It's easy to see why some bands have made it big based on their early shows. Famous rock bands and rappers will usually have someone, either a friend or family member, record a given performance, especially during their early years. When the footage is released, it's nothing short of amazing to see some of our biggest stars in a similar setting to where you and I likely would have performed if we were in bands.
There are some killer clips on this list, some that few knew existed. While there are a bunch of videos floating around on the Internet, seeing a pre-Bleach Nirvana play at Radio Shack in Aberdeen, Wash. in 1988 to literally no one outside of the cameraman is a treasure for any fan of the grunge icons. This early footage shows Kurt Cobain at his rawest and this early show gives fans a bit of insight of what it was like to hear Nirvana during their earliest stages.
Given the popularity of many of these musicians, it's hard to imagine how people didn't catch on them at these early shows. At this Guns N' Roses acoustic show from 1986, you can hear people talking amongst themselves during early versions of "Move to the City," "Don't Cry" (which wouldn't be released until Use Your Illusion) and a fiery cover of the and Rage Against the Machine's first shows got an early listen to two of the most popular bands in music history.
This list features early shows ranging from The Beatles to LL Cool J. Sit back and enjoy some of your favorite musicians before they became the stars you know today.
http://www.ranker.com/list/the-top-early-career-gigs-of-famous-rock-stars/daniel-kohn, music, videos, bands/musicians,
Soundgarden Plays KCMU Benefit (1986)
The Strokes Play a Pre-Is This It? Show at Arlene's Grocery (2000)
Pearl Jam's First Show at the Off Ramp Cafe (1990)
Guns N' Roses Plays Acoustic Show in Hollywood (1986)
The Who Plays a Hotel Bar (1964)
U2 Live On Irish TV As Teenagers (1978)
Destiny's Child Rehearses in a Backyard (1992)
LL Cool J Plays a Half Empty Gym at Colby College (1985)
50 Cent Early Freestyle (1999)
15-Year-Old Rihanna Sings "Hero"