NIRVANA – CABARET METRO: CHICAGO 1989 (CD + DVD-R)

Description

Cabaret Metro, Chicago, IL, USA 30th September 1989

　Another shocking master has been unearthed from the collection of the renowned “Adam Jacobs”! An emergency release has been decided on a pressed CD that permanently preserves the sound that surpasses even the previous work, ‘CLUB DREAMERZ, CHICAGO 1989 (Zodiac 855)’!!

　This album captures the “September 30, 1989 Chicago performance.” Although it’s in Chicago, it’s a superb audience recording taken at a different venue than the previous album, “Cabaret Metro.” Not only is the venue different, but the band members are also different from the previous album. To understand the situation, let’s first take a look at the band’s activities at the time.

・January 6th + 21st: Portland (2 shows)
《January 24th ‘BLEACH’ completed》
《Jason Everman joins》
・February 5th – 26th: North America #1 (5 shows)
・April 1st – 26th: North America #2 (4 shows)
・May 26th – July 18th: North America #3 (24 shows) ←※CLUB DREAMERZ
《Jason Everman fired》
・August 26th – October 14th: North America #4 (16 shows) ←★HERE★
・October 23rd – December 3rd: Europe (37 shows) ←※VIENNA 1989 etc.

[Superb sound quality that surpasses the previous work, complete soundboard level]
　This is NIRVANA in 1989. While the previous work ‘CLUB DREAMERZ’ was “North America #3” when Jason Everman was still a member, this work is after his dismissal. This concert marks the seventh show of “North America #4,” which saw the band return to its trio configuration of Kurt Cobain, Krist Novoselic, and Chad Channing. In other words, while both this album and the previous one were recorded in Chicago in 1989, they capture two completely different versions of Nirvana: one with a four-piece lineup and the other with a three-piece lineup.

　This recording of such a show is also a new discovery from the collection of Adam Jacobs. Jacobs has been based in Chicago since 1984 and has been continuously recording live performances, with his vast archive exceeding 10,000 tapes. Concerned about the deterioration of the tapes, he decided to donate them to the Internet Archive, and the digitization process is still underway. The previous release, “CLUB DREAMERZ,” shocked Nirvana fans and became synonymous with this collection, but this release is a new original master created from Jacobs’ cassette tapes. Although the recording itself was known before, this is the first time the original master has been released.

　And the sound that emerged from that original master is on a level that’s almost unbelievable. I also described the previous work, “CLUB DREAMERZ,” as having “an extremely thick sound that surpasses soundboard recordings,” but to be honest, while that one was powerful, it still retained some of the characteristics of an audience recording in terms of tone, and there were parts that were over-peaked. However, this work is on a different level. It sounds like nothing less than a top-notch soundboard recording.

　Each note played by the three musicians is clearly defined and stands out, with excellent separation. Moreover, it’s beautiful. There is absolutely no rattle or distortion, even the slightest nuance, the edges are vivid, and the sound is lustrous. As a result, the violent wall-like feeling of the previous work is less pronounced, and the unique sound image should be described as “powerful roar.” The musical perfection is even more prominent than the violence. This is truly a superb sound that could be officially released as is, not just a soundboard recording. I felt it was quite impressive in the previous work, but I never expected it to be this good… This work may be the true value of Mr. Jacobs’ collection.

[A full show from the BLEACH era with rare tracks different from the previous work]
　What is depicted with this official-quality sound is NIRVANA’s scorching stage, returning to the trio from ‘BLEACH’. Let’s compare it with the previous work, ‘CLUB DREAMERZ, CHICAGO 1989’.

● BLEACH (7 songs)
– School / Scoff / Love Buzz / Floyd The Barber / About A Girl / Negative Creep / Blew
● Others (6 songs)
– Dive / Polly / Big Cheese (*) / Spank Thru / Token Eastern Song (★*) / Stain (★)
*Note: “★” indicates songs that were not played on the previous album, ‘CLUB DREAMERZ, CHICAGO 1989’. “*” indicates songs that have not been played since the release of ‘NEVERMIND’.

…And so it goes. About three months have passed since the previous album. The main focus is still on songs from ‘BLEACH’, but the lineup has subtly changed. “Mr. Moustache” and “Paper Cuts” that were on the previous album have been dropped, and in their place are the new songs “Stain” and “Token Eastern Song” which were introduced after “North America #4”. “Token Eastern Song” in particular is a rare song that has not been played since ‘NEVERMIND’, making it a great song to hear from this period. Comparing it to the previous album reveals a raw document of Nirvana in 1989, a period of just three months during which their setlist was constantly evolving.

　If the previous release, “CLUB DREAMERZ,” was the first to introduce the “Jacobs Collection” to the world, this release is the second impact that proves its true value. With the original master unleashed for the first time in perfect soundboard quality, this release permanently preserves the scorching full show in its original trio form. This pressed CD allows you to experience NIRVANA in 1989 in a three-dimensional way, including comparing it with the previous release. Please enjoy it to the fullest.

★A superb audience recording of the Chicago performance on September 30, 1989. With the original master newly unearthed from the “Jacobs Collection,” the superb sound quality surpasses the previous release, “CLUB DREAMERZ,” and is at the level of a perfect soundboard. This pressed CD permanently preserves a valuable full show from the “BLEACH” era.

(46:49)
01 Intro
02 School
03 Scoff
04 Love Buzz
05 Floyd The Barber
06 Dive
07 Polly
08 Big Cheese
09 Spank Thru
10 Token Eastern Song
11 About A Girl
12 Stain
13 Negative Creep
14 Blew

Kurt Cobain – Guitar, Vocals
Krist Novoselic – Bass
Chad Channing – Drums

★The press CD “CABARET METRO, CHICAGO 1989,” which made the impact of the “Jacobs Collection” known to the world. The first limited edition with a numbered sticker comes with a special bonus: audience footage of the same show, “CABARET METRO, CHICAGO 1989 The Video.”

NIRVANA – CABARET METRO, CHICAGO 1989 The Video (Bonus DVDR)
Metro, Chicago, IL, USA 30 September 1989

　The main pressed CD is a stunning live album with complete soundboard quality that proves the true value of the “Jacobs Collection.” It is a masterpiece that normally does not need any bonuses, but there is a masterpiece video that allows you to witness the same show in person. Therefore, in order to give you a glimpse of what’s “on the other side” of the main pressed CD, we have decided to include a special bonus.

　This release contains the same breathtaking audience shots from the Chicago concert on September 30, 1989, as the main press CD. It’s a mid-range shot taken from above in the second-floor seats, and it’s about 30 minutes of live footage.

[Vivid visual beauty captured from the front row of the second floor]
　And the footage is amazing. Whether it was the front row of the second floor or not, there are no shadows of people in front of you, and the view is completely occupied by the stage. The excitement of the first floor floor sinks far below the camera’s feet, and there is nothing between the stage and the lens. It is a unique angle, as if you are looking down from a prime seat floating in the air.

　Moreover, the photographer boldly makes extensive use of zoom, to the point where, at its deepest zoom, Kurt’s upper body extends beyond the frame. Wide shots provide an overview of the entire stage’s movement, while close-ups allow us to capture even the details of the members’ expressions and fingertips. This skillful use of mid-range shots gives the video a unique rhythm and makes it truly captivating.

　The master’s clarity is also noteworthy. While there’s an undeniable analog feel with a slight tracking noise at the beginning, the vivid colors are still striking even to today’s digitally-dominated eyes. You can clearly see the checkered pattern on Kurt’s shirt illuminated by the stage lights, down to each individual check. The freshness is unbelievable for an analog video from 1989, making it seem as if it’s not over 35 years old.

[A chaotic documentary where thick sound and violent visuals come together]
　The audio is also top-notch (though slightly less so than the main press CD). The thick recording, which at first glance could be mistaken for a soundboard recording, is synchronized with the visuals, allowing you to experience the intensity of this show through both sound and video. While there are nuances that differ from the complete soundboard-level sound of the main press CD, the thickness of the core and the clarity of the performance are similar. The recording, which could stand on its own, is amplified in destructive power when combined with the visuals.

　And what’s truly overwhelming is the close-up of Kurt, raging as if intoxicated. His howling, almost biting the microphone, is terrifying, and in between songs he rolls around in perfect sync with the brutal grunge. He swings his guitar around, wrestles with the floor, and then starts playing again as if nothing happened. Every single one of his actions eloquently speaks to the reality of Nirvana in 1989, something that cannot be conveyed by sound alone.

　The live album alone was intense, but the addition of visuals from “the other side” allows for an intuitive understanding of the chaotic reality. The performance, which I had been listening to with superb sound quality comparable to a perfect soundboard recording, was so violent and so beautiful… It’s a tremendous musical document that makes you question whether the scene before your eyes was truly real.

　Although it’s merely a bonus title, this film itself is a cinematic masterpiece worthy of being called a cultural heritage. Please enjoy it to the fullest, along with the main feature’s press CD!

1. School
2. Scoff
3. Love Buzz
4. Floyd The Barber
5. Dive
6. Polly
7. Big Cheese
8. Spank Thru
9. About A Girl