With Kurt Cobain's suicide in 1994, Krist Novoselic and Dave Grohl could've shaped this material into a sappy tribute. On the contrary, as they state in the opening inter-title, "Though circumstances did not allow for the piece to be completed by those who forged its original vision, great care was taken to maintain the integrity and intent of the original edit." Consequently, viewers get a warts and all glimpse of Nirvana as they were, both in concert and off-stage. Live! isn't just a reminder that the Northwest trio was a great band, but that they knew how to have a good time, regardless as to the demons eating away at their frontman. This means Cobain performing in a negligee, clad in a garish gown for MTV's Headbanger's Ball, and stumbling through Aerosmith's "Sweet Emotion." Other numbers stem from Bleach and Nevermind, with locations ranging from Seattle to Rio de Janeiro (the five bonus selections are from Amsterdam). In most cases, songs incorporate footage from different shows. Highlights include "Dive," "Territorial Pissings," and an out-of-control "Love Buzz," during which Cobain is attacked by a bouncer--and fights back. The "lowlights" are a screechy version of "Come as You Are" and purposefully sluggish "Smells like Teen Spirit." By this point, the hit had became a burden and the threesome weren't about to pretend otherwise. As Grohl puts it, "For a lot of people, it's like the only Nirvana song, and that's upsetting." This long-awaited DVD reissue features color correction and digitally re-mastering.

Starring:

David Grohl, Jonathan Ross, Kurt Cobain

Genre:

Documentary, Music