Nine Inch Nails launched the latest North American leg of their “Peel It Back” tour last night (February 5) in New Orleans, bringing with them a significant change to the lineup. As the band took the stage at the Smoothie King Center, fans quickly noticed the absence of longtime multi-instrumentalist Alessandro Cortini.
Stepping in to fill the low-end duties is Stu Brooks, the acclaimed bassist and co-founder of the dub-metal fusion group Dub Trio. Brooks is a session heavyweight with a resume that defies genre, having collaborated with artists as diverse as Mike Patton, Lady Gaga, and 50 Cent. The band officially confirmed his addition to the touring roster via a social media clip posted earlier today.
The tour opener featured an adventurous setlist split between the main stage and a more intimate “B-Stage” setup. The performance saw the return of the rarity “Non-Entity,” played for the first time since 2009, alongside a special segment featuring electronic producer Boys Noize. This collaboration included a cover of the How To Destroy Angels track “Parasite.”
Setlist – February 5, 2026 (New Orleans, LA):
B-Stage:
- “Something I Can Never Have“
- “Non-Entity“
- “Piggy“
Main Stage:
- “Wish“
- “March Of The Pigs“
- “The Frail“
- “Reptile“
- “Heresy“
- “Copy Of A“
- “Gave Up“
B-Stage (feat. Boys Noize):
- “Vessel“
- “Closer“
- “Parasite” (How To Destroy Angels cover)
- “As Alive As You Need Me To Be“
Main Stage:
- “Somewhat Damaged“
- “Less Than“
- “The Perfect Drug“
- “I’m Afraid Of Americans” (David Bowie cover)
- “The Hand That Feeds“
- “Head Like A Hole“
- “Hurt“
Brooks‘ arrival is the latest shift in what has become a revolving door of elite musicians between bands. He joins drummer Josh Freese, who returned to Nine Inch Nails last year to replace Ilan Rubin. In a twist of irony, Rubin exited NIN to take over Freese‘s spot in the Foo Fighters—reversing the dynamic from 2008, when Rubin originally replaced Freese in Trent Reznor‘s band.
‘Peel It Back’ 2026 Tour Dates:
- Feb. 07 – Jacksonville, FL – VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena
- Feb. 10 – Charlotte, NC – Spectrum Center
- Feb. 11 – Washington, DC – Capital One Arena
- Feb. 13 – Boston, MA – TD Garden
- Feb. 14 – Newark, NJ – Prudential Center
- Feb. 16 – Montreal, QC – Bell Centre
- Feb. 18 – Hamilton, ON – TD Coliseum
- Feb. 20 – Columbus, OH – Schottenstein Center
- Feb. 22 – Grand Rapids, MI – Van Andel Arena
- Feb. 23 – Milwaukee, WI – Fiserv Forum
- Feb. 25 – St. Louis, MO – Enterprise Center
- Feb. 27 – Tulsa, OK – BOK Center
- Mar. 01 – Austin, TX – Moody Center
- Mar. 03 – Dallas, TX – American Airlines Center
- Mar. 06 – Glendale, AZ – Desert Diamond Arena
- Mar. 07 – Las Vegas, NV – MGM Grand Garden Arena
- Mar. 09 – San Diego, CA – Pechanga Arena
- Mar. 10 – Anaheim, CA – Honda Center
- Mar. 13 – Salt Lake City, UT – Delta Center
- Mar. 15 – San Francisco, CA – Chase Center
- Mar. 16 – Sacramento, CA – Golden 1 Center
