When Seattle-based grunge band, Nirvana rose to prominence in the late 80′s to early 90′s, lead by fearless but troubled  frontman Kurt Cobain, a musical revolution seemed to be on the horizon. With “Smells Like Teen Spirit” becoming the battle cry of Generation X, their sound nuanced what Rock and Roll had been, or presumed to be in years previous, with what it would undoubtably become. However, the band was dealt a dismantling blow, when a year after the commercial success following their third and ultimately final studio album In Utero, Cobain committed suicide.

Exactly twenty years and two days following Kurt’s untimely death in 1994, Nirvana reunited for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame last night at the Barclay Center in Brooklyn. This would be the first time that the remaining members performed the band’s original songs together since their last concert in 1994 in Munich, Germany.

With vocal assistance from the legendary Joan Jett, New Zealand teen sensation Lorde, Kim Gordon of the now defunct alt rock band Sonic Youth and multi-instrumentalist St. Vincent, David Grohl and Krist Novoselic — the remaining members of Nirvana — performed four of their most notable records. Each female rocker tuned into their inner Cobain giving a thrilling performance, commemorating the illustrious band –St. Vincent crooned “Lithium”, Jett riled the crowd with her rendition of “Smells Like Teen Spirit”, Gordon rocked out “Aneurysm” and Lorde ended the set with “All Apologies” from the band’s final album.

The night while celebratory proved to additionally be a night of reconciliation, when Cobain’s widow Courtney Love and Grohl embraced on stage with Love proclaiming “This is my family I’m looking at right now.” Grohl and Novoselic feuded with Love in and out of court  for over a decade following Cobain’s death over the rights to Nirvana’s music and the fallen rocker’s estate. Courtney said, ”I just wish Kurt could have been here. Tonight he would have really appreciated it.”

-Khari Clarke (@KINGCLARKEIII)