Setlist History: Nine Inch Nails' Star-Studded 2009 "Final" Show

Last updated: 10 Sep 2025, 15:13:25
Published: 10 Sep 2025, 15:13:25
Written by: Tony Pierce
Photography by: John Shearer / WireImage
Categories: On Tour NowSetlist HistoryGuest Appearances Tagged: Nine Inch Nails Wiltern Theatre Atticus Ross Dave Navarro Gary Numan The Dillinger Escape Plan

Nine Inch Nails played what was billed as their final show at the Wiltern Theatre in LA on September 10, 2009, closing out the Wave Goodbye Tour, alongside a slow parade of guest stars.

Frontman Trent Reznor had announced earlier that year that the band would be stepping away from live performances, citing exhaustion after two decades of relentless touring and a desire to focus on other parts of his life.

A month after the star-studded gig Reznor married Mariqueen Maandig - the original vocalist of West Indian Girl. The couple now has five children. He wasn't kidding about being ready for a new chapter.

The Wiltern, an ornate art deco theater on the corner of WILshire and westTERN boulevards was built in 1931 with a capacity of 2,300, was an intentionally intimate choice compared to other far larger venues the band could have picked.

But what a setting for the epic and emotional 37-song set, which after clocking in over 3 hours would be the group's longest show.

Nine Inch Nails at that time was Robin Finck on guitar and backing vocals; Justin Meldal-Johnsen on bass, guitar, keyboards, and backing vocals; Reznor handling vocals, guitar, and keyboards; and Ilan Rubin on drums and keyboards.

Gary Numan was one of the night’s coolest guests. A beloved pioneer of electronic music, he had influenced Reznor since the early days of Nine Inch Nails with his cold, futuristic synth sound that had clearly bled into the industrial textures of NIN’s music.

Earlier that year the quartet covered his big hit "Cars" in London at the O2.

He rejoined the band in LA for a trio of his own classics “Down In The Park,” “Metal,” and “I Die: You Die,” which was quite a respectful gesture of NIN to one of their guiding lights.

Before Numan's appearance on stage, Mike Garson, best known as David Bowie’s longtime pianist, joined the group for a few tunes. He contributed to “Just Like You Imagined,” “La Mer,” “Eraser,” and “The Becoming,” and during the Gary Numan segment, he performed his own solo version of “Down In The Park.”

Atticus Ross, who was quickly becoming Reznor’s closest creative partner, guested on “Me, I’m Not,” “The Warning,” and “Piggy (Nothing Can Stop Me Now).” Back in '09, Ross was best known for his production work and for his band 12 Rounds, but his collaborations with Reznor that night in Koreatown hinted to their future together as composers.

Within a year Reznor and Ross would win an Oscar for The Social Network (2010) soundtrack which would be followed by composing the music for The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011), Gone Girl (2014), Patriots Day (2016), Mid90s (2018), Bird Box (2018), Waves (2019), Watchmen (2019), Soul (2020), Mank (2020), Empire of Light (2022), The Killer (2023), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem (2023), Challengers (2024), and most recently Tron: Ares (2025), which is credited to Nine Inch Nails rather than their individual names.

If that wasn't enough, the typically topless Dave Navarro of Jane's Addiction brought a little guitar hero swagger to the proceedings. He added some heft to “The Warning,” “Piggy (Nothing Can Stop Me Now),” and “Gave Up."

Proving a rock show could always have even crazier energy, The Dillinger Escape Plan delivered some ferocious, mathcore mayhem during “Mr. Self Destruct” and “Wish.”

Before the guest stars began appearing, before "Ruiner" Trent said, "This is it… but I'm not gonna break down in tears just yet."

After playing a pair of Joy Division tunes and then "The Good Soldier," "The Day The World Went Away," "Hurt," "In This Twilight," that was it. Nine Inch Nails would never perform again as NIN...until four years later.

In 2013 they released Hesitation Marks and launched the Tension Tour, the first of several ambitious outings that overjoyed their massive fan base.

Since then, they have embarked on the 2014 European festival run, the 2017–2018 Cold and Black and Infinite Tour, the 2022 US tour after the pandemic, and a 2023–2024 slate of festival and headlining gigs.

Currently the band is on their latest tour, Peel It Back, where they are packing arenas and making core memories and continuing to make news. Most recently it was because they've reunited with drummer Josh Freese after the Foo Fighters let him go.

There's still a few more dates on the tour for you to see Josh with NIN including their last two gigs at LA's Fabulous Forum. Get your tix on the NIN website.