Cold and Black and Infinite: Nine Inch Nails fans get physical

Trent Reznor is asking fans to eschew their addiction to the digital world. This winter, Nine Inch Nails will head out on the “Cold and Black and Infinite” tour with The Jesus and Mary Chain but if you want the best tickets you’ll need to unplug from the Internet and head out into the physical world.

According to the Nine Inch Nails website (his caps):

YOU (AN ACTUAL HUMAN BEING) SHOW UP AT THE BOX OFFICE, INTERACT WITH THE TICKET SELLER (ANOTHER ACTUAL HUMAN BEING) AND PURCHASE UP TO FOUR TICKETS THAT WILL ACTUALLY BE HANDED TO YOU ON THE SPOT.  THE TICKETS WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE ONLINE OR ANYWHERE ELSE BEFORE OR DURING THAT DAY.  ALL SEATS (INCLUDING THE BEST SEATS) WILL BE AVAILABLE FIRST COME, FIRST SERVE.  YOU MAY ACTUALLY ENCOUNTER OTHER ACTUAL HUMAN BEINGS WITH SIMILAR INTERESTS LIKELY WEARING BLACK CLOTHING DURING THE PROCESS AND POTENTIALLY INTERACT WITH THEM.  THE EXPERIENCE HAS THE POTENTIAL* TO BE ENJOYABLE.  NINE INCH NAILS HAS ALWAYS BEEN ABOUT BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER, LIVING LIFE TO THE FULLEST AND GOOD TIMES.

Encouraging fans to go to a physical box office isn’t a bad idea. Concert hackers know that in many cases there are fewer fees when you hit the venue’s box office instead of purchasing online. I, for one, welcome one more opportunity to put less money into the pockets of the Ticketmaster/Live Nation Empire (of course, knowing Ticketmaster they’ll increase the physical ticket fees in this case).

Obviously, purchasing tickets at the box office often isn’t an option for everyone due to tickets typically going on sale Fridays, but Mr. Reznor has thoughtfully chosen a Saturday, May 19, to release the tickets for the Cold And Black And Infinite Tour (May 20 if you’re in Denver).

Reznor has long been a proponent of elevating the physical over the digital. He’s an advocate of the superiority of vinyl over the digital format (I write as I stream “The Hand That Feeds” via Spotify, sorry).

THE IDEAL WAY I’D HOPE A LISTENER EXPERIENCE MY MUSIC IS TO GRAB A GREAT SET OF HEADPHONES, SIT WITH THE VINYL, DROP THE NEEDLE, HOLD THE JACKET IN YOUR HANDS LOOKING AT THE ARTWORK (WITH YOUR FUCKING PHONE TURNED OFF) AND GO ON A JOURNEY WITH ME.

Who else is performing on the Cold and Black and Infinite tour?

The tour will include The Jesus and Mary Chain which I’m surprised to say makes me as giddy today as it would have when I was 16. I mean, my first thought was “I’m camping out for tickets!” Worth noting, most of the shows explicitly state “no lineups before 8 a.m.”

Can you buy digital tickets for the Cold and Black and Infinite tour?

Eventually. If the shows don’t sell out more tickets will be made available at a future undisclosed date. So mysterious.

The tour will support the forthcoming Nine Inch Nails LP Bad Witch. The new album, number 32 in the Halo series, drops on June 22 but can be preordered now.

THE PHYSICAL WORLD PRESALE EVENT LOCATIONS

SEPTEMBER 13 & 14 – PHOENIX, AZ – COMERICA THEATRE
PRESALE LOCATION: COMERICA THEATRE BOX OFFICE | 400 WEST WASHINGTON ST. | PHOENIX, AZ 85004
NO LINEUPS BEFORE 8AM | BOX OFFICE HOURS: 10AM – 3PM
CLICK HERE FOR VENUE FAQ

SEPTEMBER 18 & 19 – MORRISON, CO – RED ROCKS AMPHITHEATER*
PRESALE LOCATION: DENVER COLISEUM BOX OFFICE | 4600 HUMBOLDT ST. | DENVER, CO 80216
MAY 20TH | NO LINEUPS BEFORE 8AM | BOX OFFICE HOURS: 10AM – 3PM
CLICK HERE FOR VENUE FAQ

SEPTEMBER 24 – MEMPHIS, TN – ORPHEUM THEATRE
PRESALE LOCATION: HALLORAN CENTRE BOX OFFICE | 225 S. MAIN ST. | MEMPHIS, TN 38103
NO LINEUPS BEFORE 8AM | BOX OFFICE HOURS: 10AM – 3PM
CLICK HERE FOR VENUE FAQ

SEPTEMBER 26 & 27 – ATLANTA, GA – FOX THEATRE
PRESALE LOCATION: FOX THEATRE BOX OFFICE | 660 PEACHTREE STREET NE | ATLANTA, GA 30308
NO LINEUPS BEFORE 8AM | BOX OFFICE HOURS: 10AM – 3PM
CLICK HERE FOR VENUE FAQ

SEPTEMBER 29 – NASHVILLE, TN – ASCEND AMPHITHEATRE
PRESALE LOCATION: ASCEND AMPHITHEATER BOX OFFICE | 301 1ST AVE S., NASHVILLE, TN 37201
NO LINEUPS BEFORE 8AM | BOX OFFICE HOURS: 10AM – 3PM
CLICK HERE FOR VENUE FAQ

OCTOBER 9 – WASHINGTON, DC – THE ANTHEM
PRESALE LOCATION: THE ANTHEM BOX OFFICE | 901 WHARF ST. SW | WASHINGTON D.C. 20024
NO LINEUPS BEFORE 8AM | BOX OFFICE HOURS: 10AM – 3PM
CLICK HERE FOR VENUE FAQ

OCTOBER 13 & 14 – NEW YORK, NY – RADIO CITY MUSIC HALL
PRESALE LOCATION: RADIO CITY MUSIC HALL BOX OFFICE | 1260 6TH AVE. | NEW YORK, NY 10020
NO LINEUPS BEFORE 8AM | BOX OFFICE HOURS: 10AM – 3PM
CLICK HERE FOR VENUE FAQ

OCTOBER 19 & 20 – BOSTON, MA – BOCH CENTER
PRESALE LOCATION: WANG THEATRE BOX OFFICE | 270 TREMONT STREET | BOSTON, MA 02116
NO LINEUPS BEFORE 8AM | BOX OFFICE HOURS: 10AM – 3PM
CLICK HERE FOR VENUE FAQ

OCTOBER 22 & 23 – DETROIT, MI – FOX THEATRE
PRESALE LOCATION: LITTLE CAESARS ARENA BOX OFFICE | 2645 WOODWARD AVE. | DETROIT, MI 48201
LOCATED OFF OF HENRY ST. ON THE CHEVROLET PLAZA
NO LINEUPS BEFORE 8AM | BOX OFFICE HOURS: 10AM – 3PM
CLICK HERE FOR VENUE FAQ

OCTOBER 25 & 26 – CHICAGO, IL – ARAGON BALLROOM
PRESALE LOCATION: ARAGON BALLROOM BOX OFFICE | 1106 W. LAWRENCE AVE. | CHICAGO, IL 60640
NO LINEUPS BEFORE 8AM | BOX OFFICE HOURS: 10AM – 3PM
CLICK HERE FOR VENUE FAQ

NOVEMBER 23 & 24 – NEW ORLEANS, LA – SAENGER THEATRE
PRESALE LOCATION: SAENGER THEATRE BOX OFFICE | 1111 CANAL STREET | NEW ORLEANS, LA 70112
NO LINEUPS BEFORE 8AM | BOX OFFICE HOURS: 10AM – 3PM
CLICK HERE FOR VENUE FAQ

NOVEMBER 27 & 28 – IRVING, TX – THE PAVILION AT TOYOTA MUSIC FACTORY
PRESALE LOCATION: THE PAVILION AT TOYOTA MUSIC FACTORY BOX OFFICE | 300 W. LAS COLINAS BLVD. | IRVING, TX 75039
NO LINEUPS BEFORE 8AM | BOX OFFICE HOURS: 10AM – 3PM
CLICK HERE FOR VENUE FAQ

DECEMBER 3 – SAN FRANCISCO, CA – BILL GRAHAM CIVIC AUDITORIUM
PRESALE LOCATION: BILL GRAHAM CIVIC AUDITORIUM BOX OFFICE | 99 GROVE ST. | SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94102
CORNER OF GROVE & LARKIN
NO LINEUPS BEFORE 8AM | BOX OFFICE HOURS: 10AM – 3PM
CLICK HERE FOR VENUE FAQ

DECEMBER 7, 8, 11 & 12 – LOS ANGELES, CA – PALLADIUM
PRESALE LOCATION: PALLADIUM BOX OFFICE | 6215 SUNSET BLVD. | LOS ANGELES, CA 90028
NO LINEUPS BEFORE 8AM | BOX OFFICE HOURS: 10AM – 3PM
CLICK HERE FOR VENUE FAQ