''Nirvana: Live! Tonight! Sold Out!!'' is a live video by the American rock band Nirvana, directed by Kevin Kerslake, and released on November 15, 1994, on VHS and

laserdisc LaserDisc (LD) is a home video format and the first commercial optical disc storage medium. It was developed by Philips, Pioneer Corporation, Pioneer, and the movie studio MCA Inc., MCA. The format was initially marketed in the United State ...

. It was re-released on DVD on November 7, 2006.

Background

Conceived by vocalist and guitarist

Kurt Cobain Kurt Donald Cobain (February 20, 1967 – ) was an American musician. He was the lead vocalist, guitarist, primary songwriter, and a founding member of the grunge band Nirvana (band), Nirvana. Through his angsty songwriting and anti-establis ...

, the film was intended to document Nirvana's unexpected rise to fame following the release of their second album, '' Nevermind'', in September 1991. After Cobain's death in April 1994, it was salvaged for release by surviving Nirvana members Dave Grohl and

Krist Novoselic Krist Anthony Novoselic (; ; born May 16, 1965) is an American musician, politician and activist. Novoselic co-founded and played bass on every album for the rock music, rock band Nirvana (band), Nirvana. Novoselic and Kurt Cobain formed the ban ...

, who completed it with editor Steve MacCorkle. Kerslake, who had been in communication with Cobain during the film's development, revealed that Cobain's concept for the video was "much more evolved" than the version that was released, featuring "more of an interior sense of what it was like to be in the band," but "obviously, we never got to the point where that part was shot."

Content

The video includes live performances, as well as interview clips, news footage and the band's home movies. The live material is drawn largely from the band's 1991 ''Nevermind'' tour, with their shows at the Paramount Theatre in

Seattle, Washington Seattle ( ) is the List of municipalities in Washington, most populous city in the U.S. state of Washington (state), Washington and in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. With a population of 780,995 in 2024, it is the List of Unit ...

, on October 31, 1991, and Paradiso in Amsterdam, Netherlands, on November 25, 1991, featured most prominently. This tour is also represented by appearances on the British music show ''

Top of the Pops ''Top of the Pops'' (''TOTP'') is a British record chart television programme, made by the BBC and broadcast weekly between 1January 1964 and 30 July 2006. The programme was the world's longest-running weekly music show. For most of its histo ...

'' on November 27, 1991, and the British talk show '' Tonight with Jonathan Ross'' on December 6, 1991. It also includes footage from the band's Pacific Rim tour in early 1992. One song, " On a Plain", is from their headlining appearance at the

Roskilde Festival The Roskilde Festival is a Danish music festival held annually south of Roskilde. It is one of the largest music festivals in Europe and the largest in the Nordic countries. It was created in 1971 by two high school students and a promoter. In 1 ...

in Roskilde, Denmark on June 26, 1992, which had an attendance of 64,500 people in the audience. One song, "

Lithium Lithium (from , , ) is a chemical element; it has chemical symbol, symbol Li and atomic number 3. It is a soft, silvery-white alkali metal. Under standard temperature and pressure, standard conditions, it is the least dense metal and the ...

", as well as other footage, is from the band's headline performance at the Reading Festival in Reading, England on August 30, 1992, which, according to Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl, had an attendance of 50,000 people and that hearing the audience chant the lyrics to "Lithium" was one of their biggest moments. Two songs are from Nirvana's headline appearance at the Hollywood Rock festival in

Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro, or simply Rio, is the capital of the Rio de Janeiro (state), state of Rio de Janeiro. It is the List of cities in Brazil by population, second-most-populous city in Brazil (after São Paulo) and the Largest cities in the America ...

Brazil Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...

on January 23, 1993, which had an attendance of over 100,000 people in the audience. Three of the songs " Aneurysm," " Love Buzz" and "Territorial Pissings" are edits of two different versions each, with the Paradiso, Amsterdam version being used as one of the two versions for all three songs. The first part of "Love Buzz" is taken from a concert at Trees in

Dallas Dallas () is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of Texas metropolitan areas, most populous metropolitan area in Texas and the Metropolitan statistical area, fourth-most ...

Texas Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...

, in which frontman Kurt Cobain got into a fight with a bouncer. The "Aneurysm" edit, which features the Paradiso and Hollywood Rock versions of the song, was used as a music video for promotion of ''Live! Tonight! Sold Out!!'' in 1994, but also for promotion of the band's 1996 live compilation, '' From the Muddy Banks of the Wishkah''. Although it was actually a different version of the song that appeared on the ''From the Muddy Banks of the Wishkah'' album that was recorded at Del Mar Fairgrounds in Del Mar, California, on December 28, 1991. In 2002, an unsent letter to "Kevin & co" was published in Cobain's '' Journals'', which contained numerous requests for changes to an earlier cut of the film, none of which appear in the final version. Among Cobain's instructions were the inclusion of the song "Sifting," from the band's show at Rhino Records in

Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

on June 23, 1989, and "Molly's Lips," from their appearance at the 1991 Reading Festival on August 23, 1991.

Reception

'' Allmusic's'' Greg Prato wrote that the film showed "how great the trio could be on stage," and offered "great insight into the group, just as they were hitting it big." Charles Aaron of '' Spin'' wrote that it captured "the dizzying silliness of the times, as well as Nirvana's fractious magnetism." According to Noah Davis of ''

PopMatters ''PopMatters'' is an international online magazine of cultural criticism that covers aspects of popular culture. ''PopMatters'' publishes reviews, interviews, and essays on cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, ...

'', the film showed that despite the band's "position as world beaters," they were rarely serious, and "never played along" to the traditional rules of fame. Dan Martin of the ''

NME ''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming and culture website, bimonthly magazine, and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a "Rock music, rock inkie", the ''NME'' would be ...

'' wrote that it showed "Nirvana as they should have been experienced: a raw, visceral, devastatingly sexy way of life."

Chart performance

The original 1994 release of ''Live! Tonight! Sold Out!!'' peaked at number 6 on the ''Billboard'' Top Video Sales chart, and at number 1 on the ''Billboard'' Top Music Videos chart. In the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

, it peaked at number 2 on the UK Top Music Videos chart.

Track listing

#" Aneurysm" (In two parts: 1991.11.25 - Paradiso, Amsterdam, Holland, and 1993.01.23 - Hollywood Rock, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Incorrectly labeled 1993.01.16 São Paulo, Brazil on inlay) #" About a Girl" (1991.10.31 - Paramount Theatre, Seattle, Washington) #"Dive" (1993.01.23 - Hollywood Rock, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Incorrectly labeled 1993.01.16 - São Paulo, Brazil on inlay) #" Love Buzz" (In two parts: 1991.10.19 - Dallas, Texas / 1991.11.25 - Paradiso, Amsterdam, Holland) #"Breed" (1991.10.31 - Paramount Theatre, Seattle, Washington) #" Smells Like Teen Spirit" (1991.11.27 - UK TV show ''

'') #" Negative Creep" (1992.02.22 - Honolulu, Hawaii) #" Come as You Are" (1991.11.25 - Paradiso, Amsterdam, Holland) #"Territorial Pissings" (In two parts: 1991.12.06 - UK TV show '' Jonathan Ross'' / 1991.11.25 - Paradiso, Amsterdam, Holland) #" Something in the Way" (1992.02.14 - Osaka, Japan) #"

" (1992.08.30 - Reading Festival, England) #" Drain You" (1991.11.25 - Paradiso, Amsterdam, Holland) #" Polly" (1991.10.31 - Paramount Theatre, Seattle, Washington) #" Sliver" (1991.11.25 - Paradiso, Amsterdam, Holland) #" On a Plain" (1992.06.26 -

, Denmark) #"Endless, Nameless" (1991.10.31 - Paramount Theatre, Seattle, Washington) (Not listed on VHS release) *"Lounge Act" from '' Nevermind'' plays over the ending credits. *Numerous other fragments appear throughout the video, including pieces of the band's 1992 performance on ''

Saturday Night Live ''Saturday Night Live'' (''SNL'') is an American Late night television in the United States, late-night live television, live sketch comedy variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Michaels and Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC. The ...

''. An audio clip of the outro of a live performance of the song "

Rape Me "Rape Me" is a song by the American rock band Nirvana, written by vocalist and guitarist Kurt Cobain. It is the fourth song on the band's third and final studio album, '' In Utero'', released in September 1993. Often interpreted as a commenta ...

" that was recorded at the Seattle Center Coliseum on September 11, 1992, plays over a collage of other footage.Nirvana - ''Live! Tonight! Sold Out!!'' - Geffen and DGC: DGCV-39541: Ending credits.

DVD bonus tracks

The DVD features the same track listing as the VHS release, as well as footage from Nirvana's performance at the Paradiso Club in Amsterdam on November 25, 1991, featuring the songs: #"School" #" About a Girl" #"Been a Son" #" On a Plain" #" Blew" There is also a secret "easter egg" bonus feature at the end of the credits, a rehearsal of " On a Plain" from early 1991.

Charts

Weekly charts

1994 original VHS release

2006 DVD re-release

Year-end charts

Certifications

References

External links

*
Live! Tonight! Sold Out!! DVD Trailer
{{Authority control Nirvana (band) video albums 1994 live albums 1994 video albums Video albums published posthumously Films shot in Oregon Films shot in Washington (state) Nirvana (band) live albums