Tens of thousands of people descended on venues across North America as Nine Inch Nails tried a different approach to getting tour tickets directly into the hands of their fans. Taking place in fourteen cities, fans who waited in line at The Physical World presale events had first shot at the best seats for COLD AND BLACK AND INFINITE NORTH AMERICA 2018.
Lines were long at The Physical World presales – often wrapping multiple times around city blocks – but fans made the most of their time as they connected with other like-minded individuals. A locked box in each city contained a NIN listening station playing 2 new songs at loud volume on a loop, giving “Ahead of Ourselves” and “Play the Goddamned Part” their world debut.
Limited edition presale t-shirts and lithographs, customized for each venue, were available to the fans who made the effort to show up. Local businesses got involved, with Alamo Drafthouse in Dallas creating a custom Nine Inch Nails menu for the day and Chicago coffee roaster Dark Matter delivering a custom blend to the throng of fans outside the Aragon Ballroom. The events had their challenges, and venue and promoter staff worked closely with the band to resolve issues as they came up.
Trent Reznor says:
We’re playing a limited amount of shows in a more intimate setting this time around, and we thought we’d try something different regarding ticketing. Our goals weren’t simply to combat scalping and resellers, but to turn the process into a communal activity. Although not without hiccups (we underestimated the turnout - Jesus!), it was incredibly rewarding to see actual fans getting great seats at face value and experience something together. We are very much looking forward to the shows - thank you as always for your support!
#NINOnTour
@rogershepard 8 hours later, Row 4 for #NINONTOUR #Boston - humanity restored
@LTamasfi This #ninontour #nineinchnails event was amazing! We hang out all night, out tickets that came with a beautiful display envelope, I picked up a pre-sale limited edition lithograph, an event only t shirt, and got to listen to 2 unreleased tracks from the incoming album!
@blackcelebrantt You can only imagine the success we felt after waiting 6 hours. Last batch of VIP tickets in hand!
@earlypaintbrush It’s like the 90s but with less hair and more phones
@YogiJoshKenobi Aaaaaannnddd we got tix!!! waited in line for 2 hours, but worth it!haha and no fees too!!!
@emmastory as my new line friend and I were exchanging contact info, we both realized that @trent_reznor’s sinister plan succeeded after all
@StuntmanSeth We met some cool folks in line. And the staff was providing drinks and stuff. Much better than fighting with bots online getting nosebleeds
Instagram user Jennaxarkansas: Totally worth all of this. 4th row.
@LexiNicole85 Thank you @nineinchnails @trent_reznor for giving us an experience today. I had human interactions and met some awesome people! From the merch table to listening area of album. Everyone kept talking about how it reminded them of good ole days
@NannyNouvelle Scalper showed up, bought $500 in tix. Turned around and tried to sell GA $300 a ticket. Got hauled off immediately.
Reddit user TheJVR: Like most of you, I went to the venue nervous; not knowing what to expect, not knowing if I'd get tickets for sure...We were there for 4 1/2 hours, but the time flew by. I'd been planning to see this show alone (my wife isn't interested), but me and two of the other guys ended up buying seats next each other for the same night (the seats in the section I wanted!). I'm no longer going alone. It's my first show, so I'm excited to have company.
Instagram user Girlswannabeher: After 10 hours of waiting, standing in the rain and having endless conversations about this music and the gift if has brought to so many, these are mine. It was an incredible day to talk to so many strangers learn about their lives and share pieces of mine. Many of these people I would have never crossed paths with otherwise. The human experience is alive and well, the requirement isn’t money or status, it is a desire to participate.
@wolves_lower Yo Trent Reznor pulled the biggest trick of all and actually forced me to talk to total strangers.
COLD AND BLACK AND INFINITE NORTH AMERICA 2018
WITH THE JESUS AND MARY CHAIN
Date City/State Venue 1st of 3 Acts
09/13 Phoenix, AZ Comerica Theatre TOBACCO
09/14 Phoenix, AZ Comerica Theatre TOBACCO
09/18 Morrison, CO Red Rocks TOBACCO
09/19 Morrison, CO Red Rocks TOBACCO
09/24 Memphis, TN Orpheum Theater TOBACCO
09/26 Atlanta, GA Fox Theatre TOBACCO
09/27 Atlanta, GA Fox Theatre TOBACCO
09/29 Nashville, TN Ascend Amphitheater TOBACCO
10/09 Washington, DC The Anthem Kite Base
10/10 Washington, DC The Anthem Kite Base
10/13 New York, NY Radio City Music Hall Kite Base
10/14 New York, NY Radio City Music Hall Daniel Avery
10/19 Boston, MA Boch Center Daniel Avery
10/20 Boston, MA Boch Center Death in Vegas
10/22 Detroit, MI Fox Theater Gabe Gurnsey (Factory Floor)
10/23 Detroit, MI Fox Theater Gabe Gurnsey (Factory Floor)
10/25 Chicago, IL Aragon Ballroom Gabe Gurnsey (Factory Floor)
10/26 Chicago, IL Aragon Ballroom Death in Vegas
10/27 Chicago, IL Aragon Ballroom Death in Vegas
11/23 New Orleans, LA Saenger Theatre Kite Base
11/24 New Orleans, LA Saenger Theatre Kite Base
11/27 Irving, TX The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory Daniel Avery
11/28 Irving, TX The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory Daniel Avery
12/03 San Francisco, CA Bill Graham Civic Auditorium HMLTD
12/07 Los Angeles, CA Palladium Death in Vegas
12/08 Los Angeles, CA Palladium Death in Vegas
12/11 Los Angeles, CA Palladium HMLTD
12/12 Los Angeles, CA Palladium HMLTD
Nine Inch Nails – SUMMER 2018 TOUR DATES
* headline shows
06/13 Las Vegas, NV The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino *SOLD OUT
06/15 Las Vegas, NV The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino *SOLD OUT
06/16 Las Vegas, NV The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino *SOLD OUT
06/22 London Meltdown Festival *SOLD OUT
06/24 London Royal Albert Hall *SOLD OUT
06/25 Paris Olympia *SOLD OUT
06/27 Amsterdam AFAS *SOLD OUT
06/29 St Gallen Open Air Fest
06/30 Prague Aerodrome Festival
07/02 Berlin Zitadelle *SOLD OUT
07/04 Roskilde DK Roskilde Festival
07/06 Belfort Eurokennes Festival
07/08 Werchter Rock Werchter Festival
07/09 Montreux Montreux Jazz Festival
07/12 Lisbon NOS Alive Festival
07/14 Madrid Mad Cool Festival
08/14 Bangkok Moonstar Studio
08/17 Tokyo Sonic Mania Festival
08/19 Osaka Summer Sonic Festival
09/22 San Antonio, TX River City Rockfest
09/30 Louisville, KY Louder than Life Festival
