International Fountain

The Story

This fountain at the Seattle Center, erected for the 1962 World's Fair, was the scene of one of the most emotional moments in Seattle rock history. On April 10, 1994, more than 7,000 fans gathered there for a tribute to Kurt Cobain, two days after his body was found. A recording of Courtney Love, reading excerpts from a suicide note, was played to the silent crowd. Krist Novoselic read a statement on behalf of the band, remembering Cobain for his generosity. At dusk, with Nirvana's music playing, hundreds of fans climbed onto the fountain, singing and crying together in a moment of collective catharsis. Years later, on April 20, 2002, the same space brought fans together again, this time to honor Layne Staley of Alice in Chains.

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