Nirvana 1989 Bleach Era First-Ever U.K. Show Concert Poster....

Description

NIRVANA'S FIRST-EVER GIG OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES

Nirvana 1989 Bleach Era First-Ever U.K. Show Concert Poster. This is a first for us to offer up at auction: a thin-paper poster for Nirvana's first performance in the UK on October 23, 1989 at Riverside in Newcastle upon Tyne.

Sandwiched between the Cateran and Tad, Nirvana performed a 12-song set. With Chad Channing on drums, the trio had to stop their set after the third song, their cover of Shocking Blue's "Love Buzz." Bassist Krist Novoselic (then known as Chris) threw his bass into the rental amp they had for the tour after he was hit by a beer bottle. (Usually Nirvana waited until the set's end to avoid an encore.)

Along with their contemporaries, Nirvana would make a strong impression and a dent on pop culture. Showing you could hit the top of the charts with garage/metal/punk with a pop sheen, Nirvana's brief run in the biggest spotlight sadly ended in 1994 with tragedy. But getting to the point of stardom did not happen overnight.

It's a pleasure to have this documentation of Nirvana's slow rise to worldwide popularity. Poster measures approx. 11 ½" x 16 ¼". In Very Good condition. COA from Heritage Auctions.

More Information: This was the first time Nirvana had ever played outside of the United States.

As the band was on tour behind their debut album Bleach, it made the most sense for them to play many cuts from the album, along with songs that were later relegated to B-sides, along with "Polly," which showed up on their next album, Nevermind.

The UK had a special affinity for Sub Pop bands. It wasn't just Nirvana – it was Mudhoney, Screaming Trees, Tad, and Soundgarden at a time when popular hard rock bands from America had more in common with Bon Jovi rather than Black Sabbath. The UK press loved what was coming out of the Pacific Northwest, starting an excitement that would erupt worldwide in 1991.

Condition details: The poster has plenty of signs of wear due to usage in its day. It has several spots of water damage on the verso, tape lifts in the corners, creasing, fold marks, and toning.


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