NIN: AND ALL THAT COULD HAVE BEEN

Man, I love this fucking band. I really do. So you can imagine how fired up I was when I heard that Mr. Reznor and the rest of the gang were putting together a 2-disc DVD set, documenting their 2000 tour, “Fragility 2.0”. If you are a big NIN fan but missed the tour two years ago, or if you went to it and thought it was one of the greatest shows you had ever been to, this is a good DVD set to own. However, if you were expecting more, you may be sadly disappointed. This is not a case of false advertising. The DVD delivers exactly what it says it does. Included in the case is a message from Reznor stating that, “This is almost what it felt like being there.” I went to a show on the tour and I can honestly say that that statement is extremely accurate. But a few flaws do exist with the DVD. First off, it is a 2-disc set, yet there is only around an hour of material on each disc. Now, I’m not a genius, but I KNOW they can fit a shitload of info on just one disc. It seems as if it was spread out over two discs to push the price up to nearly $30 and to encourage sweeter packaging. Mission accomplished. The other shitty thing about having it on two discs is the fact that it creates a break in the middle of the show. If they learn anything this time around, I hope it’s that the concert goes on one disc, and the extras on another. Which brings me to my next point. There are hardly any extras. A still image gallery, audio commentary by video artist Bill Viola, and a few songs with different camera angles is hardly enough reason for another disc. The other thing this set had going against it is a previously released 2-video set released in 1997 titled Closure, which followed the band from 1994 to 1996 on their “Self-Destruct” tour. This video set was full of backstage footage, videos and concert footage; a perfect item for any fan who wants to see more than what’s on stage. Closure was more intimate and telling than and all that could have been. But, then again, it was never their intent to have it be anything other than what it is. I guess I was just expecting more. and all that could have been features a hit list of songs from all of NIN’s albums. The video work is fun and clean, and the sound is crystal clear. If you’re a fan, it’s worth the purchase. Just know what it is before you open it.