This poster has legendary stories behind it and features multiple well-loved bands. It is very possible that had the poster been in better condition, it would have sold for even more.
Nirvana poster plus#
However, even with these signs of wear and tear, the poster remains in what is considered to be “Very Good Plus Condition”. These factors usually count against the value of a poster. It contains pinholes and a fold mark down the center. Additionally, this poster is not even in mint condition.
But, that is something that is clearly changing. Posters from this era in general often do not yet go for high dollar amounts at auction. Generally, the band’s posters sell for around $5,000 on the higher end and less than $1,000 on the lower end. It’s rare that a Nirvana poster sells for even close to this amount. This particular poster sold for a whopping $9,375. Even so, was essentially a hometown show for the band. Though the band is generally thought of as being from Seattle, they actually came from Aberdeen, Washington, just a few hours outside of Seattle. Nirvana is credited with pioneering the “grunge” genre, which is often referred to as the “Seattle sound”. It’s also worth noting that it is of significance that the show took place in Seattle, Washington. Clearly, she’d been referring to the deodorant brand of the same name. Cobain got the idea for the title when Hanna wrote “Kurt smells like teen spirit” on his wall. Interestingly enough, the title for the song can be traced back to Bikini Kill’s frontwoman Kathleen Hanna. The song had incomplete lyrics at the time, so frontman Kurt Cobain sang gibberish for the unwritten sections. This was the lead single from Nirvana’s second album “Nevermind”. This particular show happened to be one where Nirvana debuted what is arguable their most famous track, “Smells Like Teen Spirit”. The bill also featured Riot Grrrl legends Bikini Kill and punk band Fitz of Depression (misspelled on this poster), but the stacked bill is not the only exciting thing about this concert. The show this poster advertised took place on April 17, 1991, in Seattle.