Remember When: Kurt Cobain’s Stage Dive at Reading Festival

Kurt Cobain was a true punk rocker, and his stage antics often reflected that. From hitting a security guard in the face with his guitar to intentionally butchering a coveted television performance, he was often one to make a scene when handed the spotlight. One particularly memorable event occurred when he stage dove at the Reading Festival in 1991.

The UK festival season is a big deal, and Reading is one of the biggest names in that circuit. Nirvana’s most iconic Reading appearance occurred in 1992 when they headlined the final night, hot on the heels of the release of Nevermind. The surprising smash hit was making waves internationally, but the members of Nirvana didn’t seem concerned with conforming to mainstream niceties. Their appearance at that festival coincided with rumors of the band’s breakup. Fans believed that interpersonal tension and heroin addiction were going to derail the show, so many were surprised when they even showed up to perform.

Cobain’s attitude that night was especially feisty. Poking fun at his addiction, he appeared on stage in a wheelchair and pretended to collapse in front of the microphone before launching into a particularly distorted take on the song “Breed.” While they only had two records out, they stretched their set to almost 90 minutes. Over the course of the concert, they performed the majority of Bleach and Nevermind. They teased new material from their upcoming album, In Utero, as well, including a rough take of the now-classic single “All Apologies.” A recording of the performance circulated as a cult-favorite bootleg for years. It was officially issued as an album and DVD by Geffen Records in 2009.

Nirvana also appeared at Reading 12 months prior, in 1991. They were on tour with American noise rockers Sonic Youth at the time and played on the same day as oddball legends, including Dinosaur Jr. and Iggy Pop. Nirvana took the stage early in the day, before a mostly-empty field. But Cobain—riled up as ever—didn’t sleep on the opportunity to provoke what crowd he had. During “Love Buzz,” he jumped off stage during the solo and crowd-surfed with his guitar. He briefly rested atop the hands of amused fans, his notes dissolving into dissonance. He finished the song jamming in front of the stage, as a dancer thrashed about between his bandmates.

Cobain ended Nirvana’s 45-minute set that day by throwing himself into drummer Dave Grohl’s kit during the closer “Endless, Nameless.” Cobain walked away from the show with a dislocated shoulder. It was rumored that his erratic behavior at the 1991 Reading Festival stemmed from the ingestion of a potent cough syrup.

Nirvana dissolved in 1994 after Cobain took his own life. Stories like the ones from Reading are somewhat concerning in retrospect. However, they solidify the true scrappiness of Cobain’s rough-and-tumble persona. His edgy legacy outlives him.

Photo by Michel Linssen/Redferns