Nirvana Tribute UK @ Lion Arts Factory, Adelaide 10/8/2023
Nirvana Tribute UK kicked off their Australian tour in Adelaide to a small but enthusiastic legion of fans that wanted their Nirvana fix. This tour very much centred around the thirtieth celebrations of classic album In Utero playing a health selection of songs from it that would appease the staunchest of Nirvana fans. Tribute shows can be polarising and to be honest I’ve never really been crazy about such shows but occasionally a good one comes along and Nirvana Tribute UK fits that description.
Nirvana for a lot of us was a big part of growing up in the 90s and hearing these songs definitely did take me back to those times and I could almost recall moments or where I was when I heard these songs for the first time. At the time there was nothing like them and even now I still play their music sharing that magic with my children. My biggest regret will always be not seeing them play at their infamous gig at Thebarton Theatre in 1992. Nirvana Tribute UK is the closest thing going around that evens comes remotely close to matching it to Nirvana. So for me it was about hearing these songs that had been so influential. Is it worth checking out? Absolutely!
Nirvana Tribute UK are well drilled and gig hardened and put their heart and soul in to honouring the legacy of this great band. Front man Jon O’Connor is a dead ringer for Kurt Cobain and seems like a role he was destined to play. Coming out of the blocks with a rampaging start in Radio Unit Friendly Shifter followed by popular tunes Drain You and Breed. Even O’Connor acknowledged that there are too many great songs on In Utero including b-sides as well.
Those great songs kept coming with Come As You Are, Serve The Servants, About A Girl and Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge On Seattle. It would be quite easy to rattle off the set list as they covered all corners of Nirvana’s back catalogue that extended to You Know You’re Right, In Bloom, Rape Me, Lounge Act and Dumb. Highlights for me include Man Who Sold The World, Pennyroyal Tea, Aneurysm and Lithium finishing off the set in a big way with Negative Creep, All Apologies and Heart Shaped Box. Returning for an encore which sent the faithful in to hyper drive with Smells Like Teen Spirit and Territorial Pissings. A solid night out and it was great to walk away having had my fix of Nirvana.
Live Review By Rob Lyon