Thirty-four years after forming in Seattle, Washington, Pearl Jam is now older than many of its fans. The reason that the band has outlasted many of its peers from the grunge era is that Pearl Jam remains inventive. Firstly, earlier this year the band announced the April 19 release of its 12th studio album, Dark Matter, a first-time collaboration with a red-hot producer, Andrew Watt, who recently produced the Rolling Stones. Secondly, the accompanying tour would feature the band’s first use of stage visuals by Seattle native Rob Sheridan, known for his work with Trent Reznor and Nine Inch Nails. The tour would include two nights at Madison Square Garden.
Following a 40-minute set by Irish rocker Glen Hansard and the ensuing 40-minute intermission, the massive anvil-shaped projection screen became the backdrop as Pearl Jam climbed onto an otherwise simple stage set. Vocalist Eddie Vedder, guitarists Mike McCready and Stone Gossard, bassist Jeff Ament, and drummer Matt Cameron took their positions, along with touring musicians Boom Gaspar (keyboards) and Josh Klinghoffer (guitar). The stage was backlit, such that the musicians could only be seen as silhouettes. Vedder’s black silhouette showed that he was wearing a wide-brimmed fedora and blazer.
The band launched into the anthemic “Pendulum.” Vedder’s vocals were crisp and husky. The band was scorching and commanding. Although the audience was not able to clearly see the musicians, the fans heard and even felt the strong opening.
With a just little more light shining on the musicians for the second song, Vedder strapped on an electric guitar and began singing “Better Man.” After a few measures, the band joined in to turn the song into a rocker, sounding very much like Bruce Springsteen with his E Street Band. Midway through the song, Vedder welcomed the audience as the band continued playing. He then bridged into a snippet of the English Beat’s “Sooner or Later,” subsequently asking the audience to chat a refrain with him.
Pearl Jam demonstrated within the first few minutes of the performance that, in the 21st century, a classic rock sound replaced the band’s early grunge approach. The band was among the forerunners of the Seattle grunge movement when the band formed in 1990; Pearl Jam has moved on, and the audience has moved on with the band.
Only a few minutes into the show, Vedder showed that he has one of the richest vocal deliveries in rock music. McCready blazed more brazenly than most guitarists today. McCready at one point played a sizzling extended guitar lead behind his head, as Jimi Hendrix did a half century ago. This was seriously a live band to behold.
As the show progressed, the stage lights became brighter and videos and projections on the rear screen helped animate the songs. The band itself was highly kinetic; it seemed like someone was always darting across the stage. In a humorous move late in the performance, Gossard kneeled before Ament to hit Ament’s bass strings while playing his own guitar.
Following his own tradition, Vedder was chatty. He noted that Pearl Jam had played 71 previous shows in New York State. Starting at the now-defunct Wetlands, 48 of these concerts were in New York City. This night’s performance was the band’s 49th in New York City, and the following night would make an even 50 gigs here.
As is his penchant, an outspoken Vedder spoke about current social issues. After the performance of “Scared of Fear,” Vedder referenced the upcoming United States’ general election, concluding his remarks by admonishing the fans, “Don’t complain. Vote!” Periodically between songs, Vedder read messages sent by members of the audience, including fans wishing other fans birthday wishes. He also summarized a message from a father who was in the audience with his 13-year-old autistic son; Vedder rallied a supportive audience when he denounced the school system that allowed the boy to be bullied so badly by his classmates that he had to transfer to another school.
Of the set’s 25 songs, six new songs were drawn from Dark Matter, and they blended in well with those from the band’s vintage catalog. The rarity of rarities on the first of the two nights at MSG was a b-side from 1995, “Out of My Mind,” a song that expresses a desperate cry for help amidst a chaotic mindset. The set also included Vedder performing John Lennon’s “Imagine” solo, with Vedder wondering aloud if Lennon ever played the song on that stage. The Who’s “Baba O’Riley” was the penultimate song, complete with Vedder imitating Roger Daltrey’s stage scissor moves with a pair of tambourines.
Pearl Jam’s performance started five minutes after the scheduled 8:45 start and ended 10 minutes after the scheduled 11 p.m. closing.( That is a lot of overtime fee that comes out of the Pearl Jam tour kitty.) The two-hour-and-20-minute concert ended on a mellow note with the tour debut of “Indifference,” with Ament seated while playing a stand-up bass.
Incidentally, many visiting musicians have worn a New York Rangers jersey during a performance at Madison Square Garden. Not Vedder – he removed his jacket halfway through the show to reveal a Walter Payton Chicago Bears jersey. Love it or hate it, Vedder is always an original.
Setlist
- Pendulum
- Better Man (with The English Beat’s “Save It for Later” tag)
- Immortality
- Scared of Fear
- React, Respond
- Wreckage
- Satan’s Bed
- Even Flow
- Out of My Mind
- Mind Your Manners
- Dark Matter
- Do the Evolution
- Upper Hand
- Love Boat Captain (with The Rolling Stones’ “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” intro)
- Black
- Given to Fly (dedicated to a 13-year-old fan named Adam)
- Porch
Encore
- Imagine (John Lennon cover; Eddie Vedder solo)
- Inside Job
- Unthought Known
- Running
- Once
- Alive
- Baba O’Riley (The Who cover)
- Indifference
