From Early Nirvana To Phish, A Chicago Fan’s Secret Recordings Of 10,000 Shows Are Now Online

This article tells the story of Aadam Jacobs, a Chicago music fan who spent over four decades secretly recording more than 10,000 live concerts. Starting in 1984 with a borrowed Dictaphone and progressing to more sophisticated digital equipment, Jacobs captured rare, early performances from legendary acts like Nirvana, R.E.M., and Phish, as well as hundreds of obscure indie and punk bands. Because many of his physical tapes were beginning to deteriorate, a team of global volunteers has partnered with the Internet Archive to digitize, clean up, and upload the collection for public listening. The project is described as a massive undertaking that involves restoring old cassette decks and painstakingly identifying setlists to preserve a unique piece of Chicago’s cultural history.

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Tags: Archive