Watch: This Footage of Nirvana Playing an Early Version of ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ Live for the First Time is Insane

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Kurt Cobain Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic, Inc (via Getty Images)
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Could you imagine being in the audience and hearing Nirvana play “Smells Like Teen Spirit” for the first time? How absolutely surreal would that have been to experience one of pop culture’s biggest songs make its live debut?

If that is a rush you wish you could have lived, we have found a video that may help scratch that itch.

Over on YouTube, a video was uploaded that features Nirvana performing “Smells Like Teen Spirt” for the first time live.

Per the details provided with the video, this performance took place on April 17th, 1991 in Seattle, WA.

Per the fan-captured footage, Nirvana is playing in a dark room that is packed with people.

Kurt Cobain is rocking out at the microphone belting out lyrics, Krist Novoselic is going hard with his bass performance, and Dave Grohl is slamming away at the drum set. Each member is giving it 100%, providing an absolutely exhilarating performance for the audience.

It is wild to have footage like this – to have a glimpse into the past and to see the first time that this amazing song was played live for folks. Did you happen to see Nirvana on tour when they were just starting to play this song?

You can check out this awesome fan-captured footage featuring the live debut of Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” below.

Speaking of the immensely popular Nirvana song, did you know that there was a slight chance that it almost involved different lyrics? Recently, while chatting with Rob Harvilla of the 60 Songs That Explains the ’90s podcast, Courtney Love revealed lyrics the late Kurt Cobain wrote for “Smells Like Teen Spirit” that didn’t make it into the final version of the Nirvana song. To find out what those alternative lyrics for “Smells Like Teen Spirit” could have been, follow this link here.

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