FINALLY! Nirvana’s Unplugged To Be Released on DVD in November
Kurt Cobain’s final – and some would say greatest – artistic statement will finally be released in November. The legendary Unplugged in New York will be released for the first time in a video format of any kind when it makes its November 20 debut on DVD. Fans have long been able to listen to the incredible and transcendent performance on CD, released shortly after Cobain’s suicide.
There isn’t much flesh left on the bones, figuratively speaking, of the Nirvana musical legacy. This DVD presumably represents the last of the band’s treasures to be available to fans.
The DVD will include the full performance just as the CD did as well as bonus footage. This means fans will see “Something in the Way” and “Oh Me” for the first time. Both of those songs were cut from the show – presumably for time constraints – when it initially aired. As for the bonus features, there will be four previously unaired performances from the band’s soundcheck as well as behind-the-scenes footage.
I remember being skeptical when I heard the band was going to do Unplugged because their music was so gloriously… not. I remember being mesmerized by their phenomenal performance and getting chills during “Where Did You Sleep Last Night?” as I watched it the first time.
I remember fighting the humiliating feeling of burning eyes watching this performance as part of MTV’s saturation coverage of Cobain’s death. I remember being haunted by “Where Did You Sleep Last Night?” The memory of that performance of that song stayed etched in my memory. I can still picture Kurt in that scratchy, thrift-store green sweater.
I remember going to a midnight sale at a store in the Seattle suburbs when Unplugged in New York was released on CD. I remember skipping straight away to hear “Where Did You Sleep Last Night” on a cold, rainy night in November as I drove home.
I have a feeling I’m going midnight on the DVD, too. If I do, I know which song I’ll watch first.
Here is the Complete Set List for Nirvana’s Unplugged in New York
“About a Girl”
“Come As You Are”
“Jesus Doesn’t Want Me for a Sunbeam”
“The Man Who Sold the World”
“Pennyroyal Tea”
“Dumb”
“Polly”
“On a Plain”
“Something in the Way”
“Plateau”
“Oh Me”
“Lake of Fire”
“All Apologies”
“Where Did You Sleep Last Night”
Filed under: A Day Late and a Dollar Short, Nirvana
This is excellent news. I was pretty blown away by that cover too, as well as the whole performance - over the long term I’ve listened to that CD more than any of their studio albums. Did you ever hear Leadbelly’s version of “In the Pines” from way back when?
Yeah, Jon, I’ve heard it. Kurt Cobain turned me on to Leadbelly, which I guess was part of the point.
The Unplugged is probably my second favorite Nirvana disc, right after In Utero. As far as total hours spent listening, though… it might be Unplugged. Their cover of Bowie’s “The Man Who Sold The World” was pretty stunning that night, too. Transcendent just seems the right word for it. I’m going to wind up at a Wal-Mart at midnight for this because no one else will be selling it at midnight.
Coolness. I’ve been thinking about this album a lot lately. Mainly because there is a store here called “the pines” which makes me sing that song.
The great thing about that album (well one of the many) was that it really showed how great a songwriter Cobain was. Stripped of all that noise, there were still really cool little tunes underneath.