If you grew up in the 90s and gravitated towards ‘alternative’ music, you’d be familiar with the likes of the Beastie Boys, Hole, Smashing Pumpkins, The Offspring, Nirvana, Sonic Youth, Beck and the Foo Fighters (we’re talking old-school Foos). The man who brought such acts out to Australia to go up against the massive Big Day Out festival was music mogul Stephen ‘Pav’ Pavlovic – who organised the Summersault Festival in 1995 with some of these iconic bands headlining the event.
Born in Canberra in 1966, Pav started his career in the music industry in the 80s, eventually leading to booking live music venues with breakout Aussie and New Zealand bands like Ratcat, Hummingbirds, The Clean, Straitjacket Fits and The Cruel Sea.
Unpopular at The Powerhouse in October 2022
It was Pavlovic who brought Nirvana out to Australia at the height of their fame. The rest they say is history. Now items from Pav’s extensive collection will be on display at the Powerhouse Museum, opening on Thursday 27 October 2022.
The exhibition, Unpopular is the first of a series of projects from Pav. The exhibition also coincides with the launch of Pav’s book with the same title. The title Unpopular comes from the idea that alternative music in the 1990s began as a movement that deliberately avoided the mainstream and anything popular.
The exhibition is free and you’ll be able to enjoy more than 200 objects from Pav’s extensive collection, including footage of live performances, unheard music demos and live audio recordings, photographs, original graphic art, posters and fanzines. Also on display is Kurt Cobain’s Martin guitar, plus new commissions by artist and filmmaker Julian Klincewicz and artist Lillian O’Neil.
Unpopular includes a program of workshops and a documentary film night.
Where: Powerhouse Museum, 500 Harris St, Ultimo NSW 2007
When: Opens Thursday 27 October 2022
Tickets: Free entry, no bookings required