Seattle, northwestern United States. Rock Club, the center of the grunge boom. Feeling the 90’s while thinking about the connection between Nirvana’s songs and the overcast climate.
This is an iconic grunge rock club in Seattle, USA. “Nirvana” had played here. Opened in 1991. It can be said that it is a club that emerged with the grunge boom.
When I think of a band born in Seattle (Washington), “Nirvana” comes firstly to my mind, but there are also “Soundgarden”, “Pearl Jam”, “Queensryche”, “Heart” who are my favorite band. Washington, where Seattle is located, is said to feel depressed due to the rainy climate in winter, and it can be understood that the local climate has a great influence on the music.
This club is located at a corner of the downtown intersection. There are restaurants and shops in the area, and there is also a marijuana shop nearby. You can see the wandering people in downtown, but it’s not as dangerous as downtown in Los Angeles.
After entering the entrance, you will see the main stage at the left way, and there is a restaurant and bar at the right way where serves pizza. Stage size is approx. 1m high and 20m wide, the capacity in front of the stage seems to be full with 200 people. On the upper floor on the right side of the stage, there is a balcony with 10 people space overlooking the stage. The bar is behind the audience area. The left side of the stage has the seat along the wall. The walls of the building are thin, and the upper part of the rear wall at the back side of audience space has a small window, so if standing outside of the building, you can hear the band performance.
The performer when I visited was a rock and psychedelic instrumental band. Although the band members were a little older, the audiences were a little older, and some people were in 50s, apparently in 60s or older. At American clubs, I sometimes see older people who don’t know if he/she can walk well, but this is an evidence that music has taken root as a culture, and I envy it.
Nirvana’s front man “Kurt Cobain” committed suicide at his Seattle home, about a 15-minute drive northeast of downtown. There is a small park next to the house with a large tree and a wooden bench underneath. The bench is filled with fan’s messages. At the time I visited, a couple who seemed to be fans were already sitting on the grass. Also, after a while, other people who seem to be fans has appeared around the bench and I could feel the influence of “Nirvana”.
Seattle is a place that contrasts with the bottomless brightness of Los Angeles, and where it created great artists and is worth a visit, but recently, with the headquarters of Microsoft and Amazon in Seattle, I have the impression that the atmosphere of the city has changed, and I feel that the soil that creates counterculture is disappearing.
Visited in 2019
Basic Information
■ Name of Place：The Crocodile
■ Address : 2200 2nd Ave, Seattle, WA, USA
■ Performed Musician : Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains, Soundgarden, Cheap Trick, Green Day
■ Homepage : https://www.thecrocodile.com/
