Twenty Years in the Making: NIN and Soundgarden Hit the Stage for an Epic Tour

Alexander Volz

Industrial rock legends Nine Inch Nails and grunge superstars Soundgarden are celebrating the 20th anniversary of their respective The Downward Spiral and Superunkown album releases by performing on a dual bill at the Hollywood Bowl, on August 25th to loosely coincide with this landmark event.

Both bands are also currently touring to support the release of their recent albums. NIN’s latest, Hesitation Marks, features the unusually happy single “Everything,” while Soundgarden’s 2012 album King Animal, features an anthemic, historically-appropriate “Been Away Too Long.” Both bands will perform tracks from these and their iconic anniversary albums.

This summer and fall season live tour presents one of the most eclectic gatherings of bands playing today. The ever polarizing Death Grips, while originally intended to open up the shows, has gone its separate way. Instead, love-them-or-hate-them experimental metal rock band Dillinger Escape Plan, Oneohtrix Point Never and Cold Cave will play on alternating selected dates. Cold Cave will be bring its distinct brand of darkwave synth-pop to the Hollywood Bowl show.

After a 12-year break, Soundgarden reformed in 2010, followed by a slew of touring dates following King Animal. The album received positive reviews and featured the single “Halfway There.” While Soundgarden has recently performed their album Superunkown in its entirety, it will merely act as the backbone of the set list for the band this time around. Attendees can expect Soundgarden to perform many songs from their other albums, as well.

As the tour kicks off in Las Vegas, Reznor stated that this would be Nine Inch Nails’ last tour “for a long time.” That is nothing new to NIN fans, as the band has been the subject of multiple break-up rumors and has endured a number of extended hiatuses for Reznor’s other projects. While Soundgarden’s live performances of late have been deemed “solid” to “uninspired,” audiences will surely get their money’s worth when NIN hits the stage, as they continue to prove why they are one of the best live acts around.

Nine Inch Nails, Soundgarden, and Cold Cave will destroy the Hollywood Bowl on August 25th.