10 Greatest Secret Music Concerts Of All Time
1. Nirvana
WHERE: St Vitus Bar, Brooklyn.
WHEN: April 10th, 2014
Yup. You read that date right. 20 years almost to the day since Kurt Cobain's death, Nirvana played live in a Brooklyn dive bar.
Earlier that day, Krist Novoselic, Dave Grohl and Pat Smear had accepted Nirvana's induction into the Rock and Roll hall of fame. They'd played live at the show with a revolving door of singers including St Vincent's Annie Clark, Sonic Youth's Kim Gordon, Joan Jett and Lorde.
These performances themselves have to be seen to be believed, especially Gordon howling through a deafening Aneurysm, but the party wasn't over. Soon, word got out that the entire collective, plus a few more special guests and minus Lorde, who had to leave that same evening, were all heading to St Vitus.
Of all the shows on this list, this is the one that gave the people there something they'd never experience again. Even the individual Beatles were still active musicians after the rooftop show but what happened in Brooklyn that April night will never be repeated.
You won't see Joan Jett crashing through Smells Like Teen Spirit. J Mascis thundering through School and Drain You, solos and all. St Vincent's imperial take on Heart Shaped Box. Those, along with so many others, take this night a level above everyone else.
Not just great performances and a great music, but a tribute to a friend and inspiration. A brief spark that came out of nowhere, never to be forgotten. Just like this fitting tribute.