On August 20, 1988, the Parks Department of Olympia, Washington, kicked off its free outdoor summer concert at Capitol Lake Park. This was the second year of Capitol Lake Jam, co-sponsored by the Safe and Sober Driving Task Force of Olympia. But as far as music history goes, this was an opportunity for concertgoers to catch the early wave of grunge before it swept the nation.
Nirvana’s first album, Bleach, was still 10 months away. Additionally, Dave Grohl hadn’t yet joined the band, so Chad Channing was still on drums. The show began at 4 p.m., with Gig Harbor band My Name kicking things off. Nirvana took the stage next, followed by Seattle-area band Swallow.
Infinite Menagerie was scheduled to go on after Swallow, but canceled their set at the last minute. Who else could possibly fill their spot but Seattle’s future grunge all-stars Soundgarden?
With Soundgarden on the revised bill, Capitol Lake Jam became one of the few times Chris Cornell and Co. played on the same stage as Nirvana. While the fledgling trio hadn’t released an album yet, Soundgarden already had two EPs out and were gearing up for their debut album in October.
Soundgarden, Nirvana Play Free Early-Career Concert in Olympia’s Capitol Lake Park
Soundgarden had just released their second EP, Fopp, in August 1988 when they played the free Capitol Lake Jam. Bootleg audio recordings have circulated, but feature Soundgarden performing only one song. Allegedly, the entire concert was videotaped, but nothing has surfaced in all those years.
So, the Capitol Lake Jam lives on in the memories of those who were there. Of course, Soundgarden and Nirvana went on to become two of the most well-known and beloved bands of the 90s. Regardless of their eventual oversaturation, they undoubtedly claimed spots on the Mount Rushmore of grunge.
In contrast, My Name and Swallow stayed relatively underground. Swallow was involved with Sub Pop Records, as were Soundgarden and later Nirvana. But despite heralding the emergence of grunge, Swallow never found the same mainstream success.
Some might see that as a good thing. Swallow’s music still exists, as does My Name’s. But they stayed small and local, didn’t sell out, and didn’t become an exploited commodity. On the flip side, they made great music that transcended the grunge label, but never got the widespread recognition they deserved.
Photo by Jason Childs/Getty Images
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