Nine Inch Nails Perform First Concert with Drummer Josh Freese in Attendance
Nine Inch Nails resumed their Peel It Back tour last week at the Oakland Arena on August 6, with a unique twist. The North American leg of the tour continues in Seattle on August 12.
Ilan Rubin, the drummer for the Foo Fighters, is now playing with Nine Inch Nails. This change came about as Josh Freese, who had been with Nine Inch Nails since 2005, returned to the band after leaving Foo Fighters in May. This swap between the two bands' drummers was a surprise to many fans.
At the Oakland show, Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross started with acoustic versions of Right Where It Belongs, Somewhat Damaged, Ruiner, and Piggy on a smaller second stage. Boys Noize joined Nine Inch Nails for performances of Vessel, Sin, Came Back Haunted, and As Alive As You Need Me To Be, which was the live debut of the latter song, written for the upcoming Tron: Ares soundtrack.
The band then returned to the main stage for performances of Less Than, Closer, The Perfect Drug, The Hand That Feeds, Head Like a Hole, and Hurt. The rest of the band, including Josh Freese, joined them for Wish, March of the Pigs, Reptile, Heresy, Copy of A, and Gave Up.
The Peel It Back tour has previously taken place in Europe and the UK earlier in the year. The tour will conclude at the Inglewood Kia Forum on September 19. For ticket details, visit the NIN Peel It Back tour website.
Ilan Rubin had been with Nine Inch Nails since 2009 (with some gaps) and is recognized as the youngest inductee into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame with NIN. Josh Freese played with Nine Inch Nails from 2005 to 2008 before joining Foo Fighters in 2023 following Taylor Hawkins' death.
| Band | Outgoing Drummer | Incoming Drummer | |---------------|-------------------|------------------| | Foo Fighters | Josh Freese | Ilan Rubin | | Nine Inch Nails | Ilan Rubin | Josh Freese |
The band is performing their heavier hits at the main stage and acoustic versions and remixes at a smaller second stage in the audience. This unique setup promises an exciting and diverse experience for fans attending the Peel It Back tour.
