Search icon

Music

23rd Aug 2016

PICS: These previously unseen images of Nirvana playing in Cork are wonderful

Paul Moore

“Here we are now, entertain us.”

August 20th, 1991 – three days after they record the video for Smells Like Teen Spirit, Nirvana play a pub venue in Cork.

Almost immediately after finishing their set at Sir Henry’s, the lives of Kurt Cobain, Dave Grohl and Krist Novoselic would change forever.

Nevermind was released shortly after the band left Leeside and with that came instant fame and, tragically for Cobain, the trappings associated with it.

This week marks the 25th anniversary of that famous night in Cork and after getting the true story of that gig from Sean O’Neill, the manager of the pub at the time, we’re delighted to say that Nirvana fan Rory Wales has also shared his stories and memories of that night.

Take a look at these wonderful images.

Cobain1Cork DSC02130

Rory also has a lovely story to share about the moment that Kurt Cobain posed for an amazing photo (included below). In his own words, “Like most people going to Sir Henrys that night, I was mainly going to see Sonic Youth, I really loved their album Goo which had come out a year earlier”. (Here’s Sonic Youth playing)

DSC02177 DSC02178 DSC02179

Rory continues, “I didn’t know any Nirvana stuff but my friend Kevin had a tape of their album Bleach which we played a few times earlier that day so we’d at least know what they would sound like. I was always very enthusiastic about going to gigs so I’d always queue up early and get right up at the front of the stage”.

(We love the cans of Carling that are scattered around  the stage as well as Krist Novoselic’s Dinosaur Jr. t-shirt)

DSC02132

DSC02140

“Nirvana played a really good set I thought, really loud and lively. I basically stood directly in front (about 1 metre away) of Kurt during the whole gig. In between one of the songs I shouted ‘Kurt! Kurt! Kurt!’ and he came up to me and said ‘Yeeaaay??’ and I asked him for a smile for the camera and he said ‘Okay’, put both hands in front of his face in a prayer posture, and slowly drew his hands apart revealing his face.”

DSC02135

“I couldn’t take the photo on time because the flash on my camera was taking 10 seconds to charge so I missed the moment but got the other close up of Kurt instead (above). Sonic Youth were amazing as I recall, Thurston Moore and Lee Renaldo were sliding screwdrivers up and down the fretboards of their guitars at one stage (see photos).

(Check out the Brendan Behan t-shirt)
DSC02183

DSC02158 DSC02172 DSC02173 DSC02174 DSC02175

Rory says that over the years, his musical education was well served by the iconic Cork venue.
“Other bands I saw in Sir Henrys – My Bloody Valentine, Babes In Toyland, Therapy?, and of course local Cork heroes Frank & Walters and Sultans of Ping. I was a teenage indie kid during all this time so all this music was all so new and exciting for me.”
DSC02141
If you’ve any other famous concert stories, pictures, clips or anything else then feel free to get in touch with JOE.
Cheers to Rory Wales  for sending this images our way. If you have something you would like to share with us, send it to our WhatsApp number 087-4001102, [email protected] or hit us up on Facebook or Twitter.

Topics:

Cork,Music,Nirvana