Nirvana Live Guide - Related Shows

12/??/85 - Spot Tavern, Pacific Beach, WA

Nirvana-Related Performers

Fecal Matter (Kurt Cobain, Dale Crover, Greg Hokanson)

Notes

Kurt sang and played guitar, Dale played bass, and Greg played drums.

Other Performers

Melvins

05/03/86 - GESCCO, Olympia, WA

Nirvana-Related Performers

Brown Towel/Brown Cow (Kurt Cobain, Dale Crover, Buzz Osborne)

Set (incomplete)

I Like Porn • Sky Pup

Notes

The trio was originally called Brown Towel, but the promoter misheard Buzz over the phone and spelled their name as Brown Cow on the flyer.
Kurt recited poetry over improvised music by Dale (on drums) and Buzz (on guitar), including some early versions of Melvins songs.
"Kurt was just jumping around the stage reading, singing, and screaming," according to Dale.

Other Performers

Danger Mouse • Grinder • Melvins

??/??/86 - The Pourhouse, Aberdeen, WA

Nirvana-Related Performers

Stiff Woodies (Kurt Cobain, Krist Novoselic, others)

12/21/88 - The Pourhouse, Aberdeen, WA

Nirvana-Related Performers

Kurt Cobain and Krist Novoselic

Notes

This show took place after the Nirvana show in Hoquiam on the same day.
Kurt and Krist played Beatles covers.

06/16/89 - Reko/Muse, Olympia, WA

Nirvana-Related Performers

Industrial Nirvana (Kurt Cobain, Krist Novoselic, others)

Notes

Billed as Industrial Nirvana, the band borrowed Slim Moon's drum machine and used it to play repetitive beats while they made noise.
Some friends joined the band on stage, including Tobi Vail.

Other Performers

Lush

11/26/89 - Bloom, Mezzago, Italy

Nirvana-Related Performers

Tad (with Kurt Cobain)

Set (incomplete)

High On The Hog • Ritual Device

Notes

Kurt joined Tad on vocals for three or four songs because Tad Doyle passed out, according to attendees.
During "Ritual Device," Kurt's vocals were almost inaudible. This may be in part because the bands' soundman, Craig Montgomery, was also onstage playing guitar for this song.

Circulating Recordings

AMT #1 - amateur video (incomplete)
- Equipment: built-in > Sony CCD-F500 (Video8)
- Lowest Audio Generation: 8MM(M) > VHS(1)
- Lowest Video Generation: 8MM(M) > VHS(1)
- Length / Sound Quality: 10 min / B+
- Includes only "High On The Hog" and "Ritual Device."
- The circulating video includes all that was recorded of Tad's set with Kurt Cobain.

Uncirculated Recordings

amateur video
- It is rumored that there is another video source which is believed to be complete.

Other Performers

Nirvana • Tad

09/25/90 - KAOS Olympia Community Radio (Boy Meets Girl), Olympia, WA

Nirvana-Related Performers

Kurt Cobain (solo)

Set (incomplete)

Opinion • Lithium (part of) • Dumb • Been A Son • D-7 • Polly

Notes

More songs were possibly played.
It is rumored that "D-7" was a duet with Calvin Johnson, who hosted the radio show.

Circulating Recordings

SBD #1a - soundboard audio (incomplete)
- Equipment: soundboard > unknown
- Lowest Generation: FM > ANA(2)
- Length / Sound Quality: 5 min / B+
- More complete banter, but less complete music and lower quality than SBD #1b.
- Includes only "Opinion" and "Lithium," which cuts out.
SBD #1b - soundboard audio (incomplete)
- Equipment: soundboard > unknown
- Lowest Generation: Official CD [With The Lights Out]
- Length / Sound Quality: 5 min / A-
- Less complete banter, but more complete music and higher quality than SBD #1a.
- Includes only "Opinion," "Lithium," and "Been A Son," which cuts out.
- Has a short dropout in "Opinion" that was replaced with audio from a lower quality source.

04/13/91 - Tinúviel's Phoenix House, Olympia, WA

Nirvana-Related Performers

Witchypoo (with Kurt Cobain and Dave Grohl)

Set

(I Saw You) Shine • The Bars (jam) • Three Nights (jam) • unknown • (I Saw You) Shine (jam) • unknown • unknown

Notes

Kurt, Dave, and Joe Preston played with Slim Moon's band, Witchypoo.
The group covered and jammed on Flipper's "(I Saw You) Shine," jammed on Black Flag's "The Bars" and "Three Nights," and played three other unknown songs, possibly improvisations or Witchypoo songs.

Circulating Recordings

AUD #1 - audience audio
- Equipment: unknown > unknown (cassette)
- Lowest Generation: ANA(1)
- Length / Sound Quality: 25 min / A-

Other Performers

Bikini Kill • Bratmobile • Giant Henry

06/01/91 - The Mushroom, Olympia, WA

Nirvana-Related Performers

Witchypoo (with Kurt Cobain and Dave Grohl)

Notes

Nirvana was supposed to play here, but Krist couldn't make it to the show.
Instead, Kurt, Dave, and Billy Karen played with Slim Moon's band, Witchypoo.
There is a picture of Kurt at this show on the back of some pressings of the Kill Rock Stars compilation.

Other Performers

Bikini Kill • Giant Henry

01/15/92 - Crocodile Cafe, Seattle, WA

Nirvana-Related Performers

The Melvanas (Buzz Osborne, Krist Novoselic, and Dave Grohl)

Set (incomplete)

Way Of The World • Sacrifice

Notes

Krist played bass, Dave played drums, and Buzz played guitar and sang.
The trio, tagged the Melvanas by the house soundman, played three songs in about 15 minutes, according to a review.
After "Sacrifice," the drum intro to the Melvins' abbreviated version of Alice Cooper's "Second Coming" can be heard as the circulating recording fades out. The Melvins often played part of "Second Coming," followed by Alice Cooper's "The Ballad Of Dwight Fry," so it's possible that this combination of songs was played.
Opening for Churn and Bliss, the trio's performance was supposed to be a surprise, but someone leaked the news to a radio station, so hundreds of Nirvana fans came to the show.

Circulating Recordings

AUD #1 - audience audio (incomplete)
- Equipment: unknown > unknown
- Lowest Generation: Unofficial 7" [Melvana]
- Length / Sound Quality: 10 min / B+
- Includes only "Way Of The World" and "Sacrifice."

Other Performers

Bliss • Churn

09/26/92 - Castaic Lake Amphitheatre, Castaic, CA

Nirvana-Related Performers

Kurt Cobain (solo) • Mudhoney (with Kurt Cobain)

Set (Kurt solo)

Where Did You Sleep Last Night

Set (Mudhoney with Kurt)

The Money Will Roll Right In

Notes

Kurt played "Where Did You Sleep Last Night" by himself, then later joined Mudhoney on guitar for "The Money Will Roll Right In."

Circulating Recordings

AMT #1 - amateur video
- Equipment: built-in > Sony CCD-TR81 (Hi8)
- Lowest Audio Generation: HI8(M)
- Lowest Video Generation: HI8(M)
- Length / Sound Quality: 10 min / A-

Other Performers

Mudhoney • Pavement • Sonic Youth

10/04/92 - Crocodile Cafe, Seattle, WA

Nirvana-Related Performers

Mudhoney (with Kurt Cobain)

Set (incomplete)

The Money Will Roll Right In • Fix Me

Notes

During Mudhoney's encore, Kurt came onstage and played guitar on some punk covers, including Fang's "The Money Will Roll Right In" and Black Flag's "Fix Me."

Uncirculated Recordings

amateur video
- It is rumored that MTV has the entire show.
amateur video
- Shot by Shelli Novoselic.

Other Performers

Mudhoney • Nirvana

10/29/92 - La Cueva, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Nirvana-Related Performers

Pirata Industrial (with Krist Novoselic, Dave Grohl, and Courtney Love)

Set (incomplete)

Blue Monday

Notes

After a local band called Pirata Industrial finished playing at this club, Krist, Dave, and Courtney jammed with the band on a short impromptu set of new wave noise, followed by a cover of New Order's "Blue Monday" with Courtney on drums.
Kurt was absent because he was at his hotel with stomach pains.

Other Performers

Pirata Industrial

09/08/93 - Club Lingerie (Rock Against Rape Benefit), Hollywood, CA

Nirvana-Related Performers

Kurt Cobain and Courtney Love (duet)

Set

Pennyroyal Tea • Where Did You Sleep Last Night

Notes

Courtney performed solo, then introduced Kurt as "my husband, Yoko."

Circulating Recordings

SBD #1 - soundboard audio
- Equipment: soundboard > unknown
- Lowest Generation: ANA(x)
- Length / Sound Quality: 10 min / A

Uncirculated Recordings

amateur video
- A clip of "Pennyroyal Tea" has been broadcast on TV.

Other Performers

7 Year Bitch • Courtney Love • Exene Cervenka • Johnette Napolitano • Pinching Judy