Courtney Love Reunites With Classic Hole Lineup in NYC!
Somehow, someway, alt-rock misfits Hole reunited Friday night in Brooklyn, with Ms. World herself, Courtney Love, joining the the classic lineup of the band for two songs at the super intimate Public Assembly venue. It was their first time onstage together since splitting up in 2002. I'm still buzzing about this, for real.
See photos from the Hole reunion concert.
Here's how it went down: At 5:15 P.M. on Friday I received a mysterious email informing me that guitarist Eric Erlandson, bassist Melissa Auf der Maur and drummer Patty Schemel would be performing as the "Trinity Jam." The week before the trio had also performed during one of Erlandson's readings from his new book of free poetry, Letters to Kurt, at Barnes & Nobel in New York City, and tonight was the after-party for a new documentary about Schemel's struggle with drug addiction, Hit So Hard.
Honestly, I ignored the email since I already had plans. But it turns out I was three blocks away when a tip came in the form of a text: Courtney Love was on the premises and rumored to be joining the classic era Hole members for the first time since 2002.
After a few songs from the trio, a clearly elated—and damn, still very good looking for 40—Auf der Maur stepped to the mic: "We're told there's a special someone who wants to join us for a song? Is there a Miss World here? Perhaps someone can check the boiler room for someone smoking cigarettes?"
Then Love entered, with a huge bouncer carrying her guitar, from a side door and walked onstage. The crowd, predictably, went insane. A few hugs later and the quartet were powering through "Miss World," the best song from their decade-deep catalogue. For a woman who's perfected the art of erratic behavior, Love looked great and didn't act crazy at all. After a few flimsy chords to open the song, she straightened out and killed it, mounting her leg on the monitor during the chorus, just like in the early '90s.
After "Miss World," Love left the stage but returned for one last song: A cover of Portland punk vets The Wipers' "Over the Edge." The Wipers were a favorite of Kurt and Courtney; Nirvana covered both The Wipers' "D7" and "Return of the Rat."
It was a fun, tight rendition, and proof that this band needs to reunite for a proper tour, like, now. Watch video of the performance below!
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