Nine Inch Nails Offers Live Debuts & David Bowie Tribute At First Live Show Since 2014

On Wednesday night Nine Inch Nails returned to the stage after a near three-year live hiatus. Trent Reznor & Co. honored Reznor’s mentor, David Bowie, at one point during the 21-song concert at Rabobank Arena in Bakersfield, which also featured a handful of live debuts.

Nine Inch Nails began Wednesday’s concert with the first ever “Branches/Bones” off their late 2016 EP Not The Actual Events. The band then pulled “Copy Of A” off 2013’s Hesitation Marks and debuted “Less Than,” the first single off Add Violence – a new EP due out tomorrow. Next came “March Of The Pigs,” one of five tracks off NIN’s landmark The Downward Spiral LP, as “Closer,” “Hurt,” “Piggy” and “Reptile” also made the setlist on opening night.

In the middle of the show, Nine Inch Nails performed a rendition of “Parasite” from Reznor’s How To Destroy Angels project. Trent’s wife, Mariqueen Maandig, helped out on “Parasite.” From there, continued on with “Burn” from the Natural Born Killers soundtrack and “Wish” off Broken. The biggest surprise of the night was when NIN paid tribute to the late David Bowie by covering the Blackstar track “I Can’t Give Everything Away.” Reznor gave a moving introduction in mentioning the man who helped him get sober and acted as a mentor before the band infused “I Can’t Give Everything Away” with their own spin.

Later in the set Nine Inch Nails presented the lie debuted of “The Lovers” and “Burning Bright (Field On Fire).” The group ended the night with two of their most beloved songs as “Head Like A Hole” served as the main set closer and “Hurt” was played as the encore.

Watch videos captured by Pongo Mousike (except where noted) at last night’s show:

[I Can’t Give Everything Away | Captured by Weston Grounds]

[Branches/Bones]

[Wish]

[Less Than]

[Burning Bright]

[Closer]

[Head Like A Hole]