Surviving Nirvana Members Reunite At All-Star Fundraiser

The surviving members of the last live configuration of Nirvana reunited Saturday night at a packed Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles as part of a special all-star fundraising gala for the Art of Elysium nonprofit, which works to incorporate art as an outlet for people and communities in need.

Just as in previous reunions, Dave Grohl, Krist Novoselic and Pat Smear (a touring guitarist from '93 - '94) burned through a short set of grunge classics with the help of a few notable vocalists standing in for the late-Kurt Cobain.

The occasion was the first time Grohl, Novoselic and Smear have performed together since October of 2018, when the trio rocked some Nirvana tunes in the middle of a Foo Fighters show.

This past Saturday's performance opened with St. Vincent on lead vocals for "Lithium," a song she also performed with the band at its 2014 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction.

Beck was up next to sing "In Bloom" and St. Vincent remained onstage to provide background vocals.

Beck then introduced "Been a Son," a song that he recalled Nirvana playing during a Palladium show 30 years ago.

Novoselic took the mic at one point, asking for "A cheer for Kurt Cobain," before adding that Grohl, Smear and himself "couldn't resist the temptation" of performing together again.

Grohl took the mic briefly to introduce his 13-year-old daughter Violet, who sang "Heart-Shaped Box."

The group wrapped its portion of the show with a cover of David Bowie's "The Man Who Sold the World," a song included in Nirvana's MTV Unplugged in New York set.

Other performers included Cheap Trick, L7 and Marilyn Manson.

Speaking to Rolling Stone, Manson lamented never getting to meet Cobain but explained that the rest of the band, Grohl, Novoselic and Smear, have always been kind and friendly.

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