Nine Inch Nails Announce New EP, New Tour Dates, and New Method for Combatting Scalpers

Let’s get the basics out of the way first: the final installment in Nine Inch Nail’s recent trilogy of EPs will be called Bad Witch, and it will be released on June 22. You can pre-order it here and peep the cover art (front and back) below.

NIN’s next tour, meanwhile, will commence on June 13. Dates are at the bottom of this post.

Now let’s talk about the interesting part: when tickets go on sale next Saturday, May 19 (which they’ve dubbed ‘The Physical World Presale’), you’ll only be able to buy them in line, not online. As drolly explained on the NIN website:

What?  Why?  Physical world presale?
The promise of a world made better by computers and online connectivity has failed us in many ways, particularly when it comes to ticketing.  Everything about the process sucks and everyone loses except the reseller. We’ve decided to try something different that will also likely suck, but in a different way.  We’re hoping many of you will be happy with the results, while some may do what they always do and bitch about it.

Here’s how it works:
you (an actual human being) show up at the box office, interact with the ticket seller (another actual human being) and purchase up to four tickets that will actually be handed to you on the spot.  The tickets will not be available online or anywhere else before or during that day.  All seats (including the best seats) will be available first come, first serve.  You may actually encounter other actual human beings with similar interests likely wearing black clothing during the process and potentially interact with them.  The experience has the potential* to be enjoyable.  Nine inch nails has always been about bringing people together, living life to the fullest and good times.**

Any remaining tickets will be sold at a later date.

*not guaranteed
**not entirely true

I don’t know to what degree this will actually combat scalping, but speaking as someone old enough to remember the days of waiting in line to buy tickets, this does pique my nostalgia in a weird way. Not enough that I have any intention of waiting on such a line. But enough to make me fondly remember having done so in the past.

ANYWAY, dates for which you’ll need to wait on line to get tickets are below. Go here for additional details regarding when and where to line up.

06-13 Las Vegas, NV – The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
06-15 Las Vegas, NV – The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
06-16 Las Vegas, NV – The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
06-22 London, England – Meltdown Festival
06-24 London, England – Royal Albert Hall
06-25 Paris, France – Olympia
06-27 Amsterdam, Netherlands – AFAS
06-29 St. Gallen, Switzerland – Open Air Fest
06-30 Prague, Czech Republic – Aerodrome Festival
07-02 Berlin, Germany – Zitadelle
07-04 Roskilde, Denmark – Roskilde Festival
07-06 Belfort , France – Eurokennes Festival
07-08 Werchter, Belgium – Rock Werchter Festival
07-09 Montreux, Switzerland – Montreux Jazz Festival
07-12 Lisbon, Portugal – NOS Alive Festival
07-14 Madrid, Spain – Mad Cool Festival
08-14 Bangkok, Thailand – Moonstar Studio
08-17 Tokyo, Japan – Sonic Mania Festival
08-19 Osaka, Japan – Summer Sonic Festival
09-13 Phoenix, AZ – Comerica Theatre ^
09-14 Phoenix, AZ – Comerica Theatre ^
09-18 Morrison, CO – Red Rocks ^
09-19 Morrison, CO – Red Rocks ^
09-22 San Antonio, TX – River City Rockfest
09-24 Memphis, TN – Orpheum Theater ^
09-26 Atlanta, GA – Fox Theatre ^
09-27 Atlanta, GA – Fox Theatre ^
09-29 Nashville, TN – Ascend Amphitheater ^
10-09 Washington, DC – The Anthem ^
10-13 New York, NY – Radio City Music Hall ^
10-14 New York, NY – Radio City Music Hall ^
10-19 Boston, MA – Boch Center ^
10-20 Boston, MA – Boch Center ^
10-22 Detroit, MI – Fox Theater ^
10-23 Detroit, MI – Fox Theater ^
10-25 Chicago, IL – Aragon Ballroom ^
10-26 Chicago, IL – Aragon Ballroom ^
11-23 New Orleans, LA – Saenger Theatre ^
11-24 New Orleans, LA – Saenger Theatre ^
11-27 Irving, TX – The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory ^
11-28 Irving, TX – The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory ^
12-03 San Francisco, CA – Bill Graham Civic Auditorium ^
12-07 Los Angeles, CA – Palladium ^
12-08 Los Angeles, CA – Palladium ^
12-11 Los Angeles, CA – Palladium ^
12-12 Los Angeles, CA – Palladium ^

^ with the Jesus and Mary Chain