DVD Review: Nirvana: Unplugged in New York

DVD Reviews

By Jeff Swindoll Jan 4, 2008, 12:54 GMT

The year before the death of lead singer Kurt Cobain, Nirvana performed on MTV Unplugged. Fans have long sought this performance and now it finally makes it onto DVD, but in an even greater twist it features songs not heard on the original showing.

Nirvana was formed in 1987 by singer Kurt Cobain and bass player Krist Novoselic. In 1990 drummer Dave Grohl joined the duo and this would be the lineup that would be in place when the band rose to fame in 1991 with the release of their hit single “Smells like Teen Spirit” from their album ‘Nevermind.’ Their fame would be short-lived when tragedy struck in 1994 when lead singer Cobain was found dead. However, when the band was asked to perform on MTV Unplugged they stayed away from their hit tunes and stuck to some of their lesser know tunes (at the time). They even delved into songs by other groups/artists including The Vaselines (“Jesus Doesn’t Want Me for a Sunbeam”), David Bowie (“The Man Who Sold the World” – a personal favorite of mine), the Meat Puppets (“Plateau,” “Oh Me,” and “Lake of Fire”), and Leadbelly (“Where Did You Sleep Last Night?”). The album of the show would be the first one released by the band following Cobain’s death and would go on to be certified 5x Platinum. The performance features a laid back (almost shy or withdrawn) Cobain that would be different to the picture painted before his death. Some really great music here from the man who would become a spokesman for Generation X in this full 102 minute cut of the concert. It can’t be argued that the band’s performance has a certain power and it’s good to see Cobain so relaxed and in a better light than the madman that would be occasionally seen towards the end of his short life. The music speaks for itself and it’s a fine concert and one that should please both fans and non-fans alike. Nirvana Unplugged in New York is presented in fullscreen as it was originally aired on television. Special features include the original 45-minute MTV cut of the concert, the 14-minute “Bare Witness” MTV News show, and raw rehearsal footage for five of the songs (“Come as You Are,” “Polly,” “Plateau,” “Pennyroyal Tea” and “The Man Who Sold the World.”). You also get the audio options of Dolby 5.1, DTS 5.1, or Dolby Stereo. You can still walk around and occasionally see the person wearing a Kurt Cobain tee shirt. His influence lasted beyond his short life and this Unplugged event might’ve been one of the moments that cemented his fame. It’s wonderful to have the full cut of the show as well as the version that aired on MTV. Nirvana: Unplugged in New York is now available at Amazon and AmazonUK. Visit the DVD database for more information.

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DVD Review: Nirvana: Unplugged in New York

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