| Sound: |    9.5 |
| Setlist: | 6 |
| Enthusiasm: | 5 |
| Banter: | 6 |
| History: | 7 |
OVERALL: |
   67% |
02/25/94 - Palatrussardi, Milano, IT [Milan]
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| Sound: | 9.5 |
| Setlist: | 6 |
| Enthusiasm: | 5 |
| Banter: | 6 |
| History: | 7 |
OVERALL: |
67% |
The 2nd Milan concert was to be the band's final concert in Italy. As with the Spanish shows the events backstage once again overshadowed events on it. Cross (2001) says that by this point there was a change in Kurt "he no longer just seemed depressed - there was a defeatism about him." According to Cross on this day Kurt approached Krist and told him that he wanted to cancel the tour. Krist feels that Kurt had personal problems that were troubling him. He states that "there was some kind of situation" but he did not get the particulars as Cross (2001) notes, Kurt and Krist by that time were not close. Krist believes that Kurt didn't cancel the tour owing to the Slovenia date that was to come next although Krist believes that Kurt's mind was already "made up" and he no longer wanted to tour.
Cross's account of the backstage events of this show appear to shed a great deal of light on the band's recent lacklustre performances. Although Cross (2001) does not mention it in specific it is clear the situation referred to may be difficulties in the Cobains' marriage, which led to Kurt's suicide attempt in Rome.
Hopes therefore should not perhaps be high for this performance given the events surrounding it and so more of less it would prove. As with the previous night's performance it is obvious from the first few songs that the band's heart is not in it and is simply content to cruise through the concert. This is perhaps best illustrated by Kurt's decision to sit on a chair with his legs crossed during the solo to Sappy.
Having said this, the performance does have its plus points the addition of Frances Farmer and Sappy to the set add a lot and there are a few admittedly surreal comments that enliven the performance once again these are from Krist.
Krist (before Serve The Servants): I play a xylophone solo wearing nothing but
bowling shoes, orthopaedic bowling shoes.
Krist (before School): Gotta serve somebody, it may be the devil or it may be the lord
but you gotta serve somebody
Once again though it is clear that Kurt is struggling with his voice, which has now become very strained and Kurt appears to be struggling to reach relatively easy notes and is a far cry from the melodic beauty that it reached on previous occasions.
The Verdict
Nirvana rarely played truly bad gigs, the South American concerts come to mind but even they at least had memorable moments, rare songs or amusing dialogue from the band these shows though had neither. Nirvana's bad gigs are not truly when the band is performing the songs poorly, it is when they are performing averagely, perfunctory and without passion and both the concerts in Milan are an apt illustration of this. While this performance may be a slight improvement on the night before, the improvement is only slight and imperceptible.
Review written by Matt Seward 2002