For about 20 years, I have been on a quest. The prize is either the video or audio recording from the last concert the band Jellyfish ever played. It was in November 1993 at the Broward County Fair in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. They were the opening band for Tears for Fears. They broke up right after that show, never to be heard from again.(Unless you followed solo projects, but I digress…)
I worked at a record store from 1989-1994, some of the most important years in rock/indie/alternative music. My paycheck was for gasoline to get to work, and concerts. We had a Ticketmaster terminal in the store-on sale dates were always chaotic and fun. Sometimes we printed tickets for ourselves first. But, I also camped out overnight to get tickets for the majority of the shows I went to. Remember camping out for shows? Great times.
I always worried back then if I would remember these shows in the future the way I experienced them. I can say now with 100% certainty that the experience is far more memorable LIVING IT rather than recording it. But it sure is nice that someone defied the rules and videotaped these shows. In this modern era, the cellphone has changed the way we experience a live show. It’s annoying as fuck. However, I confess I am guilty of whipping out my phone and recording a favorite song. Because, the visuals do trigger the memories.
And what a memory it triggers
The CROWN JEWEL of these shows, and the first to get the honor is Nirvana at the Bayfront Park Amphitheater in Miami. I went with my stoner friends, and their stoner friends. We were a pretty decent sized crew. We were there with our peers, experiencing this moment together-the misunderstood, the underappreciated, the wild and carefree. And on stage, our voice. It’s November 1993. Little did we know at the time, that in a few short months, Kurt Cobain would take his life.