NIN again

Last night I went a couple of cities over, to Hamilton, Ontario to see the same Nine Inch Nails show I saw back in August (and that Bobavey saw a few nights ago in Ottawa and still hasn't posted his photos from).

I didn't know anyone who wanted to go with me at the time I bought the ticket, but later on found out my co-worker's live-in boyfriend was also going on his own.  He has a car, so I got a ride in and out (bonus!).  It was an hour and a half in rush hour traffic to get there (normally the ride is half that), so Shayne was as glad to have the company as I was for the ride.

Oops -- this is where I thought I saved this as "hidden" to finish later, until Bobavey commented on it.

Because I'd gone straight from work to meet Shayne at a subway station near their house, I had my daypack with my library book in it, and it came in handy when I got there early and had a half hour to kill.  But at the security check and pat-down going into the concert, the security guard looked in my pack and said, "A book?  What, in case you get bored?"  Oh, ha, ha.  I guess To Kill A Mockingbird doesn't show up at too many Nine Inch Nails concerts.

I should have pulled it out, though, because there was about 45 minutes between the opening act (that we arrived most of the way through, a band called Boris that I didn't care for) and when NIN came on.  The house lights were up for all of that break and I could have gotten quite a bit read if I didn't want to look like the biggest dork in the arena.  So I people-watched.  I spotted Shayne once down in the gathering crowd on the floor (I had a seat, he had preferred general admission).  One girl on the floor passed out during the break, and one security guy hauled her out of the throng with a bear hug hold, then once she was in a clear area, another guard grabbed her in a fireman's carry, with her limp over his shoulder, butt uppermost, and her front end flopping down his back, to great applause.  I hope all her friends got photos.

Speaking of photos, I didn't bring my camera, because I figured they'd be looking for them in the pat-down, and my cellphone is so Luddite it doesn't even take photos, so you'll have to check Bobavey's post for his pics.  But I had a great seat.  To the right of the stage, and only the second section back, row 11.  Much better seat than in August.

Unlike Bobavey, or the show in August, I didn't have to stand the entire time.  There were some seats in front of me that I guess the scalpers didn't manage to unload, and I could get a decent enough view around the hulking guy next to me to be able to see pretty well while sitting through the middle of the concert.  But I did stand enough that my lower back is feeling kind of stiff today. 

Man, I wouldn't want to be Trent's mike stand roadie.  He keeps that guy hopping the way he pitches them off and around the stage.  And those guys are punctual.  Exactly two hours to the minute, start to finish of the encores.

As Bobavey said, it was an awesome show, and I'd say that with or without the video effects.  I've only been an NIN fan for a short while now, and don't know the whole repertoire, but I'm recognizing more and more songs now.  And could sing along with "Hurt" like everybody else this time (though I didn't hold up a cell phone or lighter).  They even played the song that Cap'n Crook posted on my birthday. 

I got in at midnight, stayed up to wind down for a while, but had to get up by 8 to be up and ready when the cleaning service I use occasionally arrived.  I suffer no middle-class guilt while sitting around letting someone else clean my place.  I'm about to go back and lie on the bed and carry on watching the Daily Show and Colbert Report from Thursday night.

Have a good day, peeps!