Nine Inch Noize, the collaboration between Nine Inch Nails and Boys Noize, followed up its album announcement with the project's first full set at Coachella 2026 in the Sahara tent on April 11. The 45-minute performance previewed tracks from the upcoming Nine Inch Noize album (out April 17) and evoked nostalgia for millennial fans.
The set opened with a remix of Nine Inch Nails' 2007 track “Vessel,” featuring Trent Reznor and Mariqueen Maandig singing together at the back of a tunnel carved into a gray foam mountain stage. A dozen dancers in gray bodysuits enhanced the production, blending into the backdrop when still and writhing in unison during drops. The Sahara tent crowd embraced broody, anxiety-laden beats and angst-filled vocals, stirring nostalgia and catharsis. The performance featured beat-augmented remixes of Nine Inch Nails songs, including “Copy of A,” “Me, I’m Not,” and “Parasite” from Reznor and Maandig’s How to Destroy Angels project. A highlight was a reimagined “Closer” with slapback synths and super-smack snares, ending in choreography where dancers encircled Reznor in an amorphous horde. This debut built on mini-performances from last year's Peel It Back tour, where Boys Noize joined Nine Inch Nails onstage. The high production values suggest potential Nine Inch Noize tour dates this summer or fall.
