Live Review

Nine Inch Nails & Cold Cave - Capital FM Arena, Nottingham & Phones 4 U Arena, Manchester (24/5/14 & 25/5/14)
I'm going to combine the reviews of the two shows rather than review them individually. I didn't see all of the first show as I'd made arrangements to meet up with some friends.

Cold Cave are much tighter than the last time I saw them live. On the one hand, their gothic tinged, electronic new wave has much in common with the headliner's early indebtedness to Depeche Mode but on the other hand, Nine Inch Nails draw a rock/metal crowd who appreciate heavier fare. They may be arguably the wrong band for the crowd but the reception they receive is warm. There are hints of Japan, Blancmange, Human League and even the fucking Lightning Seeds at various points in their set. Wes Eisold's deep and melancholic vocals obviously have an Ian Curtis influence but there are touches of David Sylvian and Phil Oakey about them too and overall, it reminds me of Sylvian fronting Visage. Good stuff.

Nine Inch Nails play a different set each night but they are immense on each occasion. They are much heavier than on record, with the guitars set to kill, and yet the sound is still crystal clear.

An urgent March Of The Pigs is crushing and rousing at the same time, and only sounds more urgent in Manchester. Terrible Lie is amazing. Reptile is crushing, monolithic Terminator doom. It isn't all pummelling however. All Time Low has a cool '80s Bowie vibe whilst Sanctified is given a dark '80s pop makeover. Piggy also offers a slight respite although it's Lynchian feel is still intense.

The light show is amazing too, bludgeoning the visual senses just as the music is destroying the aural senses. The visuals accompanying Disappointed are incredible and elevate the electronic pop into something otherworldly.

There are so many high points during each set. Copy Of A Copy is a driving, pulsating floor filler. Gave Up suffers from a disjointed start but recovers to pulverize. Closer is awesome and moves directly into a snippet of Down In It. The industrialised electronica of Come Back Haunted is apocalyptic while the two stepping industrial metal mayhem of Wish slays. The Hand That Feeds is NIN at their most commercial and it's a real crowd pleaser. The crowd erupts for Head Like A Hole and it's pretty joyous watching thousands of people singing along in unison. A sparse and powerful Hurt, which closes the Manchester show, is devastating.

Both shows are excellent but Nottingham was probably the better show as they played a much heavier set which was both surprising and incredible.