Changes

[[Image:Wavegoodbye.jpg|thumb|200px|Tour logo from [[nin.com]]]][[Image:Wavegoodbye2.jpg|thumb|200px|Logo from bottom of tour page]]During the [[2008/12/13 Las Vegas, NV|Las Vegas, Nevada]] show on December 13, 2008, [[Trent Reznor]] announced [[Alessandro Cortini]], like [[Josh Freese]], would be leaving the line-up at the end of the tour, making the show the last for both Freese and Cortini. It was also announced that after the Australian leg of 2009 dates there would be a selection of US Amphitheater dates and some European shows later in the year in the same format as Australia, following festivals. Reznor also stated that 2009 would see Nine Inch Nails performing as a four-piece act, opting to not replace Cortini, suggesting the shows would not be of the same aesthetic visually or musically during the 2009 dates. This was confirmed a matter of days later via an entry on the nin.com homepage, confirming that the Lights in the Sky tour ended with the departure of Josh and Alessandro, possibly indicating an entire new theme and motif for 09 tour, much like the changeover from 2006's [[Live: With Teeth]] to [[Performance 2007]]:

Reznor also stated that 2009 would see Nine Inch Nails performing as a four-piece act, opting to not replace Cortini, suggesting the shows would not be of the same aesthetic visually or musically during the 2009 dates. This was confirmed a matter of days later via an entry on the nin.com homepage, confirming that the Lights in the Sky tour ended with the departure of Josh and Alessandro, possibly indicating an entire new theme and motif for 09 tour, much like the changeover from 2006's [[Live: With Teeth]] to [[Performance 2007]]: <blockquote>"The LIGHTS IN THE SKY era has come to a close, and I'd like to once again thank you for your support. I am very proud of what we pulled off - it was an immense amount of work and worth it all.

<br><br>No rest for the wicked here, though. We start rehearsing the new band/format first thing next year and as I mentioned, we'll be announcing some final waves of dates. North America, UK/Europe, Pacific Rim and elsewhere."</blockquote>

The initial letter from Trent read: <blockquote>"This is for something important. Eric De La Cruz is dying and needs a heart transplant. He keeps getting turned down for a transplant list because he's he’s on Nevada Medicaid, and there are no transplant centers in Nevada. We want to get involved and hopefully so do you, so we're we’re extending a hand. His sister Veronica (former Anchor and Internet Correspondent for CNN) has started a campaign to save his life. <br><br> Eric's Eric’s situation shines a bright light on a broken health care system, and his particular set of problems are being addressed on the political front, aiming for reform in addition to the need for immediate financial help to keep him alive TODAY. I think we can help with the latter. <br><br> Here's Here’s what we're we’re offering - – three options: <br><br> If you have a ticket to a NIN/JA show: if you donate $1,000 to this cause, we'll we’ll invite you to come hang out with us before the NIN/JA show of your choice. You and a guest can watch soundcheck, eat dinner backstage with us, take pics / get autographs and watch the show from the side of the stage if you'd you’d like. <br><br> If you donate $300, you and a friend can join us for soundcheck and a handshaking / hug session before doors open at the NIN/JA show of your choice. <br><br> If you do NOT have a ticket to a NIN/JA show: if you donate $1,200 to this cause, we'll we’ll invite you to come hang out with us before the NIN/JA show of your choice and provide 2 tickets (best available). You and a guest can watch soundcheck, eat dinner backstage with us, take pics / get autographs and watch the show from the side of the stage if you'd you’d like. <br><br> 100% of the money collected from this will go directly to Eric's Eric’s fund. <br><br> I hope you'll you’ll consider helping out with this. <br><br> Sincerely, Trent Reznor"</blockquote> 

<blockquote>"Thank you so much for you help with this cause. Due to your generosity, we've raised OVER $800,000 FOR ERIC IN JUST SIX DAYS! <br><br>This response has been overwhelming - so much so we sadly have to stop accepting any more VIP package donations for the North American NIN/JA shows. We simply can't accommodate any more people! We are still accepting multiples of $10 donations and all VIP packages for the headlining shows in the rest of the world. Starting hopefully tomorrow, we'll be offering a limited package of 1,000 collectable / signed complete skateboards generously donated from my friend Tony Hawk. For a donation of $1,000, you will receive one of these and a signed-by-me copy of NIN's rarest CD release, STILL. <br><br> Please consider helping if you haven't already - we're showing the WORLD the power of a strong and committed community, and we're quite possibly saving a life in the process. We still have a ways to go financially. Thank you all. <br><br>Trent"</blockquote>  On July 6th, nin.com was updated with a final post about Eric , reading;:

<blockquote>"Sadly, Eric De La Cruz has passed away. CLICK HERE[http://www.hedrichcreative.com/Eric.html] for to read a letter from his sister Veronica. Thank you all for your help and compassion with this. Trent"</blockquote>

This leg of the tour saw the reintroduction of "[[Closer]]" back into the set, despite Trent Reznor previously saying in a fan interview that the song was not going to be performed in 2009.This was the typical setlist on this leg: #[[Somewhat Damaged]]#[[Terrible Lie]]#[[Heresy]]#[[March Of The Pigs (song)|March Of The Pigs]]#[[Piggy]]#Closer#[[Reptile]]#[[The Becoming]]#[[I'm Afraid of Americans]]#[[Burn (song)|Burn]]#[[Gave Up]]#[[La Mer]]#[[The Fragile (song)|The Fragile]]#[[The Frail]]#[[The Wretched]]#[[Non-Entity]]#[[Gone, Still]]#[[The Downward Spiral (song)|The Downward Spiral]]#[[The Big Come Down]]#[[Wish (song)|Wish]]#[[Survivalism (song)|Survivalism]]#[[Echoplex]]#[[The Day The World Went Away (song)|The Day The World Went Away]]#[[Dead Souls]]#[[The Hand That Feeds (song)|The Hand That Feeds]]#[[Head Like A Hole (song)|Head Like A Hole]]#[[Hurt (song)|Hurt]]

On July 7th, 2009, Trent Reznor posted this on nin.com: <blockquote>"Getting right to the point, we're going to play a handful of shows in NYC, Chicago and LA starting August 22nd. They will be informal affairs in medium to small venues with longer set-lists, possible special guests, cool openers and other surprises. Upon reflection, the NIN/JA tour felt like we had to rush through sets due to a limited allotted set length and many shows were in daylight - it just didn't feel right to end NIN that way. An offer to headline a festival (being announced soon) set the idea in motion to play some FUN shows to end this up with. If we can get it together we'll film these shows, too."</blockquote>