Nine Inch Nails review: ‘A four-act experience unlike any other’
In 2023, Trent Reznor expressed doubts as to whether Nine Inch Nails would resume life as a touring band, hinting at a desire to spend more time at home and a frustration over the musical landscape, but it’s without doubt that Nine Inch Nails has reinvented the art of live performances with a spectacle of a four-act experience unlike any other, underlining the vision that makes Reznor one of music’s great savants.
The release of ‘The Downward Spiral’ in 1994 launched Nine Inch Nails into mainstream stardom, and the artistry of Reznor has gone on to influence countless greats, including Lady Gaga, St. Vincent, Axl Rose, Linkin Park and David Bowie, who toured with the band in 1995. Now in 2025, Reznor stands as one of the most revered musicians of all time as a Grammy Award-winning musician and an award-winning film composer alongside frequent collaborator and fellow Nine Inch Nails bandmate Atticus Ross, and he’s still an artist at the peak of his powers – and one who knows how to deliver the most nail-biting introduction to a show.
Launching the show with a stripped-back and intimate set on the b-stage, the 20,000 in attendance at London’s O2 Arena were whipped into a state of silence as Reznor played out the opening notes of ‘Right Where It Belongs’ with a snippet of ‘Somewhat Damaged’ played in the outro, serving as a calm before the storm moment as Ross and bassist Alessandro Cortini made their way to the b-stage midway through an intense and atmospheric rendition of ‘Ruiner’. From there, a performance of ‘Piggy’ provided a rush of adrenaline to the bloodstream that set the tone for an enthralling second act.
As the powerhouse drumming of Ilan Rubin rang out throughout the venue, Cortini, Ross and Reznor made their way to the A-Stage for a rendition of ‘Wild’, which is delivered with a barrage of crunching distortion and a barrage of aggressive flashing lights before an utterly majestic and breathtakingly explosive performance of ‘March of the Pigs’ leaves the audience electrified. The intense chugging guitars of ‘Reptile’ see the intensity ratchet up once again before a technical problem with Reznor’s microphone left lead guitarist Robin Finck to finish the track, leading to a quip from Reznor that it’s “the world’s most complicated show and a mic cable takes us out”.
However, in the form that Reznor and co. are in, not even a dodgy microphone cable can deny them. The ambient sonic soundscapes of ‘The Lovers’ leave the audience with their jaws on the ground (figuratively speaking). ‘Copy of A’ is delivered with one of the best uses of special effects that I’ve ever seen, with Reznor joined by what seemingly resembled ghost-like projections before the stage fills up with smoke on a rendition of ‘Gave Up’ riffs heavy and is delivered with some skull-crushing vocals from Finck in the chorus.
As an artist, Reznor’s vision and creativity are unmatched, and the third act is a prime example of that. Accompanied by Ross and Boys Noise on the B-Stage, renditions of ‘The Warning’, ‘Only’ and ‘Came Back Haunted’ are performed as feverishly energising techno remixes, transforming the O2 Arena into a nightclub and underlining the versatility in Reznor’s arsenal before Ross and Reznor made their way back to the A-Stage for an explosive finale.
A rendition of ‘Mr Self Destruct’, performed with a barrage of hard-hitting drums and crunchy guitars, is a major highlight from the evening before ‘Heresy’ is sung back to Reznor in full voice. However, as the set neared its conclusion, the band were once again plagued by technical issues, with the frontman expressing his disdain for being asked to “kill some time” whilst equipment was being repaired.
Nonetheless, the five-piece quickly reupped the intensity as a rendition of Bowie’s ‘I’m Afraid of Americans’ follows; the dark and intense ‘The Perfect Drug’ provided an opportunity for Ross and Rubin to engage in duelling solos on synth and drums as Cortini, Finck and Reznor took a backseat.
As the night came to a close, the hard-rocking anthem ‘Head Is A Hole’ saw the stage drenched in a sea of white as the exceptional camerawork panned to each of the band members, who were once again in black and white, adding a gritty layer to the visuals as the heavy riffage and a big singalong rang throughout the O2. However, the night reached its crescendo with a rendition of ‘Hurt’ that leaves the audience utterly immersed in a 20,000-strong singalong to end a spectacle of a show by one of the best live bands in the business.