This is rather a nebulous concept. Very few shows include more than one totally unreleased song, and most featured here are simply very usual for the time period. This also reflects which shows have surfaced: if other shows surfaced from dates surronding these, perhaps collectors would not hold these shows in such high esteem. At the moment, however, they do.
11/23/91 - Vooruit, Gent, BE (Ghent)
The band had not played any shows in Paris (where the band had been for the previous two days),
and played a shambolic drunken set in Belgium (introduced by a similarly intoxicated Courtney
Love). This show features the largest number of B-sides and unreleased songs: 'Curmudgeon'
(one of only two known perfomances), 'Talk To Me', 'Oh, The Guilt', 'The End' (a hilarious
spoof of The Doors' melancholy classic) and Where Did You Sleep Last Night (for which Chris and
Dave traded instruments).
11/25/90 - The Off Ramp Cafe, Seattle, WA, US
This show commences with the premiere of 'Aneurysm', a rather different rendition to the
released ones, followed by a glorious wail of feedback which becomes the premiere of 'Oh, The
Guilt'. An unreleased song, believed to be called 'Verse Chorus Verse' (not to be confused
with the song released on the 'No Alternative'
album) was performed for the second time. Songs which had long since been dropped from the setlist make their returns
this night (such as 'Mr Moustache') and others which are not known to have been performed
before (such as 'Swap Meet'). 'Sappy', 'D7' and the Velvet Underground cover 'Here She Comes Now'
were also played. The order of the setlist is unlike any other, and effortlessly mixes songs
from different eras. The main part of the show is already unique for all of the above reasons;
an eight-song encore was also played which featured more rarities, and a complete version of
this concert is therefore on of the most sought-after NIRVANA recordings.
03/07/87 - 17 Nussbaum Road (a house party), Raymond, WA, US
NIRVANA's first show, played almost two years before the recording of 'Bleach', reveals the
band's earliest known renditions of songs. Cobain was later so embarrassed by two of his early
compositions ('Pen Cap Chew' and 'If You Must') that neither has been officially released.
The band performs a rendition of the Led Zeppelin song 'Heartbreaker'.
08/30/92 - Reading Festival, Reading, UK
The band trotted out a record number of songs that night, and two edits of which have been
aired on the radio. The second broadcast only just missed out on inclusion in the
BEST SOUNDING category. 'tourette's' was premiered, and one the band
also pelted out a Fang cover, 'The Money Will Roll Right In'.
10/30/92 - Estadio de Velez Sarsfield (José Amalfitani), Buenos Aires, AR
This show was included on account of the first (known) perfomance of 'Beeswax' since 1988. In
August 2002, a complete recording surfaced, which includes a completely unknown new song as a
set-opener, making this show even more desirable.
04/17/91 - O.K. Hotel, Seattle, WA, US
This show is famous for the debut of 'Smells Like Teen Spirit', featuring alternate lyrics and
a different arrangement, but also contains a rare live version of the Devo cover 'Turnaround'.
Another unreleased song, formerly known as 'In His Hands' and 'Without A Shape', now believed
to be titled 'Verse Chorus Verse', was perfomed in public for the last time.
01/23/93 - Praça da Apoteose (Hollywood Rock Festival), Rio de Janeiro, BR
This festival appearence conatins another interesting juxtaposiiton of old and new material,
but deserves its inclusion under this category on account of the large number of odd jams
played that night, including 'Possibilities', 'Sweet Emotion', and strangely enough, the theme
from the classical work 'Carmen'.
04/09/93 - Cow Palace (Bosnian Rape Victim Benefit), San Francisco, CA, US
Another lengthy set containing premiers of several 'In Utero' songs, such as 'Frances Farmer
Will Have Her Revenge on Seattle', 'Milk It' and 'Serve The Servants', as well as final
perfomances of many staples of earlier-era setlists, such as 'Been A Son'.