From smashing a bouncer in the face with his guitar to trolling Top of the Pops. Dive into this collection of the wildest performances from Nirvana front-man Kurt Cobain.
Dallas, Texas, October 1991
During an oversold show in Dallas during the Nevermind tour, tensions spilt over. Kurt Cobain dove into the crowd where he was grabbed by a bouncer, he took the opportunity to smash security in the face with his guitar leading to a brawl that stopped the show.
As a result the band left out the back door of the venue. They were chased down by the furious security guard who managed to break their van window as they drove off.
UK Top Of The Pops, 1991
As Nirvanamania took off the band performed their hit single, ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’, on the British television program Top of the Pops. The show demanded artists sing live vocals over pre-recorded backing tracks.
In one of the greatest middle fingers to the music establishment ever, Nirvana decided to butcher the song. Cobain sings in a piss-take accent and swallows the microphone before a full-on stage invasion occurs.
January 1993, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
The biggest shows Nirvana ever played were in Brazil in January 1993 with attendances of over 100,000 people each night. It seems appropriate, given the bands history, that Cobain gave some of the most unhinged performances of his career.
The show in Rio devolved into a noise jam where Cobain tried to tear apart the stage, spat into the cameras, simulated masturbation and flailed about the stage in a regressive display of rock and roll excess.
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In more recent Nirvana related news, an Aussie bought Kurt Cobain’s ‘MTV Unplugged’ guitar for a world record price.
Travis Barker recently performed a kick-ass Nirvana set with Post Malone and said, “Nirvana is one of the greatest bands of all time”. For more iconic Nirvana performances watch footage from Reading Festival 92.
