Nine Inch Nails/Jane’s Addiction

When two of the biggest and most influential alt-rock bands of all time tour together, it’s hard to find much to complain about. Indeed, the only negative we can come up with about Nine Inch Nails touring with a newly reunited Jane’s Addiction is the unfortunate “NIN/JA” moniker they’ve slapped on this tour. Cheesy names aside, there’s no reason to believe this won’t be one of the best tours of the year. NIN’s recent studio output has been a bit spotty, but frontman Trent Reznor knows what fans expect and doesn’t shy away from classic material from early albums like Pretty Hate Machine and The Downward Spiral during live performances. Jane’s Addiction, meanwhile, has reunited with original bassist Eric Avery for the first time since 1991. Avery’s instantly recognizable bass lines on songs like “Summertime Rolls,” “Mountain Song,” and “Three Days” cemented his reputation as one of rock’s most creative bassists. If their recent 10-song set at South by Southwest is any indication, Jane’s Addiction is likely to ignore their ill-advised 2003 “comeback” album, Strays, in favor of their seminal late-’80s/early-’90s output. For nostalgic Gen Xers, this double-bill would seem like a can’t-miss proposition.