NIRVANA
Live in Bloom Mezzago 17 Novembre 1991

THE REVIEW

How strange... I've never written anything official about one of the concerts of my life; I don't even know the reason myself. Then, in these days, two things happen: first, I receive a private message from a new user asking for news about the concert, having read my comment on an old review by tia, where I was mentioning that evening many years ago when I saw the American guys at the Bloom; and finally, I receive a text from a dear friend that says something like this: "For a group of 40-year-olds like us, Nirvana is like milk for newborns: obligatory and essential." I've seen the light!!! Now I'm ready; I close my eyes and return to that day.

I remember, luckily for me, that a friend of mine bought the ticket in advance in Milan; it was a Sunday, and I left home mid-afternoon driving my my(s)tic white UNO. Back in those days, there were no GPS devices, so it took me ages to find Mezzago, a place forgotten by God!!! It was the first time I was going to Bloom and I arrived incredibly late when there was already a huge crowd in front of the venue; I managed to get in just minutes before the concert started, into an overcrowded environment teeming with people eagerly waiting. The reports say about six hundred excited bodies attended; an atrocious heat welcomed me: I remember this perfectly. Finally, Nirvana arrived and devastated the place with a deadly shockwave and force. Kurt was wearing a light duster; near the stage, I joined in wild moshing, even stage diving: I was, and still am, a true professional of the craft.

You can imagine the songs they performed: almost all of "Nevermind" which gained rawness, depth, and executional nastiness live; there were also tracks from the first and raw album "Bleach," though I don't remember the titles. Anyway, the setlist is easily found online. Kurt gave it his all, with a ferocity and volume that shattered eardrums, well supported by Dave's frantic drumming and Krist's incredibly powerful bass sound: there were three of them but sounded like three hundred. Even the venue walls were sweating from the chaos that erupted: Nirvana on stage were insane, even more so we in the audience below!!! They ended the concert with "Territorial Pissings": I don't think adding more is necessary...TERRIFYING...

After the battle ended, I had to rush out of the venue because on Monday morning I started work early; I got home utterly exhausted, with my ears ringing for days but as happy as I've rarely been on other occasions. These were Nirvana, a band led by a guy who simply loved to play, loved what he did; it always hurts to remember that concert, but it doesn't matter. I saw them again a few weeks before Kurt's tragic end, at Palatrussardi in Milan, in February 1994: he was already a dead man walking, defeated and about to give up.

I frequented Bloom throughout the nineties, and beyond, seeing many bands (Helmet, Godflesh, Motorpsycho, Cathedral, Down By Law are just the first that come to mind); I also got to know the staff of the Milanese venue and learned from them that before the concert Kurt proved to be a discreet, almost shy and very kind person. He also bought some vinyls at the Bloom's shop-library: he was just a boy, like many others.

....I WAS THERE...

To madcat, musicanidi and Turricano (You know the reason).

Ad Maiora.