NIN/JA show Irvine, CA 05/20/09

I've been a Nine Inch Nails fan for 18 years, I first heard Pretty Hate Machine in 1991 and fell in love with the honest pain, anger, lust and lost emotions it portrayed. My favorite album was Broken as it came out in the perfect time of my life as a teenager rebelling against my parents, society and it just screamed of that rage you feel at that age. I also loved The Downward Spiral it was the first theme album I had ever really listen to. I loved it's depth how my friends and I would play with the songs on the CD player and how it would sound differently as you fast forward/rewind the songs. But as the world was jumping on the NIN bandwagon I was jumping off as my life took on new and different styles of music, but I've always been a loyalist and never lost my love for Trent and his songs. When I heard he was going on tour and with rumors of it being a farewell tour I decided I had to go see him.


The opening band was Street Sweeper Social Club. I have to say they were good. I don't normally like the metal/rap genre but I enjoyed them. Their highlight was the cover of MIA's Paper Airplanes.

Nine Inch Nails came out on the stage with drums and smoke clouds. Trent singing well and with emotion. He didn't speak to the crowd a lot, but for my first and only time seeing them I have to say it's what I expected and more. They played well and loud. Showing total emotion and fury.

I'm not sure if Trent was enjoying the show or not as he didn't play and encore for one of the first times on the tour according to the guy next to me, but I was satisfied so much so I left. I didn't want Jane's Addiction to ruin my mood.

Here's the setlist for NIN

1. Now I'm Nothing
2. Terrible Lie
3. 1,000,000
4. Heresy
5. March Of The Pigs
6. Metal
7. Reptile
8. The Becoming
9. Survivalism
10. Mr. Self Destruct
11. The Fragile
12. Gone, Still
13. The Way Out Is Through
14. Wish
15. Echoplex
16. The Day The World Went Away
17. The Hand That Feeds
18. Head Like A Hole

so for an old time fan I had a blast and would love to see them in a headlining tour.

Day 6 in LA

The biggest news was Redondo Beach Public Library called me back to offer me a job. I happily accepted. Now I just need to go through a month's worth of paper work and background checking before I can start work. I can't say that bothers me as it will allow me some time to enjoy California before starting work again.

Day 5 in LA

Well today was a lazy day. I picked up my comics and then finished catching up with some of my TV shows I had to give up when I dropped my cable. I did a little unpacking but I've got more to do tomorrow.

OK a thought I've had while making the move to the Cali lifestyle. I don't know if I'll ever be able to watch Letterman, Conan or Craig Ferguson again. I'm so use to shows coming on an hour earlier then they do here. I'm not a night owl so when it comes to 10pm I'm ready for bed so I can't even watch the nightly news.

Maybe the longer I'm here in Cali I might be able to become a Night Owl. Only time will tell.

Day 4 in LA

Today was a big day. It was my first job interview as a Californian. It was awesome. I've had people ask me how an interview can be awesome. Let me explain. I was comfortable and was able to answer all the questions well (I think I did well) and I was able to show my personality without being nervous. I think that's the best thing I can do. I have a lot of experience doing a lot of different things so I wasn't worried about that. Hopefully that means I'll be getting a call back soon, and if I don't I don't have to feel like I could have done better. That's how I had an awesome interview.

I also found a new comic shop to call my own. I'm going to the Comic Bug in Torrance, CA. The guys there are all friendly and I have to say awesome. I'm looking forward to picking up my comics tomorrow.

Day 3 in LA

Alright OK so I had a bit of a panic today. The day started out fine. I took my wife to work. Went to Barnes&Noble to spend some gift cards I got from my going away party. I even went for a drive along the beach and saw a movie crew from Paramount filming along the beach.

When I got home I did some unpacking and even watched a few shows online and then I started to worry about my interview tomorrow and what would happen if I didn't get the job. I was worrying about paying bills and all of that adult stuff that I don't enjoy thinking about, but I am the man of the house so it's my job to worry about this kind of stuff.

Thankfully my wife and a nap was all I needed to calm myself down.

I'll spend most of my post tomorrow on the interview. Keep your fingers crossed for me.

Day 2 in LA

It was a great day. The weather was awesome and I woke up early and enjoyed seeing my wife next to me, after spending two months apart. Unfortunately we had to sleep on our air mattress as our real mattress was still wet from the drive but that didn't hamper our joy. I wore loafers to church today. I have to say I was never a loafers guy, but California has helped me appreciate the comfort of loafers.

We meet new people at our church everyone was friendly doing all they could to help us feel welcome. We were even invited over to eat lunch with a family. It was so nice to eat real food again after spending the day before eating only gas station food and McDonald's. I'm not complaining but no one wants to eat that stuff forever.

Spent the evening getting caught up on a few shows and I'm trying out the Beta NBC Video Rewind, so far not bad. Only complaint is that it claims you can watch shows offline (because you download them) but when I try to open the program it automatically sends me online to the show's website even after I've downloaded the episode I want to watch. I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt that it's just me.

I'm trying not to be nervous about my job interview this Tuesday. Part of this move to LA is about trying to adopt healthier habits and trains of thought. I don't want to worry about something I can't control, like I would in the past. I want to go in do my best and focus on the idea that if it's meant to happen it will. I can only show them who I am and if that isn't what they are looking for I wouldn't be happy there. It helps me to calm down and enjoy the moments.

I'm looking forward to tomorrow...

Day 1 in LA

We drove for 12 hrs straight the first 4 in rain. When we unloaded the boxes were warped, mattress was damp but we made it. We're tired hungry and soar. Went to find something to eat for tonight and tomorrow as well as a shower curtain.

What the Future Holds

I'm writing this while waiting to pick up my wife at the airport. I spent my last night in Utah with family, friends and co-workers. Tomorrow I start my first true adventure going to the 2nd largest city in America without friends or family with no job. All I take with me is a wife and my past. I would like to spend the next 30 days exploring the city and looking for a job as well as posting the days events. It will be an outsider looking in as well as a new native learning the ropes. Will I become the next plastic version of CA or will I become jaded to all the simple joys in life as I try to find the next great cool? Only time and my writing will reveal the final period.