Nirvana - Live in New York, Roseland Ballroom, 23/7/1993 [AUD+SBD]

On the morning of July 23rd, 1993, Kurt Cobain overdosed. One of the bands managers found him in time and was revived. Later that same day, they were set to play the New Music Seminar at the Roseland Ballroom to advertise the new songs off the new record, In-Utero.

Kurt sounds incredibly off during this performance, and I can't help but think dying might be the reason why.

The setlist introduces the new In-Utero songs and for Very Ape, its the live debut. Many of the other In-Utero songs were either played in Brazil or in San Francisco at Cow Palace in April.

If we look at the setlist, and the gig itself, this is essentially a taste of not only the new music, but the In-Utero tour itself. The dual-guitar section featuring the winner of the 'What Grunge Means to You' essay contest, John Duncan, is a foreshadowing of Pat Smear's eventual addition to the band come October. There's also a quiet, but lovely acoustic section from Polly to Where Did You Sleep Last Night?

The audio for this gig is a AUD #1, which is for the whole gig, and then SBD #1, which is neatly placed on top of AUD #1, which gives that section a much heartier sound. The soundboard comes in during the last third of Scentless Apprentice and exits during Rape Me.

Is it my favorite performance? No, it's actually one of my least favorite. The thought of Kurt being dead hours before going on is unsettling. I can't recall any other gig where Kurt was dead the day of. On the bright side, there are some unique sounds that the band put on. Drain You, Scentless Apprentice are the big two off the top of my head. And the acoustic section is always brilliant. One of my favorite things about Nirvana in the later years was the acoustic songs.

Setlist:
Intro: 0:00
Serve The Servants: 2:45
Scentless Apprentice: 6:35
School: 10:18
Breed: 13:32
Lithium: 16:22
Come As You Are: 21:01
Milk It: 24:45
Drain You (Featuring John Duncan on Guitar): 29:18
Tourette's (Featuring John Duncan on Guitar): 33:01
Aneurysm (Featuring John Duncan on Guitar): 34:34
Very Ape (Featuring John Duncan on Guitar): 39:08
Blew: 41:53
Heart-Shaped Box: 45:25
Rape Me: 50:28
Territorial Pissings: 53:09
All Apologies: 57:37
Polly: 1:02:57
Dumb: 1:05:56
Something In The Way: 1:09:41
Where Did You Sleep Last Night? (Leadbelly Cover): 1:13:09
Smells Like Teen Spirit: 1:21:15
Endless, Nameless: 1:25:57
Outro: 1:35:05

#nirvana #kurtcobain #davegrohl