Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain would have turned 52 years old today, and while the band split up after Cobainsa国际传媒檚 death, their memory is still alive worldwide.
Before the band hit the big time, pre-Nevermind, they played a show right here in Victoria at what was once the Forge, now called Distrikt. Andrew Murray, an assistant teaching professor for the department of English at the University of Victroia, was at the show on March 8, 1991 and recalls it well.
sa国际传媒淚 remember they played quite a lot of songs off their first album Bleach. I remember they played a Velvet Underground cover called Here She Comes Now, which I had never heard them play before,sa国际传媒� said Murray.
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Murray had already seen the band play once before in Vancouver, but says the low ceilings and grunge feel to the Forge made it a pretty unforgettable show. Murray was born the same year as Cobain and said he felt a special connection to the lead singer.
sa国际传媒淚n a weird way I felt not like a peer of his, but at least a contemporary for sure.sa国际传媒�
He recalls how Kirst Novoselic, who played bass in the band, almost couldnsa国际传媒檛 stand up straight because of the Forgesa国际传媒檚 sa国际传媒渂asement-likesa国际传媒� interior.
sa国际传媒淗e couldnsa国际传媒檛 really bounce like he wanted to because he would hit his head on the ceiling if he did, whereas Kurt Cobain was a very small man so he was quite comfortable,sa国际传媒� said Murray.
According to Murray, the band played for about an hour, calling it a sa国际传媒減roper showsa国际传媒� even if it was just before the bandsa国际传媒檚 big break that would come later with the release of their second studio album, Nevermind.
sa国际传媒淚t was a really really good show sa国际传媒� but you could tell they had the power and the charisma of a great rock and roll band,sa国际传媒� said Murray.
Murray still has his ticket stub from the concert in Victoria, although he describes it as a simple 50/50 raffle ticket with no band names on it.
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sa国际传媒淭hey were a ferocious band, they really were,sa国际传媒� said Murray. sa国际传媒淲hat was different was at the later venues the mosh pit and dancing was bigger, but the band always played with real energy.sa国际传媒�
With the release of Nevermind in September 1991, the bandsa国际传媒檚 fan base grew exponentially almost overnight, but according to Murray they always played a good show sa国际传媒� having seen them play a total of four times in his life.
sa国际传媒淰ictoria was the smallest one so it was cool to be a part of that and feel like you were on the ground floor of something sa国际传媒� but it wasnsa国际传媒檛 like they were so small that nobody had heard of them. You went to the show knowing their songs sa国际传媒� we loved it.sa国际传媒� he said.
Murray still holds on to a lot of the memorabilia that he got during the climax of Nirvanasa国际传媒檚 fame.
sa国际传媒淚t wasnsa国际传媒檛 a time when you took photos or recorded parts of the show, you were just there and lived it and then it was over,sa国际传媒� said Murray. sa国际传媒淚t was ferocious and energetic sa国际传媒� a young band really hitting their stride. You could see Kurt Cobain had a charisma, that he was a rock star that hadnsa国际传媒檛 become a rock star yet.sa国际传媒�
In celebration of Cobainsa国际传媒檚 52 birthday, Lucky Bar will be holding a special event featuring Nirvanasa国际传媒檚 music and other sa国际传媒�90s inspired grunge music along with a video tribute that will take place from 11:30 p.m. to midnight.
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