Williams won the crowd over with a mixture of spoken word and his own brand rock 'n' rap, stalking back and forth with rabble-rousing energy, and his best numbers, things like "Grippo", "Coded Language" and "List of Demands" were positively thrilling. It's a rare pleasure to see a concert where the opening act stands shoulder to shoulder with the headliner, without a single minute of marked time waiting for the show to begin already, but that's what we were treated to in London: double barreled "Hell yeah!" material.

Trent Reznor emotes, Brixton Academy, London
Photo © Jaime Nichols, 2005

As for Nine Inch Nails, I've been lucky: I've seen a few shows on this tour, separated by a month or two each time, and Reznor's rock show just keeps on getting better, deeper, juicier and sexier. Nine Inch Nails felt distressingly lukewarm to this reviewer at Coachella, but Reznor restored my faith this May in San Diego with a performance that felt like pure, joyful, resurgence.

In London, after a European summer festival tour, Reznor was cranked up to 11, and nearly burned down the Brixton Academy.

In years past, Reznor has been the originating vortex of the only truly frightening rock performance I've ever seen, and while he's not that raving lunatic anymore, there's a new power in his performance that's rooted in his very conscious commitment to it. Looking simultaneously controlled, and as if he was finally starting to revive some of the dangerous abandon of the Nine Inch Nails of yore, Reznor ripped through an athletic set, living with absolute conviction in every word and note. Fantastic.

All in all, a concert experience worth ever penny.

All photos © Jaime Nichols, 2005.
Re-use by permission only