In 2014, when Nirvana was being inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, surviving members Dave Grohl, Krist Novoselic and Pat Smear reunited onstage to perform a raucous selection of the culture-shifting grunge band’s beloved songs. With Kurt Cobain gone, lead vocals fell to an assortment of guest singers – St. Vincent, Joan Jett, Kim Gordon and Lorde. Dubbed “Hervana,” the musical collective delivered what turned out to be one of the most legendary Rock Hall performances of all time.
On Thursday (Jan. 30) night, Hervana rode again. During the FireAid LA Benefit Concert – which is raising money to rebuild communities and assist people affected by the devastating Los Angeles wildfires – Nirvana once again reunited with three of the aforementioned four vocalists.
The unannounced performance at the Kia Forum ripped open with St. Vincent snarling through the bratty, punky Nevermind classic “Breed,” absolutely ripping it up on her guitar alongside Smear while Grohl pounded on the drums. After that, Kim Gordon – a friend of the band’s during Cobain’s lifetime – shuffled on stage to growl through an uncompromising “School” from the band’s debut album Bleach. After the former Sonic Youth member’s appearance, Joan Jett took the stage to thunderous applause, singing Nevermind’s “Territorial Pissings” while a sweaty Grohl banged away in the background. (She missed a couple of lyrics, but who cares? If you’re expecting perfection from a Nirvana cover, you’re missing the point.)
Then came what was perhaps the biggest surprise: Violet Grohl, Dave’s 18-year-old daughter, singing lead vocals on Nirvana’s In Utero highlight “All Apologies.” Her vocals were strong and well-suited for the song, and while the magnitude of the Kia Forum’s crowd wasn’t lost on her, she was remarkably comfortable in front of the massive crowd.
Aside from demonstrating promising musical chops, that performance (not to mention the song title) was noteworthy for another reason. Just last fall, Dave Grohl announced that he had fathered a child outside of his marriage and he would do his best to be a father to that baby while simultaneously working to repair his marriage. “I love my wife and my children, and I am doing everything I can to regain their trust and earn their forgiveness,” he wrote on Instagram back in September. This performance with Violet Grohl marks his first high-profile public appearance since then.
