BY GILLIAN G. GAAR

There are numerous Nirvana tribute bands in existence, but, oddly enough, there isn't one in the place you'd most expect: Seattle. So it was Chicago-based act Nevermind (www.nirvanatributeband.net) that gave Seattlites their first taste of the full-on tribute band experience, costumes and all, in a show that was not only held on the 15^th anniversary of Kurt Cobain's public wake (April 10, 1994, at the Seattle Center), but also served as a fundraiser for Aberdeen's Kurt Cobain Memorial Committee (www.kurtcobainmemorial.org).

Nevermind wasn't always a tribute act; led by J. Veldman on guitar, the band was previously known as Plasma, who specialized in "metal punk...riffy, heavy rock," according to Veldman. But a Halloween set in 2005, in which the band dressed as Nirvana, proved a big success, and with a name change the group made the move into fulltime Nirvana-dom. The current lineup is a true brotherhood, with J. bringing in brothers Alex on bass and Sam on drums.

The crowd didn't seem to be made up of aging Nirvana fans, but a younger audience who never got the chance to see the real Nirvana in action (indeed, J. is the only Nevermind member who saw the group live), and as an all-ages shows, there were a number of kids in attendance. First up was the metal punk riffy heavy rock of High Class Wreckage (www.myspace.com/highclasswreckage). Then a raffle in between sets raised more funds for the memorial committee, with prizes including a guitar autographed by Cobain's grandfather, a tour of Aberdeen sites, and autographed copies of my own Nirvana books (In Utero, in Continuum's 33 1/3^rd series, and the upcoming The Rough Guide To Nirvana).

Finally, Nevermind came on, J. clad in the hospital gown get up Cobain wore during Nirvana's gig at the Reading Festival in 1992, and with two makeshift In Utero-esque mannequins on the stage providing further atmosphere. Kicking off with "Aneurysm," which the real Nirvana also began their sets with, it was clear from the get go that Nevermind has the band's sound down; J. has Cobain's trademark rasp, and Sam is a powerhouse drummer. Alex also matches the loopy bopping around Krist Novoselic was prone to do (J. could move around a bit more in this regard). And the crowd responded in kind, creating fervent little mosh pits in front of the stage during rousing songs like "Lithium," though the bouncers were quick to curtail any stage diving.

As for what songs the band did, it'd be easier to list the songs they didn't do. There were plenty of songs from all the band's albums, even Unplugged, thanks to a guest cellist for numbers like "Jesus Doesn't Want Me For A Sunbeam." And for every hit like "In Bloom" and "Heart Shaped Box," there were lesser known tracks like "Spank Thru," "Swap Meet" and "Moist Vagina." Nevermind even unearthed rarities, like "Talk To Me," which Nirvana only played live and never recorded, "Do Re Mi," a Cobain solo demo that appeared on the With The Lights Out box set, and "Seasons in the Sun," with the band swapping instruments as the real Nirvana did in the film clip of the song seen on WTLO's DVD. They even performed the last song Nirvana ever did, "You Know You're Right," recorded in 1994 and not released until 2002 on the Nirvana compilation. There was also a spate of instrument destruction, with J. smashing a guitar on stage during the closer, "Endless Nameless."

Still, a two-plus hours set might be more than Nirvana ever played, but did start to feel a bit long, and the crowd had noticeably thinned by the show's end. Even worse for those poor souls who shouted for an encore, there was no "Smells Like Teen Spirit." But no one can say they didn't get their money's worth. Nevermind is recommended for anyone that wants to get a good healthy dose of ‘90s nostalgia (the band currently has dates scheduled through July, including a gig in Puerto Rico). Get out your flannel!

(All pictures by Gillian G. Gaar)