The concert DVD that I have waited 12 years for has finally been released. Nirvana: Unplugged in New York was released to the public on November 20, 2007. It is the first ever public release of the unplugged concert featuring one of the most influential bands on the past 20 years. For many fans, this single concert is the best live performance Nirvana ever gave. At the same time, unfortunately, this concert serves as a eulogy of sorts for lead singer Kurt Cobain, who committed suicide five months after the taping of the concert.
I’m not even going to pretend that my review of this DVD is going to be unbiased. I will, however, try to be as objective as possible. Before I talk about the concert itself I’ll give you some insight on the extras found on the DVD. All in all, the extras are rather disappointing for a DVD the magnitude of Nirvana: Unplugged. There are rehearsals for “Come As You Are,” “Polly,” “Plateau,” “Pennyroyal Tea,” and “The Man Who Sold the World.” These are exactly what they sound like they are; rehearsals and nothing more. It’s kind of cool to hear the dialogue between Kurt and the band but nothing special really jumps out at you.
The other main extra on the DVD is a segment called MTV News: Bare Witness. Basically, this short piece has interviews with the people who were there the night that Nirvana: Unplugged was taped. These are somewhat interesting but nothing said will be anything new for a hardcore Nirvana fan (such as the fact that Nirvana ran through the concert all in one take without having to do any song twice). At the end of this segment a message comes across the bottom of the screen that it was shot back in 1999, I’m presuming for an MTV special about the five-year anniversary of Cobain’s death. It’s disappointing that the makers of this DVD couldn’t produce something new to commemorate the official release of the concert. It’s also somewhat upsetting that there are no interviews shown with the remaining two members of Nirvana nor with Courtney Love, the widow of Kurt Cobain. I guess that when you’re sucking in millions of dollars from your husband’s death, though, you can’t find time to do a five-minute interview.
Finally, the DVD has the original edited version of the concert that was shown on MTV. Why, after watching the unedited version, anybody would want to watch this is beyond me. I can’t imagine that having the edited version of the concert on the DVD would be better than including taped segments from various people talking about Nirvana’s influence on music. The edited concert does nothing more but take up space on what could have been a fantastic DVD.
Regardless of those flaws, this DVD is truly about Nirvana and the performance that they gave. Simply put, if you have yet to hear this concert then the only thing I can truly say is “shame on you.” What you get with Nirvana: Unplugged is one of the best rock bands ever giving a stripped down, very basic performance. I would give highlights but the fact is that there is not one song that is a “throwaway.” Any song could be your favorite.
The concert was a very eclectic mix of covers and Nirvana non-hits. Sure, they throw in “Come As You Are” and “All Apologies” but the rest of the songs will seem unfamiliar to those who aren’t hardcore Nirvana fans. Trust me when I say that you’ll love getting acquainted with these songs, including the three songs featuring the Meat Puppets.
Two previously songs, “Something in the Way” and “Oh Me,” have been included in the unedited version of the concert. Those songs were available on audio but had never before been shown on television. Granted, if you’ve heard the songs before you’re probably not going to notice anything new by watching it. Nevertheless, it’s a cool aspect to the overall product.
What makes this DVD a must-have is the fact that the unedited concert is completely uninterrupted. You’ll hear every conversation and see every tune-up, including the “Sweet Home Alabama” short that Nirvana does with the Meat Puppets. It’s nice for fans to see Kurt having fun and exhibiting positive human emotions.
That in itself is what makes this performance so special. Nirvana: Unplugged truly does show the band at it’s best. Truth be told the last two songs, “All Apologies” and “Where Did You Sleep Last Night,” are actually difficult to watch for this Nirvana fan, especially with everything that transpired five months after the taping of the show. I love Nirvana. I love the albums. I love the hundreds of bootlegs that I’ve acquired through the years. Nirvana: Unplugged, though, is special. It’s different. That’s the only way I can explain it.
Overall, the DVD is somewhat of a disappointment due to the lame extras. However, don’t let that stop you from picking this up. I spent less than 20 bucks on it and the unedited concert alone was worth much more than that. I highly recommend this DVD, both for hardcore Nirvana fans or those just familiarizing themselves with a truly unique and legendary band.
