Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

MUSIC:

Nine Inch Nails eager to rock Las Vegas fans

Jane’s Addiction holds its own - then some - against NIN

Nine Inch Nails-Jane's Addiction at the Pearl

Justin M. Bowen

Nine Inch Nails performs at the Pearl at the Palms Monday night followed by a set from Janes Addiction.

Nine Inch Nails-Jane's Addiction at the Pearl

Nine Inch Nails performs at the Pearl at the Palms Monday night followed by a set from Janes Addiction. Launch slideshow »

At first blush, the headliner on Monday night's double bill seemed obvious: Nine Inch Nails.

So when I saw Trent Reznor and Co. open a sort of Lollapalooza Redux at the Pearl I was worried -- for Jane's Addiction.

Stripped down to a four piece and backed by an epilepsy-inducing light show, Nine Inch Nails quickly tore through early favorite "Terrible Lie."

Reznor chucked his guitar aside before chasing with a blistering version of "Heresy" and then charging through live staple "March of the Pigs," a highlight from the classic "Downward Spiral" that sounded as fresh and as brutal as it did when it was recorded 15 years ago.

A short turn at the piano and then Reznor was back to business, playing a guitar-laden "Piggy," utterly stripped of its slow jazz roil, as if to make clear that there would be no breathers here.

In fact, Nine Inch Nails, on what Reznor says is its final tour, was eager to please, playing their oldest, best and hardest material over the course of a 90-minute set that actually improved on its virtuoso performance in Las Vegas last year.

As Reznor put it, fans got a heavy dose of the "ugly" songs, giving the crowd what it really craved: "Head Like A Hole" and "Hurt" one last time.

The real shocker though was how quickly the reformed Jane's Addiction stole the show, wiping Nine Inch Nails' set from my mind. Frontman Perry Farrell did his best Iggy Pop, dressed in glitter pants and gloves and grinding on the monitors. The only thing missing was the peanut butter.

The rest of the band -- and bassist Eric Avery in particular -- delivered nothing less than revelation. Dave Navarro's soaring guitar work last night made you forgive him for that short stint in the Red Hot Chili Peppers and that dreadful solo record. The set was heavy on the 1988 classic "Nothing's Shocking," complete with "Mountain Song" and "Ted Just Admit It," and Jane's sounded tighter than ever.

Farrell turned 50 this year, but you wouldn't know it. "Even in a soulless desert we can find love together," he declared.

The set, capped with the classic "Jane Says," reminded us all of why we fell in love with Jane's Addiction in the first place -- and the legions of alternative bands that followed in their wake.

Pure and simple, it was great rock and roll that just wouldn't quit. Oh, and there were mesh shirts, black fingernails and eyeliner in there somewhere.

So message (and apologies) to Nine Inch Nails: You were upstaged.

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