Live at Reading marks the first time that Chet Powers received songwriting credit on a Nirvana release for the use of his lyrics from the song "Get Together" as the intro for "Territorial Pissings".

"[1] As Nirvana's drummer Dave Grohl recalled in a 2018 interview with Kerrang!, “I remember showing up to Reading ’92 and there being so many rumours that we weren't going to play, that we had cancelled.

"[3] With Nirvana closing the third and final night of the festival, Cobain had programmed the day's bill, which featured acts like the Melvins, the Screaming Trees, L7, Mudhoney, Teenage Fanclub (who allowed Eugenius to play one song after the tent they were due to play in blew down),[4] Pavement, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds and Bjorn Again, and intentionally excluded what Cobain called "lame-ass limey bands.

[7] Mocking the rumors of his poor health, Cobain was pushed onstage in a wheelchair, wearing a hospital gown and wig, by English music journalist Everett True.

[1][2] He was met by Nirvana's bassist Krist Novoselic, who shook his hand and told the audience that "with the support of his friends and family, he's gonna make it.

"[8] Cobain pretended to struggle to his feet as he stood up in front of the microphone, sang a line from the Amanda McBroom song "The Rose," then collapsed to the ground.

The performance included most of Nevermind (everything other than "Something in the Way" and "Endless, Nameless"), along with several songs from their 1989 debut album Bleach, the Sub Pop 200 compilation track "Spank Thru," and set list regulars "Aneurysm," "Been a Son" and the 1990 single, "Sliver."

"[9] Pavement guitarist Scott Kannberg later recalled being impressed by the future In Utero material, telling Matt Allen of Mojo in 2023, "The new songs sounded great.

Then Cobain played the American national anthem, "The Star-Spangled Banner" and finished off the set by climbing down to the crowd and handing his guitar to a fan.

[14] It was the final of an estimated nine shows that Hodgkinson danced for the band, including their appearances at the 1991 Reading Festival and the 1990 Leeds Polytechnic Students' Union concert.

[17] For four songs towards the end of the set ("Dumb", "Stay Away", "Spank Thru", ”Love Buzz") he changed to a third guitar, a black Stratocaster with a white strap.

[35] Looking back at the set in 2018, Grohl called it "a really reassuring, genuinely magical moment of everything coming together at the right time," despite the band's lack of sufficient practice for the show.