Ticket
Academy 1 (Manchester Academy)
4th December 1991

This was Nirvana's second gig in Manchester having played further up Oxford Road at Manchester Polytechnic back in 1989.

Smells Like Teen Spirit had hit the charts two months earlier and was ruling the dance floor at The Ritz and Jilly's/Rockworld club nights, as you might suspect, the buzz surrounding the show was incredible. It really was the golden ticket of 1991.

For such a momentous gig I don't have that many positive memories from the show, It was unbelievably busy, the closest to the front I could get was being pinned against the sound desk at the back of the room. Someone in front of me was headbanging furiously and his sweeping hair lifted the brand new pair of glasses off from my face and onto the floor, all I could think of was that my mum would kick off if I broke them. The band sounded flat and raced through the set losing the impact of the quiet / loud dynamics. I was pretty bored to be honest, I remember coming away thinking they were just 'okay' live.

Speaking to people today about their memories I think this was an 'off' show for the band, what a shame.

The show's support acts were Shonen Knife and Captain America.