for the following reasons:
Anyway...yes it was NIN, and yes I'd prolly do it all again. However, I WILL NEVER GO TO JIMMY'S AGAIN, and I encourage you all to avoid the club also (just my rant).
lonny zone (lonny@comland.com):
IT SUCKED.
I have never felt so cheated in my life. First, we drive all night to get there. At noon, we arrive at the club, Jimmy's, and are maybe 20th in line. Good news, eh? Now we only have to wait four hours to get tickets.
Wrong. They move the sales time from 4 to 5. Then they say that you can only buy one per person (was two). So we have to go call all the friends we're getting tickets for. Then they say that they will sell tickets at 7:00, when the doors open.
6:30 It begins to drizzle.
6:45 It begins to rain. At this point, if I was the manager, I'd open the doors.
7:00 Noah is building his ark, but we are still standing in line. My boots are filling with water.
7:05 Doors open.
7:15 We get in. Remember where we were in line?
8:00 We go home to change. Music has yet to start. When we get back, Falling Janus is almost done with their set.
One hour and thirty minutes after that, Trent deigns to grace us with his presence. They (NIN and Prick) proceed to play maybe 10 songs. Then they have an encore. I didn't even stay for that.
All in all, it was a bust. The only reason I had any fun at all was that Falling Janus are awesome hosts. They rock. The only redeeming feature of the club was the jambalaya they overcharged for. Expensive, but yummy.
I am a die-hard NIN fan, and I would happily punch Trent in his smug little posterboy face right now. I am HURT. It would have been less insulting if he had just taken a shit right in my mouth.
Trent, if you read this, I want to know that I have defended you for a long time. When I hear about other stars shitting all over their fans, I would think to myself,"Trent wouldn't do that." Thank you for shattering my illusions and letting me see what you are like. Remember, you asked to play this show. If you didn't want to do it right, you shouldn't have done it. A friend of mine sold some of his CDs to pay his way to the show. We drove all night to get there. We waited in line seven hours! Do you care? Do you even give a shit about your fans? The people who made you who you were? Christ, we write you letters of sympathy when Maise died, and you can't even tell a club owner to open a damned door! Apparently not.
christian hellreigel (darkfreak@gnn.com):
It sucked?
Funny, I'd heard it was a great show, and sure you had to wait for NIN to come on late, but isn't that kinda typical for main acts, especially in clubs? Are we talking about the show here or did somebody kill your puppy or something?
Okay, the extra waiting and rain part does suck. Hey, at least you had plenty of time to call your friends to come stand in line, too. Why are you HURT? Did you expect flowers and champagne or something instead of the show you paid for? Insulting? Maybe the people I know who went just weren't whiny babies, who knows?
Maybe you expected too much? Maybe you're getting a little overly judgmental? Is there another club in New Orleans called Jimmy's where the people I know saw a great show? Did someone force you to do this? Did you do something no one else on that line did?
Whether Trent was there or not during all this, isn't it the club owner's decision when to open a damned door? Why the fuck bother writing letters of sympathy when Maise died if you have to bring it up and think that it somehow entitles you to have doors opened for you? Don't you send letters of sympathy because you fucking feel it, not because you want to kiss up to someone or maybe just maybe it'll get you somewhere?
Ktocs (nolajuka@world-net.net):
My, my, my. Such anger.
Do you really expect Trent to be a touchy-feely kind of guy? He's just like anybody else. He has his good side (loved his pet dog, visits grandma at Christmas time, etc.), but this is also someone who screams out intense images of pain, isolation, and loneliness. Ironically, that's what we love about him, isn't it? How far should he be expected to "care?"
After all, who knows what the circumstances were surrounding the event. Let's give Trent the benefit of the doubt. Or, "I say we kill him." (Faye Dunaway, Network -- just kidding, folks.)
Look at it this way, you got the chance to be there and a lot of others didn't. You were actually kind of lucky, heh? I can tell you're disappointed, but please, please go mellow out and listen to some nice Dave Matthews or Seal or something and call us in the morning.
WE LOVE YOU, MAAAAN!
lily j. rabbit (bunny25@wolfenet.com):
Trent didn't have to play any damn show at all.
You didn't have to go.
The club manager runs the show. It's HIS club.
Trent is not in charge there. Trent does not have to do anything for you. He does a lot for his fans, a hell of a lot more than half the bands I like.
heather the bitch princess (heather@mail.swcp.com):
I couldn't agree more, myself. Heck, I got to touch Trent Reznor's leg, do y'all think I'm going to bitch because I got stuck in a flood from the sky? Nah....
c-ko linde (selinde@facstaff.wisc.edu):
Club personnel make all the decisions about the club, from admission to selling merchandise to when the doors open. Oftentimes, the club staff have more control over a gig than the band does.
If anyone has a beef with the club, CALL THE CLUB. Complain to them, not to Trent. Don't blame Trent on this one. He was probably just as powerless as you were in this situation with the doors opening late and everybody getting rained on.
robin colleen moore (robin@mindspring.com):
It always bears repeating...in my humble experience, club owners and staff are usually the most difficult people to deal with in a concert situation.
From what I've heard from a couple of native New Orleanians, soundcheck was running later than it should have, which was one reason why the doors didn't open as soon as they should have -- so that much may be partially Trent's or the band's fault (although I've seen club people sit around with their thumbs up their asses and not help speed things along). But apparently the club owner is notorious for being an asshole -- he figures he's got one of the premiere music venues in NO, and therefore can get away with treating everybody -- probably bands as well as audience members -- very shabbily. Usually karma seems to come back and bite this kind of person in the ass bigtime...too bad the rest of us aren't always around to see it happen.
In other words, sometimes shit happens, and frequently it's not the band's fault. Bands can only get away with or do what the venue allows them to, because after all, who's got their hand on the fusebox?
Anyway, I think everyone can stop bitching at Lonny now. He was obviously upset and pissed, and just let 'er rip when he posted, but I don't think he's expecting Trent to kiss his ass or any such thing. He was just terribly upset and overreacting a tad because of it.
MD (mdarwin@visi.com):
It's fine and dandy that all you folks got to see NIN in a club. What I wanna know is, what did they play? All the posts just mentioned about how shitty the waiting in line stuff was. How about some details of what happened INSIDE? I couldn't care less about what happened getting in the place -- was everyone too pissed off to enjoy the show and can't remember what the set was? Well...anyone?
disaffected (cbrown@falcon.lhup.edu):
Unless I missed it, I haven't seen a setlist for the surprise show. Did they play any new stuff at all or give any crowd talk about future nindeavours? Instead of bitching about rain and whatnot (we know IT SUCKS!), post (or repost if I missed it) a review of the show and a setlist...thanks.
gothgate (gothgate05@aol.com):
You did miss it, but here it is again:
NIN:
kroll (keshet@magg.net):
From what I hear, the main reason it took so long to get in and such was that some asshole radio DJ talked about the concert on the air...therefore, there were a lot more people there than there were supposed to be. Well, I hope the music was good at least.
gothgate (gothgate05@aol.com):
...For myself, it was a peak experience in my life and history of going to shows.... Only 700 people were let in, and actually the venue should hold only 500.... As of 6:30, they were still setting up inside. Soundchecks ran a bit late, so the club wasn't really ready to open ... unfortunately there wasn't a dry place to put the line.
It's a small club, and with that many people, the door gets a bit slowed down. Also, they couldn't possibly have let you in and taken your money once inside...that would have been an insane situation, trying to ID, age-band, and collect money from a packed crowd of 700 people. They couldn't have moved amongst the crowd! No, they did the only thing really possible.... No way around it -- with a line like that, someone was gonna get wet.
I don't know if you could see from wherever you were, but there were some problems with McMahon's guitar. That's what the delay was mostly about as far as I could see. I could see the band pacing around on the other side of the stage, anxious to go on, but the stage crew was having those equipment problems. It was a frustrating wait, probably for them as well. The show wasn't really NIN and Prick...rather NIN (Trent, Chris, Danny, and Charlie) with Kevin McMahon on guitar (Robin's old spot) and Clint doing a guest turn on vocals for two songs....
NIN normally plays arena-sized venues. Here you have the opportunity that hasn't been around for years...to see NIN play in a club. These "secret" Nothing showcases are something I feel Trent does to give a little something back to his fans. Last year's was at Muddy Waters, an even smaller club than Jimmy's! And it was amazing, even though NIN didn't play. I got to hear Prick, PWEI, and Manson, from right up in front of the stage! I felt privileged, just as I did for this show. Even more so because NIN played...Trent did a great performance! He was right out there in the audience, pulling people up on stage, leaning out while they clawed and attacked him, feeding on the wild energy of the night. It was fucking amazing! To see it all right up close and personal! Okay, he flubbed the lyrics for MotP and "wish" a little, but I just found that amusing. Heh! Proof that he's not lipsyncing, anyway. [g]
Not only that, but by letting Falling Janus and Cut Rate Box open for him, Trent did two of my favorite local bands a great thing. They got so much more exposure than they ever might have otherwise...playing to a crowd of 700 people who might not be their normal audience. So much for the shit I read about Trent not supporting the "local scene". That is all so much BULLSHIT!
I've seen NIN five times now: once in Chicago right after pretty hate machine, once here in Nola at the Sanger in '91, twice on the NIN/Bowie tour (Atlanta and Austin), and this past Friday's show. Let me tell ya, this show was best, harking back to the very first time I saw them play, before they got so "famous"....
Yes, the set was short. Six NIN songs, two Prick songs, two PWEI songs, one more NIN song, and the encore -- 12 songs total. No, not as long as a full-fledged arena show, but hey, the arena shows also cost a heck of a lot more than $15.... I had the time of my fucking life there. And I have nothing but thanks for Trent doing such an intimate show, giving his time and energy to New Orleans, his adopted home, and helping two local bands get some exposure they greatly deserve....
No, Trent can't order the rain to stop, he can't order the venue to change their policy. Contrary to what some believe, he is not a god, only a musician -- a damn fine one, and a damn generous one. Trent, if you read this, which I doubt sincerely that you do, know that I appreciate what you did at this show. Thanks. For whatever reason, you've decided to make my native home your home and you're doing a pretty good job of things, as far as I'm concerned.
heather the bitch princess (heather@mail.swcp.com)
OH! I see now, you liked the most boring loser poser goth band I've ever heard in my life.
gothgate (gothgate05@aol.com):
...I disagree with this, obviously...Falling Janus is one of my top 10 favorite bands, local or otherwise. But everyone's entitled to their own opinion. Mine is that Falling Janus is great.
However, they were NOT at their best for that show, I'll admit. I've heard them a lot better, and a lot less nervous, at other shows. But I can understand why they'd be a little nervous. Opening for NIN would make my knees knock, too!
heather the bitch princess (heather@mail.swcp.com):
Hey Gothgate! I didn't see you at the show, wah! Oh well, I wasn't much in the spirit to see anything but Trent in my face, ya know. Just wanted to say holà. And I still didn't care for Falling Janus, but at least they have a nifty name.
exodust (exodust@cris.com):
Hey, like I said before, I'm not really upset at all of this...I just think it would have made more sense for Jimmy to open the doors a little earlier, when the clouds rolled in and started to drizzle on everyone (it started drizzling about 30 minutes before the actual hard rain). That would have gotten everyone into the club, and they would have stayed dry. Which would have made everyone's nerves more calm.
I DID ENJOY THE SHOW. And I would do it again. And hell, if there were no rain in the forecast I'd prolly go back to Jimmy's again, despite the one bad night there. I realize you can't judge a club by just one experience.