To get right to the point and completely without any bit of hyperbole, I have to declare that yesterday was among the best days of my life. The things my friends and I got to experience at the NIN/JA 2009 Tour stop here in the metro Detroit, MI area yesterday are pretty much the things that I will remember and cherish for the rest of my life. I’ll try to be concise and not ramble but, seriously, the day was too epic to adequately describe. Sarah, Mark, David and I arrived at DTE Energy Center Pine Knob early in the afternoon so that we could participate in the meet and greet festivities that came with donating money to help fund Eric De La Cruz‘s heart transplant. We met a bunch of great Detroiters, including Pink readers Monique and Brandon, and all got to share the experience together. I’m gonna put the many, many photos I want to share behind the cut so that only those of you interested can check them out. I will post this awesome photo of the “Bodypaint Girls” who came to the show wearing no tops, only airbrushed bodypaint to cover their bodies:

Believe me, they looked more amazing in person. You can see what they looked like from the front HERE.

After the jump, check out photos and video from the NIN soundcheck, pics of some of us with Nine Inch Nails and some of the photos of the show that I got to snap while I was ON STAGE with the band during their performance …

The first thing we got to do after we arrived was hang out and watch the band soundcheck before the show. Justin Meldal-Johnsen (bass) came out first to talk to the crowd … then the rest of the guys came out — Ilan Rubin (drums), then Trent Reznor, then Robin Finck (guitar). They played thru a 3 song soundcheck, starting with the rare track Home:

The band then played Metal (Gary Numan cover) and The Good Soldier. I managed to record video of NIN performing Home, check it out:

After the soundcheck, we were taken backstage for our autograph/photo session. Because I never had the opportunity to ask for an autograph on my previous meetings with Trent Reznor, I brought along my original copy of Pretty Hate Machine for him to sign (my BFF Sarah had TR sign her backstage pass). Then I got to take a photo with the band. Robin, who has been terribly sick, did not come out for the M&G so our photo looks like I’ve taken his place in the band:


Much love goes out to Pink reader Monique who snapped the alt angle pic of me with NIN. I asked her and Brandon to share their photos with the band so that I can share them with all y’all:


After the M&G, we were treated to a full dinner backstage and right before NIN took the stage, we were summoned to go into TR‘s dressing room to say a quick hello to him and Mariqueen. Trent and Mariqueen were so amazingly cool to my friends, I kid you not when I say it was pretty surreal chillin’ in TR‘s dressing room. Trent graciously handed me a pass so that we could go anywhere we wanted to enjoy the show (there was convo, hugs and generally just a lot of love – yes, I was dying) … so we took our spots on stage behind the lights to watch the show. Here are a few of the pics I snapped from the stage:


Never, ever in my wildest dreams did I ever imagine that I would be able to be on stage for a NIN concert. It was … quite possibly the coolest thing I’ve ever been able to do — hands down, this wins. That I was able to share the experience with David and my best friends IN DETROIT just makes an already unbelievable experience even more special. I will never be able to thank TR, Mariqueen and the entire NIN crew for taking such amazing care of us. Truly, an extraordinary experience. Much love goes out to Pink reader Colleen who sent me the last photo that shows us on stage behind the band. Here is her pic with Trent Reznor:


Here is the full set list of yesterday’s show:

Home (Soundcheck)
Metal (Soundcheck)
The Good Soldier (Soundcheck)

Now I’m Nothing
Terrible Lie
Sin
March of The Pigs
Piggy
The Frail
The Wretched
Discipline
Burn
Gave Up
La Mer
Gone, Still
Non-Entity
Lights In The Sky
The Downward Spiral
Wish
Survivalism
That Hand That Feeds
Head Like A Hole

Yes, the experience got even better … Now I’m Nothing is one of the oldest, rarest NIN songs and we got to hear it live FROM THE STAGE. I really don’t know what I did to deserve such an amazing experience but THANK YOU karma for lookin’ out for me. I can now die happy, truly. After the show, we got to hang out backstage for a bit … then the band had to roll out. We watched some of Jane’s Addiction then made our way home … listened to the Red Wings beat the Penguins in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Finals and that was that. Seriously, the best day ever.

This evening, the bunch of us are going out to Ann Arbor to visit with Tracey and Princess Zakiya … I’m really looking forward to seeing them. It is so great to be home … best.trip.ever.