Surprise: Nine Inch Nails Announces a New Album and a Brand-New Tour
Halfway through March, Oscar-winning composers (and now bandmates) Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross appeared on BBC Radio to make a not entirely unexpected announcement: a new Nine Inch Nails EP was headed our way "before June". No further information was provided, but it was understood that this EP would finalize the trilogy established in NIN's two previous EPs, Not The Actual Events and Add Violence.
We've been waiting for an update ever since, and today we got one: Bad Witch, Nine Inch Nails' latest album (which they're now calling an LP, despite the fact that the album features only six tracks) will arrive on June 22nd. Even as we speak, it's available for purchase via the NIN store in a variety of bundles (once again, I'm holding out for the inevitable deluxe boxed set that'll surely include NTAE, Add Violence and Bad Witch).
But wait, there's more: on top of the new album, a fall tour has been announced, one that'll take the band through a variety of appearances around the globe...and, in its back half, mostly through North America. Here's the lineup (but before you get too excited, be aware that there's a catch to this; we'll get to that momentarily):
06-13 Las Vegas, NV - The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
06-15 Las Vegas, NV - The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
06-16 Las Vegas, NV - The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
06-22 London, England - Meltdown Festival
06-24 London, England - Royal Albert Hall
06-25 Paris, France - Olympia
06-27 Amsterdam, Netherlands - AFAS
06-29 St. Gallen, Switzerland - Open Air Fest
06-30 Prague, Czech Republic - Aerodrome Festival
07-02 Berlin, Germany - Zitadelle
07-04 Roskilde, Denmark - Roskilde Festival
07-06 Belfort , France - Eurokennes Festival
07-08 Werchter, Belgium - Rock Werchter Festival
07-09 Montreux, Switzerland - Montreux Jazz Festival
07-12 Lisbon, Portugal - NOS Alive Festival
07-14 Madrid, Spain - Mad Cool Festival
08-14 Bangkok, Thailand - Moonstar Studio
08-17 Tokyo, Japan - Sonic Mania Festival
08-19 Osaka, Japan - Summer Sonic Festival
09-13 Phoenix, AZ - Comerica Theatre ^
09-14 Phoenix, AZ - Comerica Theatre ^
09-18 Morrison, CO - Red Rocks ^
09-19 Morrison, CO - Red Rocks ^
09-22 San Antonio, TX - River City Rockfest
09-24 Memphis, TN - Orpheum Theater ^
09-26 Atlanta, GA - Fox Theatre ^
09-27 Atlanta, GA - Fox Theatre ^
09-29 Nashville, TN - Ascend Amphitheater ^
10-09 Washington, DC - The Anthem ^
10-13 New York, NY - Radio City Music Hall ^
10-14 New York, NY - Radio City Music Hall ^
10-19 Boston, MA - Boch Center ^
10-20 Boston, MA - Boch Center ^
10-22 Detroit, MI - Fox Theater ^
10-23 Detroit, MI - Fox Theater ^
10-25 Chicago, IL - Aragon Ballroom ^
10-26 Chicago, IL - Aragon Ballroom ^
11-23 New Orleans, LA - Saenger Theatre ^
11-24 New Orleans, LA - Saenger Theatre ^
11-27 Irving, TX - The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory ^
11-28 Irving, TX - The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory ^
12-03 San Francisco, CA - Bill Graham Civic Auditorium ^
12-07 Los Angeles, CA - Palladium ^
12-08 Los Angeles, CA - Palladium ^
12-11 Los Angeles, CA - Palladium ^
12-12 Los Angeles, CA - Palladium ^^ with the Jesus and Mary Chain
So, what's the catch? According to NIN's website, you'll need to pick up your tickets in person and from the venue-in-question on May 19th (for instance, if you're living in Austin and want to see one of the band's November tour dates outside of Dallas, you'll need to pick up tickets in person in Irving, TX nine days from now). As you might expect, this part of the announcement has been met with a mixed response from NIN fans, one the band clearly saw coming when they wrote this FAQ about the process:
WHAT? WHY? PHYSICAL WORLD PRESALE?
THE PROMISE OF A WORLD MADE BETTER BY COMPUTERS AND ONLINE CONNECTIVITY HAS FAILED US IN MANY WAYS, PARTICULARLY WHEN IT COMES TO TICKETING. EVERYTHING ABOUT THE PROCESS SUCKS AND EVERYONE LOSES EXCEPT THE RESELLER. WE’VE DECIDED TO TRY SOMETHING DIFFERENT THAT WILL ALSO LIKELY SUCK, BUT IN A DIFFERENT WAY. WE’RE HOPING MANY OF YOU WILL BE HAPPY WITH THE RESULTS, WHILE SOME MAY DO WHAT THEY ALWAYS DO AND BITCH ABOUT IT.
HERE’S HOW IT WORKS:
YOU (AN ACTUAL HUMAN BEING) SHOW UP AT THE BOX OFFICE, INTERACT WITH THE TICKET SELLER (ANOTHER ACTUAL HUMAN BEING) AND PURCHASE UP TO FOUR TICKETS THAT WILL ACTUALLY BE HANDED TO YOU ON THE SPOT. THE TICKETS WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE ONLINE OR ANYWHERE ELSE BEFORE OR DURING THAT DAY. ALL SEATS (INCLUDING THE BEST SEATS) WILL BE AVAILABLE FIRST COME, FIRST SERVE. YOU MAY ACTUALLY ENCOUNTER OTHER ACTUAL HUMAN BEINGS WITH SIMILAR INTERESTS LIKELY WEARING BLACK CLOTHING DURING THE PROCESS AND POTENTIALLY INTERACT WITH THEM. THE EXPERIENCE HAS THE POTENTIAL* TO BE ENJOYABLE. NINE INCH NAILS HAS ALWAYS BEEN ABOUT BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER, LIVING LIFE TO THE FULLEST AND GOOD TIMES.**
ANY REMAINING TICKETS WILL BE SOLD AT A LATER DATE.
*NOT GUARANTEED
**NOT ENTIRELY TRUE
Classic Trent Reznor shenanigans.
That bit at the end about some tickets being made available online is good news, I suppose - at least there's a chance for people wishing to attend an out-of-town show who can't also line up on May 19th - but it's also understandable why some fans wouldn't be hyped. Here's hoping we all get a crack at this tour when the time comes, even if it means making a mad dash to buy marked-up tickets via an unscrupulous ticket retailer once the online batches go on sale.
Anyway, for the most part, this is good news! What say you, NIN fans? Into all this or nah? Sound off below.
