What a glorious summers day the 14th July turned out to be. Certainly, not a day to be dressing to impress. So armed with a T-shirt, a pair of shorts and my mate, Paul, I took the train to Waterloo from Eastleigh. The afternoon was so hot I declined the early beer and opted for coca-cola and bottled water instead. The most interesting thing that occurred on the train was when Paul and myself were bombarded with a group of schoolchildren and teachers in our part of the train. We were asked by one of the boys if we were Rock stars. As tempting as it was to say 'yes' we took the honest approach and a bit of smug satisfaction that we were still down with the kids! After the kids got off we generally chatted about how much we were looking forward to the gig and whether we'd bump into Clint from Pop Will Eat Itself or Gary Numan!

Once we hit Waterloo, the traditional visit to the Hole In The Wall managed to mark my first beer of the day and from then on there was no stopping me. We went on to The Wellington and had a few more before getting the tube to Brixton. The weather was still sweltering to say the least! A trip to the Wetherspoons for a bite to eat and then to The Canterbury Arms where we were able to sit outside and enjoy the early evening heat.

The temperature was close to boiling point inside the Academy. We had missed the support act and didn't have to wait too long before NIN were on stage. We were positioned at the front right of stage (as we looked at it!). Stood above us was the small but perfectly formed Aaron North playing a frantic lead guitar. Behind him the drummer Jerome Dillon. The far side of the stage at the front was Jeordie White (aka Twiggy Ramirez of Marilyn Manson fame) who appeared to be sometimes guitarist but mostly bassist and behind him the keyboardist Alessandro Cortini. In the centre, of course, Nine Inch Nails himself - after all he is the only official member of the band - Mr Trent Reznor, wearing black jeans and a black sleevelss shirt (which was to get very sweaty by the end of the evening!), looking to me like a sort of gothic Bruce Springsteen! At the start the band launched into Sin. Trent violently brandishing a black Les Paul!

I have to say that the band played their hearts out. Playing a set consisting of a decent cross section of all Nine Inch Nails main studion albums. We were treated to an hour and three quarters (no encore but I don't think that really matters when you play a set that long!) including March Of The Pigs, Starf***ers Inc. and The Hand That Feeds. It has to be said that there was not a lot of communication with the audience going on, though. A couple of 'Thank You's between songs was about all that was mustered. Another strange observation was that the audience weren't exactly up for moving around too much. Perhaps it was the heat! Down the front all that seemed to be happening was that we were getting very crushed by the very packed Brixton Academy audience.

Towards the end of the set Paul turned to me and asked if I fancied a beer. I didn't hesitate. Sometimes seeing a gig from a bit further back you get a different perspective. Reznor performed Hurt (made famous as the last Johnny Cash poignant single!) with a lone keyboard a t the front of the stage with him. Whilst we were in this area (remembering our train conversation) , who should walk by us but Gary Numan of all people. Paul missed him at first so I had to point and say 'over there with the barnet'!

NIN finished on a rowdy Head Like A Hole and then they disappeared into the night. And Paul and myself disappeared into the erm... pub! Bumped into a Numan T-shirted fan and mentioned that we had seen his hero at the gig. Then off to Waterloo for a burger and the train back home.

Ric Mansell





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