Watch Nirvana at RadioShack in 1988
It’s Dave Grohl’s birthday tomorrow, but we’re flashing back to before he was in the band with Nirvana at RadioShack, live in 1988.
This footage first popped up in my Twitter feed courtesy of @historyinmemes. It’s a short clip, but it’s a good place to start.
Nirvana performing at a Radioshack in 1988 pic.twitter.com/DeqtzxW8yr
— Historic Vids (@historyinmemes) December 27, 2022
My curiosity was piqued immediately. How did this gig actually come about? Where was this particular RadioShack located? And this is 1988, a time when the ol’ drum throne in Nirvana had a few different asses occupying it. I dug into the thread and saw someone had shared this piece from Far Out Magazine.
The footage was shot on the evening of January 24th, 1988, and is recorded in the band’s hometown of Aberdeen, Washington. The clip is shot in the evening as the store was closed and has the band under their original moniker of ‘Ted Ed Fred’. The clip was created by the then-manager of the Radio Shack and Kurt Cobain’s close friend, Eric Harter.
Well, that settles the time and place? But who’s the drummer? None other than Dale Crover of the Melvins.
Scrolling through the thread is a nostalgia deep-dive. Nirvana fans are coming in hot and fast with the facts. And there are just as many fans of a certain age waxing poeting about RadioShack. And they should! RadioShack was the place back in the day if you were any sort of audio nerd. They bailed my ass out more than once when I needed a specific cord or wire that I could only get there.
Watch Nirvana at RadioShack in 1988
Because it’s Nirvana, of course there are full, decent-quality clips of the RadioShack gig on YouTube. I’ve shared one below. And even though it’s not Grohl on drums, I’d be a fool to to remind you that Foo Fighters are headlining Boston Calling Music Festival and that you can enter to win tickets here.