| Sound: |    10 |
| Setlist: | 5 |
| Enthusiasm: | 8 |
| Banter: | 4 |
| History: | 7 |
OVERALL: |
   68% |
02/04/94 - Canal+ (Nulle Part Ailleurs), Paris, FR
<< Previous | Set | Rec | Next >>
| Sound: | 10 |
| Setlist: | 5 |
| Enthusiasm: | 8 |
| Banter: | 4 |
| History: | 7 |
OVERALL: |
68% |
The band arrived in France on the third of February, a day before their first show. Accompanying the band on the tour were Krist's wife Shelli and Dave's wife Jennifer, Courtney was not present and Kurt, was apparently missing her immensely. According to Melora Creager the cellist for the tour, who contributed to Carrie Borzillo's excellent Eyewitness Nirvana Biography, Courtney was "constantly about to come. Her arrival was always impending, but she never came."
Nirvana's first appearance of the tour was on a live French Lunchtime TV Show Nulle Part Ailleurs. Cross (2001) reveals that Kurt had some reservations about this choice of show. Kurt decided to purchase black pinstripe suits "Knack suits" as Kurt called them to save face, the effect according to Cross is that of a "comedy skit." Cellist Melora Creager was present at the taping, mainly, she notes as "they'd never know what song they were going to do, so I never knew if I was going to play or not."
The first 2 songs the band performs; Rape Me and Pennyroyal Tea are competent but uneventful. After their completion Nirvana take their bows and place their guitars down and it appears that they have finished. The crowd though have different ideas and begin to clap enthusiastically and demand an encore. The host asks the band to play on, the band complies with the request and launch into a powerful rendition of Drain You.
Watching Kurt as the song progresses it is clear that he is having guitar problems. He is seen strumming the guitar furiously but appearing to get no sound out of it. Out of frustration Kurt then removes the guitar, and holding it by its neck drops it disdainfully on the floor. Kurt now has nothing left to do but to take out his anger by screaming with the full force of his considerable lungs into the microphone uninhibited by any guitar playing duties, a wonderful climax.
The Verdict
The band produce a strong, commendable performance that bodes well for later in the tour. Memorable, if only for Kurt's reaction to his guitar problems, it was a promising start to what would prove to be a difficult tour.
Review written by Matt Seward 2002