On my drive to work yesterday, I heard a Nirvana Tribute would be at the House of Blues (a venue I have been dying to check out since I started listening to live music), on 5th & C. Feeling adventurous, and quite bored of the usual north county dive bars, I decided to head back downtown after my shift to check it out. The performers all sported their own looks, but the lead singer looked exactly like a fatter Kurt Cobain, circa 1992. Although we arrived a little late, the mosh pit hadn't started yet and the mainstream hits were still being played. Not only did the songs reflect the good ol' days of grunge rock, but as the bass guitarist slid across the stage on his knees to share feedback with the lead singer/guitarist, I couldn't help but feel an inkling of nostalgia toward the days when rock was nitty gritty and full of rage... not the always duplicated sound of pop rock that has been invading radio airwaves. Maybe it was the moshers bumping into me or the whiskey surging through my veins, but I was really feeling the show and was thouroughly impressed at the similarities between this cover band and Nirvana. But I have to say, I was a little disappointed in the crowd for keeping themselves so clean. When I go to any kind of Nirvana show, I expect to see long stringy hair veiling an unkempt goatee and a lot more ripped jeans and flannel. Regardless of the lack of grunge wear, the show was excellent, the venue was sweet, and I got to hear some old jams from a fresh set of lips.
