Nine Inch Nails’ return to Toronto on August 23, 2025 at Scotiabank Arena felt like a satisfying lesson in building tension and knowing what to do with it. The mind behind NIN and band founder Trent Reznor had the place eating out of the palm of his hand by balancing intimacy and pandemonium in equal parts like a pendulum swinging between quiet reflection and total mayhem.
With that said, the night began quietly in style on the B-stage, with Reznor alone under a single spotlight for Right Where It Belongs. The stripped-down performance set a somber tone with his voice and keys pulling the crowd into a hush before bleeding into a snippet of Somewhat Damaged and then Ruiner followed with Atticus Ross joining the stage, snapping the room awake. Piggy (Nothing Can Stop Me Now) then showed why this oddball track has stuck around since 1994’s The Downward Spiral with the live version now feeling like an anthem of anger. Trent’s face was the ultimate focal point as it was blasted with a harsh spotlight that really complimented this vibe of madness that this spooky track gives off.
Then under the cover of darkness, curtains rose to reveal the main stage where the band reappeared like a magic for Wish where the mood shifted completely. That track remains one of the most vicious singles of the 90s, but in 2025 it feels more like a reminder of the level of aggression (conceptually and sonically) Reznor liked to inject into his music that greatly shaped the sum of the band’s signature sound today. Meanwhile, the tricks continued as strobes and a see-through mesh that surrounded the stage allowed for polarizing projections to tower around the band like we were seeing inside the mind of the clinically insane. Like in Copy of A, the mirrored projections of Reznor across the stage worked as both a visual treat and a clever comment on identity and repetition in the digital age. Heresy was also a standout that played right before, bathed in red light as the crowd screamed back “if there is a hell, I’ll see you there.” Provoking thought was always a great layer to what the band offers.
The night then swerved again as Boys Noize (the opener that night) joined for a run of electronic-heavy remixes back on the B-stage. This coordinated movement between stages really made sense as to why press photography was restricted for the tour. Vessel and Closer mutated the arena like a rave dropped into the middle of an industrial rock set with purple lights flashing to compliment the vibe. Closer has been remixed and reinterpreted for decades, but with Reznor transformed through a vocoder-like mic and Boys Noize adding his flair, it became a new beast entirely. By Came Back Haunted, the smoke machines above the setup were in overdrive and Boys Noize hyped the crowd like it was EDC, raising the intensity to an industrial fever pitch. This set portion felt like NIN is still looking forward and not just cashing in on the past by transforming fan favourites into fresh new takes while championing artists that came after the band.
Back on the main stage, Mr. Self Destruct and Less Than hit hard for sure, but The Perfect Drug was truly the welcome addition to the set. What used to be a rarity for years being played live now felt like a bridge between old-school NIN chaos and the maximalist electronic world Reznor has embraced with film scoring. It translated so well in a live setting and the Prodigy-like drum break solo on top was so satisfying to witness.
After a sharp Bowie cover of I’m Afraid of Americans and quick band intros, the final stretch – The Hand That Feeds, Head Like a Hole, and finally Hurt – cemented the set as classic NIN. It ended as it began, with Trent in a lone spotlight, thousands of voices singing along to every word as phone lights filled the arena. To add to the melancholy ending, the surprise closing touch was Laura Palmer’s Theme from Twin Peaks that played over the speakers as a hauntingly beautiful send-off.
It’s hard not to see this show as a sort of foreshadowing. With Reznor and Ross taking on the soundtrack for Disney’s upcoming TRON: Ares, the mix of digital sheen and analogue brutality on display in Toronto felt like a preview of where the band’s headspace is at. Of course with every beloved franchise, there are sure to be haters for every new instalment, but I think people that get the chance to take part in The Peel It Back World Tour can be confident that at the very least, the score will deliver.
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