December 7, 1985.
Rory was already on the kit, tapping lightly on the snare, not even full hits—just ghost notes, warming up his wrists.
Kurt sat on the floor with his guitar unplugged, messing with a chord progression, half-focused, half somewhere else. Krist leaned against the wall, bass hanging off him, watching both of them.
"So… same set?" Krist asked, breaking the quiet.
Kurt shook his head. "Nah. Not for this place."
Rory didn't stop tapping. "Yeah, this crowd's different."
Krist raised an eyebrow. "Different how?"
Rory shrugged slightly, still playing. "They're not gonna just stand there. They'll mess with you if you're boring."
Kurt smirked. "Good. Let 'em."
There was a pause.
Kurt looked up. "We open fast. No buildup. Just hit them."
"Downer?" Krist asked.
"Yeah," Kurt nodded.
Rory added, "Then don't stop after. Keep it tight. No talking."
Krist started listing it out. "Okay… Downer, Bambi Slaughter, Spank Thru…"
Kurt chimed in, "Then Anorexorcist. Make them sit in it."
Rory smirked. "Yeah… stretch 'em out, then punch again."
"Bleach Baby after that," Kurt said. "Then Rehearsal #1."
Krist nodded. "Then the heavier stuff?"
"Paper Cuts," Rory said immediately.
Kurt looked at him and nodded. "Yeah… then Floyd."
Krist grinned. "That's gonna freak them out."
Kurt shrugged. "Good."
Rory finally stopped tapping and looked at both of them.
"And Love Buzz last. Encore."
Kurt smiled a little. "Yeah… that one sticks."
Krist clapped once. "Alright. That's it."
He looked around.
"Man… this might get weird tonight."
Rory just spun his stick between his fingers.
Yeah, he thought. That's the point.
//Evening.
The place already felt off before they even stepped on stage.
Not in a bad way—just… unpredictable.
People weren't standing neatly. Some were sitting on the floor, some writing on walls, some arguing about art like it mattered more than the music.
A guy in the corner was taping Polaroids to a wall. Another group was laughing at something nobody else understood.
Kurt looked at Rory. "You were right."
Rory shrugged. "Just play."
Krist adjusted his bass. "And don't stop."
//
Stage Entry.
Kurt walked up first, plugged in, no buildup.
He leaned into the mic.
"Uh… we're Nirvana."
No cheer yet—just curiosity.
He glanced back once.
"Downer."
Rory counted in—quick, tight.
Then boom.
They hit hard.
No easing into it. Just straight impact.
The crowd didn't react immediately—more like they got hit by it first.
Then movement started.
A few heads nodded.
Someone yelled something unintelligible.
Kurt's voice came out sharp, annoyed, exactly right.
Krist stayed glued to the groove, heavy and simple.
Rory drove it forward—not flashy, just powerful. Every snare hit cracked through the room.
Keep it tight, Rory thought. Don't let it drag.
By the time the chorus hit, people were pushing forward.
Not a full pit—but close.
One guy started jumping.
Another slammed into him.
Now it was starting.
Song ends—cut.
No pause.
Bambi Slaughter!
Rory hit the count instantly.
They rolled straight into it.
This time the crowd reacted faster.
Noise, shouting, someone laughing like they didn't expect it to get heavier.
Kurt leaned into the weirdness of the song—voice loose, almost sarcastic.
Krist's bass stayed thick, almost dragging the room with it.
Rory pushed harder this time—bigger hits, more presence.
They're waking up now.
Near the front, two guys started shoving each other—not angry, just energy spilling over.
Someone knocked into a wall with taped photos.
Nobody cared.
Song ends—feedback barely settles—
The opening strum rang out. It was Spank Thru!
Different vibe.
Looser.
The crowd didn't calm down—they leaned in instead.
Kurt's voice started softer, almost mocking the calmness of the intro.
Then when it kicked in—
The room shifted again.
Now it was messy.
People shouting random things.
Someone dancing in a way that didn't match the music at all.
Rory locked into a steady, pounding rhythm.
Don't chase them. Let them come to you.
Krist's bass held it together like glue.
As Kurt's vocals got more unhinged, the crowd followed.
By the chaotic ending, it felt like everything might fall apart—
Then it just cut.
//
Anorexorcist.
No intro talking.
Just noise.
Long, dragging, heavy.
The crowd didn't explode this time.
They… absorbed it.
Some sat down.
Some stared.
Some kept moving, slower now, like they were stuck in it.
Kurt leaned into the repetition.
Krist stayed locked.
Rory stretched the tempo just enough to make it feel heavier.
Let it breathe. Let them get uncomfortable.
A guy near the wall started drawing something mid-song.
Another just stood still, eyes closed.
It wasn't chaos anymore.
It was… tension.
When it finally ended, the silence hit for a second—
Then noise again.
Bleach Baby.
Kurt didn't announce it.
Just started playing.
Raw riff. Catchy but dirty.
Rory came in with a punchy beat—more bounce this time.
Krist followed tight.
Kurt sang:
"Hey now, don't you lie to me
Cheap smile, plastic teeth
Light it up, watch it bleed
You don't know what you need…"
The crowd reacted quick.
This one stuck easier.
Heads bobbing again.
Someone started clapping off-time.
Didn't matter.
Rory pushed the groove harder.
Yeah… this one's gonna grow.
Song ended strong.
Then… Rehearsal #1.
Loose, messy.
Kurt almost grinning during parts.
Krist swaying more.
Rory keeping it grounded.
The crowd didn't try to "get" it—they just went with it.
Which somehow made it work better.
After a few pauses, they played Paper Cuts.
The mood shifted again.
Heavy. Slow. Dark.
The crowd quieted—somewhat.
Not calm—but focused.
Kurt's voice got colder.
Krist's bass felt like weight pressing down.
Rory hit slower, harder.
Make every hit count.
A girl near the front stopped moving entirely.
Just watching.
By the screams in the chorus, the tension snapped.
People moved again—but rougher now.
Next was Floyd The Barber.
Short. Brutal.
Kurt leaned into the creepiness.
Krist kept it steady.
Rory hit like a hammer.
No wasted motion.
The crowd didn't even process it fully before it ended.
Kurt then announced the last song, which was called Love Buzz.
They walked off.
Crowd noise didn't die.
It grew.
Someone yelled, "PLAY AGAIN!"
Another: "LOVE BUZZ!"
Kurt looked at Rory and Krist.
Small nods.
Back on.
Krist started the bassline.
Instant reaction.
People recognized it—even if they didn't know why yet.
Rory joined in—groovy, heavy.
Kurt layered the guitar, then vocals.
Now the room was moving together.
Not chaotic—locked in.
This is it, Rory thought. This is the one that sticks.
By the final chorus, the crowd was yelling along—even without knowing the words.
When it ended, the noise didn't stop.
//Backstage.
Kurt sat down, breathing hard.
Krist laughed. "Dude… what the hell was that crowd?"
Rory smiled slightly. "Perfect crowd."
Kurt nodded slowly.
"Yeah… I think so too."
Rory leaned back, twirling a stick.
This is working, he thought.
Faster than it should… but yeah.
And for the first time that night—
Kurt looked completely sure.