Soundgarden or Nine Inch Nails, who will bring back the 90's?

            The biggest question was; who is going to play first?  These two bands are among the biggest headliners of the 90s, they both put on an amazing show, and both are not used to opening up for other bands.

            Playing hard and loud like always Soundgarden and Nine Inch Nails did not disappoint. Since both bands are so well known for their great live performances and ability to sell out crowds, why not but them on the same ballot? Both bands were able to easily fill the Shoreline Amphitheater on Aug 25. Soundgarden opened up the show great, making a slow start and then pumping up the audience later. But Nine Inch Nails and Trent Reznor had the same energy and emotion as the angry Reznor of the mid-nineties. 

            After seeing Nine Inch Nails and Soundgarden perform for the majority of your life, you tend to hold them to higher standards then you would for a band at a basement-show. Nine Inch Nail, like always, was able to pull of a great show.  Even with high expectation they were able to start heavy and get the crowd up and moving.  Then after two encores ending with the song ‘Hurt,’ which was made famous when Johnny Cash covered it in the early nineties, they were able to cool down the audience and get everyone ready to go home.

            Soundgarden and Chris Cornel are able to put on a devastating show that will just leave the audience screaming for more in the amphitheater long after the band has left. But this night, Cornel was lacking the energy and seemed to be in another place.  His eyes didn’t focus on anything; there was no movement or interaction with the crowd.  He seemed half awake.  Overall it was not a great night for Soundgarden, although the audience did not seem to mind.  

            One possible reason for this could be that Soundgarden lacks resent work, with only one album made in the last decade.  They aren’t able to attract as wide of a younger audience.  Nine Inch Nails on the other hand has had 5 albums since 2005, along with Reznors side bands and projects to attract new younger, more energetic fans.

            I probably would have expected Nine Inch Nails to start the show because Cornel is known to be a little bit of a prima donna sometimes, which could be the reason Cornel was lacking in the energy department.  I was surprised when Soundgarden’s “Searching with my good eye closed’ started before the curtains opened.  But ultimately it was a better show with Nine Inch Nails closing out the night.

            Over the years Reznor has changed from a druggy, black haired, dirty nineties angry-kid to a muscle bond, sober-father of two, but is still able to put on a hell or a show.  But the audience will never loose with two bands like this at the same show. If they aren’t there to listen to their favorite music from their childhood, both bands can still pull off a great show.