As the late 1980s gave way to the ‘90s, Murphy’s Pub became a vital venue for local and regional underground bands, and a regular tour stop for cutting edge national and international acts at the height of the D.I.Y. era. Among the legendary artists to perform in its tiny back room – before the grunge explosion brought adventurous music to the mainstream – were Nirvana, L7, the Afghan Whigs, the Jesus Lizard, the Laughing Hyenas, the Velvet Underground’s Mo Tucker, Half Japanese, the Cynics, Unsane, and many, many others.