Bootlegs Gone Mainstream? Nirvana- Dreamerz, Chicago, July 8, 1989

 

 

Last week, I opened the entertainment section of the local newspaper and spotted an (over) half-page article titled, BOOTLEG BONANZA, with the subtitle, "Volunteers turn fan's recordings of 10,000 concert into online treasure trove". The fan in question, you've read about here on the blog back in December 2024, Aadam Jacobs has made 1000's of live recordings of shows he attended and archived them in his home before sharing them online. I check the collection on archive.org everyday to see the latest shows posted and I've downloaded a big chunk onto the hard drive in case they disappear at some point. So many great bands I'm already a fan of, as well as lesser known groups that you can listen to and sample without any cost. My first thought when I read the article (you can read it online on the CBC website with additional photos) was, "WOW", have bootlegs and live recordings gone mainstream? I still have the belief these kind of unauthorized live recordings were still considered a grey area and borderline illegal (obviously, I don't feel that way!) and for that reason I stay stealth and under the radar and don't openly record because some venues don't take kindly to audio recording (ban it!). Yet it seems to be common practice to blatantly wave around your smartphone and video record as much as you want without any concern. My definition of the term "bootleg" is more to do with the selling and profit from these recordings, but most of the recordings I've acquired have been through trades and sharing and my recordings have never been up for sale (yet, a local record store has in the past had my actual live concert recordings for sale at the store). This really is a bonanza for fans of live music, as my feeling is that hearing a live recording of a concert you attended is the ultimate souvenir of the show. For hardcore fans, you hear the band in their element, not just the studio versions of the songs, but the performer performing and capturing this moment is special. For many people, the inferior sound quality of an audience recording is hard to listen to with the crowd noise/talking a distraction, muffled vocals and distorted instruments, but for tapers, this is the actual sound we hear at the concert, it's real and it feels like they're there. I'm sure Aadam would agree, the audio recording of the band is just one of the elements of a live show. It's the atmosphere and experience that comes with being in a crowd of like-minded music fans and though there is nothing that beats actually being there live, you can at least relive some of this experience with a tape of the show. 

 

  

The Nirvana show from 1989 (below) is described in the opening paragraph of the article and is a terrific listen. The rawness of the recording is something hard to describe without hearing it and we can thank Aadam for being there in the moment. There are several shows of bands on the cusp of success before hitting bigger fame (and fortune?) and it's a treat to hear them play in smaller, intimate venues. There's another Nirvana show in the collection that took place a few months later in a larger venue, that shows the growth of band in a short period, which is cool. Reading the article reminds me I need to digitize the rest of my live recordings on cassette, before it's too late and this will be my goal in 2026.

Enjoy!

 

 

Please do NOT sell or profit from this recording!

Do NOT convert to lossy formats, except for personal use.

Please share! 

 

 

 

Nirvana

Dreamerz

Chicago, IL

July 8, 1989 

Recording generously loaned from the Aadam Jacobs Audio Archive.

Source: Aiwa CM-30A Stereo Mic > Sony TC-D5M > Cassette (M)
Transfer: Cassette (M) > Nakamichi LX-5 > WAV
Mastering: WAV > Audacity (tracking) > FLAC > MP3Tag

Recorded by: Aadam Jacobs
Transferred by: Avery/vanark
Mastered by: Kliked

Setlist 

1. Intro
2. School
3. Floyd the Barber
4. Love Buzz
5. Mr. Moustache  
6. Paper Cuts
7. Polly
8. Big Cheese
9. Spank Thru
10. Dive
11. About A Girl
12. Scoff
13. Negative Creep
14. Blew

Kurt Cobain (vocals, guitar)
Krist Novoselic (bass)
Chad Channing (drums)
Jason Everman (guitar)

Opened for Precious Wax Drippings.

NIRVANA- 1989-07-08 Dreamerz, Chicago, IL FLAC. rar

Halloween Special- Local H As Nirvana 1997

 

 

 

Actually this is a post-Halloween special as I was too busy yesterday preparing for the onslaught of costumed kids by carving pumpkins and bagging up treats. Despite our efforts, by spreading bags on a table outside and social distancing sitting outside in costume for over 2 hours, we had a whopping 11 people at the house. Half of those took candy after we retreated inside after 8pm, because it is cold and windy enough to still have snow on the ground. Damn you Covid! Oh well, the night wasn't a total loss...more candy for me! We live in a region that is in a "code red alert" lock-down so Halloween parties and concerts are definitely not happening, so the next best thing is listening to or watching some Halloween themed concerts.

One band that always delivers on Halloween is Local H, who have performed almost every year at the Double Door in Chicago for their annual Halloween bashes, which began in 1996. Local H would perform as other bands and play a complete set with that band's music. They have performed as Nirvana several times, in 1997, 2016 and last night for an outside drive-in concert (because of epidemic) in the parking lot of Booomers Stadium in Schaumburg, Illinois. They have also performed Halloween shows at the DD as Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, Hall and Oates, AC/DC, The Doors, Sex Pistols, Tom Petty and more, all with their amazing likenesses that would make most tribute bands jealous. Not only are the songs worthy covers, but the mannerisms and movements of the performers are uncanny. A couple nights ago, I fell through the rabbit hole and watched many of these complete shows on YouTube. Thanks to all that uploaded these great videos!

 

The first time Local H played as Nirvana was the Halloween show at the Double Door in 1997. I plucked the live audio recording off archive.org (where they have well over 500 Local H shows!) and they remarkably sound pretty convincing, and if you watch the video, Scott Lucas does a pretty good Kurt Cobain impression. If you're a fan of Nirvana, Local H or good clean fun, this is well worth a listen. 

Enjoy!

#14yearsoftrouble

Please do NOT sell or profit from this recording!

Do NOT convert to lossy formats (except for personal use)

Please share!

Local H
Playing as Nirvana for Halloween
The Double Door
Chicago, IL

October 31, 1997

01. Intro/School
02. Aneurysm
03. Breed
04. About a Girl
05. Serve the Servants
06. Sliver
07. Been a Son
08. Negative Creep
09. Love Song?
10. Rape Me
11. Tourette's
12. Lithium
13. Smells Like Teen Spirit
14. Territorial Pissings

LOCAL H (as Nirvana)- 1997-10-31 Double Door, Chicago, IL FLAC. rar