Nirvana Reunite at FireAid With St. Vincent, Kim Gordon, Joan Jett and Violet Grohl

Krist, Dave and Pat Bring Nirvana to FireAid

On Thursday night, January 30, 2025, Krist Novoselic picked up his bass for a good cause. At FireAid, the benefit concert held in Los Angeles to help people hit by the California wildfires, Krist joined Dave Grohl and longtime Nirvana guitarist Pat Smear for a short set of Nirvana songs. (Pitchfork)

Four songs, four singers

As they did at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2014, the band handed the microphone to a rotating cast of guest singers. St. Vincent opened with a ferocious “Breed.” Kim Gordon, whose band Sonic Youth did so much to help Nirvana on the way up, took “School.” Joan Jett tore through “Territorial Pissings,” and Dave’s daughter Violet Grohl closed things out with a gentler “All Apologies,” the song that ends In Utero. The Nirvana portion of the night took place at the Intuit Dome. (Variety, Pitchfork)

Why it mattered

For longtime fans, seeing Krist, Dave and Pat play these songs together is always emotional, and it doesn’t happen often. Before FireAid, their last big get-together was Cal Jam in 2018, where Joan Jett also sang with them. Variety called the night the closest thing to a Nirvana reunion we’re likely to get, and it is hard to argue. (Variety, Pitchfork)

It turned out to be the start of a busy stretch. Two weeks later, the same trio backed Post Malone on “Smells Like Teen Spirit” at the SNL50 Homecoming Concert. Read our post about that night.

For more on Krist’s years with the band, visit Krist in Nirvana. To see how FireAid fits into everything he has done since Nirvana, from Flipper and Giants in the Trees to 3rd Secret and the Cascade Party, check out our Krist Novoselic Timeline: 2005 to Today.

Sources: Variety, Pitchfork.