As the primary day of Boston Calling winded down, the anticipation at Inexperienced Stage escalated for the primary headliner of the competition: 9 Inch Nails. The rock undertaking, which obtained its begin in Cleveland, definitely attracted the most important crowd of festival-goers, all impatiently ready to see producer and grasp curator Trent Reznor — in addition to which musical Avengers he would assemble for this reside efficiency (Reznor has a historical past of continually altering up his backing musicians on tour).

With Atticus Ross as the one different official member, the band’s touring roster stays considerably of a thriller for each tour. This time round, it featured Robin Finck on guitar, Alessandro Cortini on the bass, and Ilan Rubin on the drums: The present promised to be one for the books.

The highway to their efficiency on the competition was rocky. Not solely did the band step in for the Foo Fighters — who had been initially scheduled to headline on Friday previous to the passing of drummer Taylor Hawkins — additionally they would go on to cowl the Saturday headliner place as a substitute of The Strokes. With lower than an hour to go earlier than their Friday efficiency, Boston Calling issued the next announcement to competition goers: “On account of a constructive COVID case in The Strokes, who had been scheduled to headline on Saturday, Might twenty eighth, the band will not be capable of carry out on the Pageant. Tonight’s headliner, 9 Inch Nails, will headline a second set…”

Not solely did the announcement come as a shock to competition goers, however to Reznor as properly. “We’re very joyful to be right here with you tonight,” he mentioned, “relentless of the pressure of unending unhealthy information.” The appreciation for the gang carried on all through the set, and there have been many instances the place Reznor expressed that he was “actually grateful” that the followers had been there with him that evening.

The shift in efficiency was very evident: Understanding that they’d tomorrow’s second headline slot, Friday’s efficiency felt like a prelude.

The stage design was equivalent for each days; cages interspersed between every of the musicians, gentle beams emanating from in between the bars casting the gang in grey shades. The colours would change on theme, with deep blue and pink iridescent backgrounds for the unhappy tracks like “Solely,” whereas purple strobing lights left a carnal afterimage impact throughout their extra sensual songs, like “The Excellent Drug.” The commercial beams had been a direct reflection of the economic rock style 9 Inch is understood for: that instrumental-heavy, reworked, and grunge sound featured on songs like “The Hand That Feeds” and “Each Day Is Precisely the Similar” off the album “With Tooth.” When interspersed with their extra artificial, experimental, and transcendental appears like “Nearer” and “Damage,” from their album “The Downward Spiral,” the set comes collectively to be soulful and introspective but not overbearingly bleak, the lyrics resonating with the audio echoes.

The touring band for 9 Inch Nails consists of Robin Finck on guitar, Alessandro Cortini on the bass, and Ilan Rubin on the drums. By Courtesy of Alisa Regassa

Day one followers had been handled to debut album “Fairly Hate Machine” crowd favorites like “Head Like a Gap,” which was stuffed with instrument heavy interludes the place the guitar and drums performed off one another. Having been performing for 40+ years, the musicians behind these devices additionally placed on fairly the present. As a seasoned performer, Reznor commanded the viewers within the quiet solo moments, silencing the gang with only a flick of his fingers. He proved himself to be a tough employee on stage, holding notes till his voice strained with exhaustion. As fairly an emotional performer, Reznor might typically be seen crossing his arms behind his again throughout the somber interludes. The band joined in on the act with arms thrown as much as hype the gang throughout their cowl of Bowie’s “I’m Afraid of People,” because the thematic stage lights flashed purple, white, and blue. Rubin labored exceptionally arduous to execute a powerful drum solo that obtained cheers from the gang as his curly hair bounced together with the beat.

Because the rhythmic percussion-heavy dance beat obtained the gang grooving throughout “Sanctified,” the LED shows solid the band in a chiaroscuro shadow on the wall, a malicious, sinister really feel that paralleled the lyrics “Heaven’s only a rumor she’ll dispel.” The lights turned to the viewers to sing together with the refrain, eliciting literal head bangers. The bubbling high quality underlying these tracks was emphasised by the final somber notes of “Damage” reverberating for minutes as individuals exited the stadium.

Once they got here again round on Saturday, 9 Inch Nails had one thing to show — and that was evident of their setlist. Whereas Friday’s set was kind of synth-heavy industrial rock, Saturday’s selection felt rather more various.

Maybe it was as a result of addition of a few of their most up-to-date works, like 2018’s “God Break Down the Door” — which took the gang by storm despite the fact that the observe couldn’t sound extra totally different and distinctive in comparison with the remainder of their discography.

The impact was plain: 9 Inch Nails introduced a brand new vitality to Saturday’s efficiency, choosing up proper the place they left off and including a brand new spice and depth to their setlist. They made it an general extra upbeat and heavy-hitting efficiency.

Reznor himself felt revitalized, stealing the present together with his energetic vocal supply of the punchy strains whereas additionally choosing up a tambourine to contribute to the beat of “Each Day Is Precisely the Similar.” The band was additionally in on the mission, the escalating regular drum beat driving the tempo up for the guitar and keys, their cumulative sound extra vivid than the recorded model. Even the lights felt extra dynamic throughout songs like “Suck,” the place the highlight turned to shine on the gang within the echoing query “How does it really feel?” and interacting with the Boston crowd all through the efficiency.

As an alternative of bringing a defeated or drained angle to their set, Reznor was handing out good-natured jibes for the gang like “It is most likely an excellent time to say that we’re not The Strokes,” and that the competition “can’t fucking do away with us.” He took a second to replicate on his profession, noting his humble beginnings recording “Fairly Hate Machine” in Boston. “In case you would’ve advised me at any level that we’e the dependable band I might’ve mentioned you’re out of your fucking thoughts,” he mentioned with fun earlier than jokingly including “so in case you have a birthday celebration or a bar mitzvah…”

The rock undertaking from Cleveland battled one another in a guitar riff-off on Saturday at Boston Calling. By Courtesy of Alisa Regassa

Though nothing overtly modified about their set, the band’s vitality was utterly totally different the second time round. Even in taking part in the identical last songs from the day earlier than in the identical precise order, the supply was so energetic that it revitalized the viewers, making the finale that a lot grander the second time round.

Boston Calling noticed 9 Inch Nails accomplish the not possible final weekend: Regardless of the unhealthy climate and the Covid hiccups, the Boston crowd was not left dissatisfied. Even for the competition goers who attended each nights, it wasn’t like going to the identical live performance twice; it was extra like a two-part narrative that complemented the continuously evolving sounds the band is understood for.

—Employees author Alisa S. Regassa might be reached at alisa.regassa@thecrimson.com. Observe her on Twitter at @alisaregassa.