Tag Archives: Pearl Jam

REVIEW: Pearl Jam Puts on a Big Show With Small-Club Intimacy in Phoenix (5-9-22)

Glendale, AZ — Pearl Jam’s concert at Gila River Arena, with support from Pluralone, has been in the making for some time. You could say it’s been since the original date in May of 2020 as part of the Gigaton Tour, however, for me this show has been overdue since December of 1991, when I got a copy of Ten. I fell in love with Pearl Jam, only for the chance to see them live evade me for nearly thirty years, living in my mind through their MTV Unplugged performance, playing “Rockin’ in the Free World” with Neil Young at the MTV Video Music Awards, various talk show appearances, and multiple live albums and videos from over the years. At the show, though, I met fans who were well into double and even triple digits for seeing the band. I was assured repeatedly that it would be an unforgettable evening. 

Eddie Vedder

Considering his status in the history of rock ‘n’ roll, it was surprising for the show to open with Eddie Vedder strolling out alone without any undue fanfare and simply introducing himself to the crowd with, “Hi, I’m Ed.

Eddie Vedder - Gila River Arena
Eddie Vedder (Vocalist, Guitarist)
Photography:
Rodrigo Izquierdo © All Rights Reserved

Anyone who follows Pearl Jam’s setlists online for each tour stop would have been aware that he’s been doing this on the tour, treating the crowd, so far, to solo covers of Warren Zevon’s “Keep Me in Your Heart for a While” during the tour opener in San Diego, and a double dose of Tom Petty with “I Won’t Back Down” on night 1 in Inglewood and “Wildflowers” on night two. For Arizona, he played his own “Far Behind” from the soundtrack he did for Into the Wild. Vedder’s voice is so powerful, so transcendent, that even for those who might not be familiar with his emotional score for the film were quickly enveloped in its beauty. As he wrapped up the song, he gave an introduction to the show’s opener Josh Klinghoffer, heaping praise on him. 

Pluralone

I’m really excited to be here, but I’m gonna play a song that doesn’t sound like I am”, Klinghoffer greeted the crowd, following Vedder’s introduction. Billed under his project Pluralone, the talented multi-instrumentalist filled the arena through a variety of instruments, even if he took moments to jokingly chastise some of the more complicated electric instruments for not working properly. Mid-set, he gave a shout out to one of Arizona’s greatest bands, asking, “How can I be in Phoenix, Arizona without paying homage to the Meat Puppets?!”, before launching into a cover of “Backwater” from their 1994 album Too High To Die

Pluralone - Gila River Arena
Josh Klinghoffer (Vocalist, Multi-instrumentalist), Pluralone
Photography:
Rodrigo Izquierdo © All Rights Reserved

Most are familiar with Klinghoffer for his time with the Red Hot Chili Peppers, but if you are not already, it is well worth your time to check out the music he is making as Pluralone. The sounds he is able to produce solo would leave anyone believing they were listening to a full band if they only closed their eyes as they took it all in. 

Pluralone - Gila River Arena
Josh Klinghoffer (Vocalist, Multi-instrumentalist), Pluralone
Photography:
Rodrigo Izquierdo © All Rights Reserved

He closed out his set with a cover of John Lennon and the Plastic Ono Band’s “Give Peace a Chance,” noting that it was Victory Day in Russia. I don’t know why they call it that since they’re the ones starting all the wars. 

He got the crowd to join in on the chorus and played around with the lyrics, even working in a tribute to the departed Taylor Hawkins with “Everybody talkin’ ‘bout Taylor Hawkins… Taylor Hawkins… man I miss Taylor Hawkins,” which elicited cheers from all corners of the arena. “This might be presumptuous of me, but I thought we’d just keep singing it until Pearl Jam comes out in 30 minutes. If you do, I’ll cover Jane’s Addition,” he jokingly offered before exiting the stage, leaving the crowd to solo acapella the final run through the chorus. 

Pluralone - Gila River Arena
Pluralone
Photography:
Rodrigo Izquierdo © All Rights Reserved

Pearl Jam

Every Pearl Jam show has a completely unique setlist. While a lot of bands are comfortable with having the same set night after night, with little variation, every Pearl Jam performance is completely fresh. This is why “Wash” was a shocker as a show opener. First appearing as a B-side on different editions of their first single “Alive,” it’s a darker song and not what you might expect from Pearl Jam, but it still crackled with an electricity, as the band performed bathed in a blue light. It was like a prayer cast from darkness and despair just hoping for salvation. As the song faded, they immediately launched into “Given to Fly” from Yield, which brought the few people who weren’t already standing to their feet. 

Eddie Vedder (Vocalist) & Matt Cameron (Drummer), Pearl Jam
Photography:
Rodrigo Izquierdo © All Rights Reserved

After over 30 years, Pearl Jam is still anchored by founding members Eddie Vedder, Mike McCready, Stone Gossard, and Jeff Ament, and hasn’t had any changes since Matt Cameron took over the drums on the band’s fifth album Yield. The touring band is filled out by Boom Gaspar, a Hawaiin native Vedder met through C.J. Ramone, and by Klinghoffer pulling double duty throughout the tour. Collectively, they are as tight a band as you are going to find in this or any generation. 

Pearl Jam - Gila River Arena
Pearl Jam
Photography:
Rodrigo Izquierdo © All Rights Reserved

I don’t know how it feels out there, but it feels pretty good up here,” an enthusiastic Vedder told the crowd. Pearl Jam’s performance came almost exactly on the two year anniversary of when it was originally scheduled, in May of 2020 to support their 11th studio album Gigaton. “Good things come to those who wait. My good friend Tom Petty used to say the waiting was the hardest part,” he added. Pearl Jam never makes any stop on their tour feel like just another show for the band and throughout the night, Vedder launched into several monologues with the crowd that showed how Phoenix was a special stop for them.

Eddie Vedder (Vocalist) & Matt Cameron (Drummer), Pearl Jam
Photography:
Rodrigo Izquierdo © All Rights Reserved

 One such moment came when Vedder told the story of Tom and Avis. In 1988, when Eddie Vedder wasn’t “Eddie Vedder the lead singer of Pearl Jam and member of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame” but was just a young, directionless kid like any of us at that age, he was driving through Arizona on his way back to San Diego and his car broke down in Gila Bend. Stranded and with no money, he was taken in by an older couple named Tom and Avis who gave him a place to stay while his car was being repaired. Today any of us would be more than willing to let Eddie Vedder crash at our place for a day or two, but to take in a broke, stranded kid named Ed Vedder speaks to the inherent good we sometimes forgets still thrives in the world, even when everything else seems, at times, to be relentlessly awful.

The story of Tom and Avis was followed with a soulful rendition of “Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town” and quickly followed by “Corduroy” and “Quick Escape,” the latter off of Gigaton, showing that the new work stands toe-to-toe with the band’s back-catalog classics. 

Pearl Jam - Gila River Arena
Jeff Ament (Bassist), Eddie Vedder (Vocalist), & Matt Cameron (Drummer), Pearl Jam
Photography:
Rodrigo Izquierdo © All Rights Reserved

“You have the freedom to fuck up and learn and grow from fucking up. If anyone tries to judge you for fucking up it’s probably because they’ve fucked up and are trying to divert attention form their fuck ups by making you feel bad for yours,” Vedder told the crowd; though attributing the words to Jeff Ament. They then dipped back into Ten, the band’s run through “Why Go,” which had the crowd air guitaring and shouting the lyrics into the rafters. Vedder shouted out the Arizona Coyotes for loaning the band their arena for the night and acknowledging Coyotes players Christian Fischer and Clayton Keller, who were at the show. He dedicated Gigaton’s “Superblood Wolfmoon” to them. “I figure Wolf is close enough to Coyote.” 

Pearl Jam
Photography:
Rodrigo Izquierdo © All Rights Reserved

All across social media prior to the show was an ADOT highway sign reading “Even Flow on the gas. Keep left to pass,” which amused the band. “Shoutout to the pot-smoking employee who made that sign. Life’s incredible, so keep eating those edibles,” Vedder laughed. The moment of amusement was followed by the band performing “Even Flow,” which featured Mike McCready doing an extended mid-song guitar solo behind his head in one of the most awe-inspiring moments of the night. Following “Dance of the Clairvoyants,” Vedder talked about the band’s friend, retired astronaut Scott Kelly. At Kelly’s request, the band played “Black,” arguably Pearl Jam’s greatest song. 

Afterwards, Vedder talked about the band’s admiration for former state representative Gabby Gifford and her husband Senator Mark Kelly (twin brother of Scott Kelly). He then turned his attention to the recent Supreme Court decision on Roe V. Wade, punctuating his expression of frustration about the decision with a performance of “Daughter,” tagged with a rare performance of “W.M.A.,” (both from Vs), tweaking the lyrics to “Police shot my daughter again…” It was one of the night’s highlights. They followed it with “Porch,” which was the song the band closed their 1992 MTV Unplugged performance with and Vedder took a sharpie and wrote “Pro Choice” on his arm. 

Crowd at the Pearl Jam concert at Gila River Arena
Photography:
Rodrigo Izquierdo © All Rights Reserved

With the crowd riding the high wave of “Porch,” the band exited the stage briefly, returning with haste. “We’re having too much fun to be gone for too long! Before playing the first song of the encore, Vedder put a spotlight, literally, on his niece who was at the show (missing her graduation from ASU to do so) and dedicated the No Code gem “Smile” to her. 

We lost so many wonderful people in the last few years, like my friend Tom Petty. We also recently lost Eddie Van Halen who was a friend.” This set up Mike McCready to show off exactly why he is one of the greatest guitar players of his generation, as he busted out a solo cover of Van Halen’s “Eruption.” Following “Do the Evolution,” Vedder told the story of a woman he had met who had lost her sister to COVID. With her in attendance, he dedicated a gorgeous rendition of “Better Man” to her. “This is for all the badass women out there and all the badass men who support them”, Vedder said as a set up to the band’s cover of Eddie Holland’s “Leaving Home.” 

Pearl Jam - Gila River Arena
05/09/2022 Photography: Rodrigo Izquierdo, Burning Hot Events www.BurningHotEvents.com

As “Leaving Home” faded out, they shifted into performing “Alive,” a song that seems to take on a special significance over the years as a reminder that even in the worst of times, to appreciate your continued survival. The crowd sing-along was the connective tissue of the night, bringing everyone together for a beautiful moment. In those moments, the personal, philosophical, political, religious, and whatever difference that tragically gets too much focus in our day-to-day existence vashined, as the chorus echoed from every corner of the arena and collectively rose to the heavens. If “Wash” started us in darkness and despair, then “Alive” pulled us out, refreshed, and renewed like a musical baptism. 

Pearl Jam and the backing audience at Gila River Arena
Photography:
Rodrigo Izquierdo © All Rights Reserved

As they closed out the night with the grace and beauty that is “Yellow Ledbetter,” the “Jeremy” B-side-turned-beloved-live-show-staple and bonafide Pearl Jam classic, we were each sent out into the cool desert evening knowing that even in the most dire of times, there are the Tom and Avis’s of the world passing along simple acts of kindness to a stranger and there is a good fight to be fought, because even the smallest of us is capable of so much more than we think. It was a night worth the two-year wait. It was a night worth my 30-year wait.

Pearl Jam Setlist from Phoenix 5-9-22: 

  • Wash (tour debut)
  • Given to Fly
  • Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town
  • Corduroy
  • Quick Escape
  • Why Go
  • Superblood Wolfmoon
  • Alright (tour debut)
  • Even Flow
  • Dance of the Clairvoyants
  • Black (with “We Belong Together” tag)
  • I Got Id (tour debut)
  • Red Mosquito (tour debut)
  • Sleeping by Myself (Eddie Vedder song) (tour debut)
  • Daughter (with “W.M.A.” tag)
  • Porch

Encore:

  • Smile (tour debut)
  • Eruption (Van Halen cover) (tour debut)
  • Do the Evolution
  • Better Man (“Save It For Later” tease)
  • Leaving Here (Eddie Holland cover) (tour debut)
  • Alive
  • Yellow Ledbetter

Plan D – Feat. Members of Pearl Jam, Melvins & Blondie – Release First in a Four-part Series 

LOS ANGELES — Toshi Kasai, the producer/engineer who has worked with a number of the era’s most experimental and groundbreaking artists including Tool, Big Business, Foo Fighters and the Melvins has spent the past several years recruiting some of the world’s best drummers to take part in Plan D, an experimental project that sees him “translate” drum beats into a medley of music via the use of triggered analog synths.

See the process used to bring Plan D to life:


“Toshi Kasai understands us drummers. This amazing collection of drum vignettes is a perfect example of how Toshi hears the music in our rhythmic patterns. I am not sure how he did it, something including MIDI I presume, but none of that matters, Plan D stands on its own as a completely new musical entity and I’m super proud to be a part of it.” –
Matt Cameron (Pearl Jam, Soundgarden)

The result of those sessions come via four 12” releases arriving throughout 2020. The first is SW, which is available now, or you can pre-order the full collection (SWNESENW) as a discounted bundle via Joyful Noise Recordings’ website. Each 12″ is limited to just 300 hand-numbered copies. Featuring artwork by Mackie Osborne, with all four parts forming one complete “treasure map.”

“Plan D is a musical demonstration built for Dimension, Duration, and Dynamics,” explains Toshi. “My long time desire became real and it’s even better than I planned because of the support from talented, experienced drummers. The unique and individual styles of drumming each tell a different story. It became an experimental, conceptual project. I directed their stories by writing notes on the synthesizer and triggering them by drum hits.”

SW Tracklist:

  1. Golden Voyage
  2. Stormy Sea
  3. Distance and Duration
  4. Landing, The Search Begins
  5. Stumbling Through The Jungle
  6. Whitewater
  7. The Mystery of The Limestone Cave

“Plan D is what happens when one of the best recording engineers/producers goes crazy with a bunch of world class drummers.” – Dale Crover (Melvins, Redd Kross, Nirvana)  

SW Drummers:

  • Clem Burke (Blondie, Eurythmics)
  • Matt Cameron (Pearl Jam, Soundgarden)
  • Paul Christensen (Qui, hepa.Titus)
  • Dale Crover (Melvins, Redd Kross, Nirvana, Hew Time)
  • Joe Plummer (Mister Heavenly, Cold War Kids, The Shins, Hew Time)
  • Coady Willis (Big Business, Melvins, The Murder City Devils, Hew Time)
  • Troy Zeigler (Serj Tankian, Juliette Lewis, Buckethead)



Pearl Jam’s NEW Album Gigaton Available 3/11/20, North American Spring Tour Dates

SEATTLE — Pearl Jam will release their much-anticipated eleventh studio album, Gigaton, on Monkeywrench Records/Republic Records on March 27, 2020 in the US. Internationally, the album will be released and distributed by Universal Music Group. Produced by Josh Evans and Pearl Jam, Gigaton marks the band’s first studio album since GRAMMY award-winning Lightning Bolt, which was released on October 15, 2013.

Gigaton is available for pre-order now at HERE. The first single, “Dance of the Clairvoyants”, will be released in the coming weeks.

“Making this record was a long journey,” explains Mike McCready. “It was emotionally dark and confusing at times, but also an exciting and experimental road map to musical redemption. Collaborating with my bandmates on Gigaton ultimately gave me greater love, awareness and knowledge of the need for human connection in these times.”

Gigaton’s cover features Canadian photographer, filmmaker, and marine biologist Paul Nicklen’s photo “Ice Waterfall.” Taken in Svalbard, Norway, this image features the Nordaustlandet ice cap gushing high volumes of meltwater.

In support of Gigaton, Pearl Jam will embark on their first leg of North American tour dates in March and April. The 16-date tour kicks-off on March 18 in Toronto and wraps with a two-date stint in Oakland April 18-19. Full tour dates follow.

Pearl Jam’s North American tour is in addition to the band’s previously announced European summer tour. Full details HERE.  Watch the announcement HERE.            

Pearl Jam Spring 2020 Tour Dates

Ticket Information

Tickets for Pearl Jam’s North American concerts will be made available through a Ticketmaster Verified Fan registration and ticket presale, a Ten Club presale for eligible members and a general public ticket sale. More details on all of those points of sale follow. To give fans the best chance to buy tickets at face value for this tour, Pearl Jam has decided that tickets will be mobile only and strictly non-transferable, except in NY and CO where transferability is required by state law.

For fans who are unable to use their tickets, Pearl Jam and Ticketmaster will offer North America’s first Fan-to-Fan Face Value Ticket Exchange, which will allow fans to resell their tickets for the price they paid (including all fees). The Fan-to-Fan Face Value Ticket Exchange will launch on February 18, 2020. There will be no additional fees charged to Exchange users for buying or selling tickets on the Exchange.

1. Ticketmaster Verified Fan® Registration and Ticket Sale                       

General public tickets will be sold first through a presale powered by Ticketmaster Verified Fan. Pearl Jam has partnered with Ticketmaster to create a safe, reliable, ticket-buying experience and ensure tickets get directly to fans for all of these concert dates.

A simple registration is required and only fans that have been verified and invited to the presale will receive an access code that will allow them to shop for tickets.

Ticketmaster Verified Fan registration begins today and closes on Wednesday, January 15 at 11:59pm PT. To register, please visit: HERE.

The Verified Fan presale then begins on Thursday, January 23 at 10am venue local time.

2. Ten Club Ticket Presale                                                           

A special ticket presale for members of Pearl Jam’s Ten Club (current as of January 12, 2020) is being supported on the Ticketmaster Request platform. Full details at HERE.

3. Public Ticket Sale                                                                      

A remaining, limited number of tickets for each venue will be released through a traditional general sale on January 24, 2020 at 10am local time on Ticketmaster.

NOTE: $5 of each ticket is a charitable contribution to the Vitalogy Foundation, a United States-based public charity under I.R.C. section 501(c)(3) and 509(a)(1).

SafeTix Ticket Transferability Information

SafeTix mobile tickets will be issued for all tickets for all shows. These tickets will be non-transferable, (except in NY and CO where transferability is required by state law), which means that ticket purchasers will be required to enter the venue with their guests. SafeTix tickets use a unique barcode that automatically refreshes every few seconds so they cannot be counterfeited. SafeTix tickets require a smartphone to display. No other tickets will be accepted for entry.                    

Fan-to-Fan Ticket Exchange

Ticketmaster Fan-to-Fan Face Value Ticket Exchange is an artist-driven resale marketplace built just for fans. It keeps tickets in the hands of fans at prices set by the artist. Whether you buy a primary ticket or a fan-to-fan ticket, if you can’t attend the show, you can simply list your ticket for sale on the Fan-to-Fan Face Value Ticket Exchange for another fan to purchase. Fan-to-Fan sales will also be fulfilled as SafeTix non-transferable tickets.  There will be no additional fees charged to Exchange users for buying or selling tickets on the Exchange.

About Pearl Jam

2020 officially marks 30 years of Pearl Jam performing live. Eleven studio albums, hundreds of unique live performances and official live concert bootleg releases later, the band continues to be critically acclaimed and commercially successful — with over 85 million albums sold worldwide and a 2017 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

About Paul Nicklen

Paul Nicklen lives a life of art, purpose and adventure, combining a career as an assignment photographer for National Geographic Magazine and founder of his own conservation society, SeaLegacy. In addition to being one of the world’s most acclaimed nature photographers, Paul is an acclaimed polar specialist, speaker, author, conservationist, National Geographic Fellow, and a regular contributor to National Geographic Magazine with 20 completed stories to date.

Pearl Jam Online:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | YouTube


LULLWATER Releases Stunning Cover of PEARL JAM’s “Release”

Athens, GA based alternative rock band Lullwater has released the official music video for their cover of Pearl Jam’s “Release,” off of the 1991 hit album TEN. Originally premiered on Loudwire, “Release” features live Footage with Dave Krusen (Pearl JamCandlebox) and Kevin Martin (Candlebox), and was recorded at London Bridge Studios in Seattle, WA, where TEN was originally recorded, with engineering and mixing by Justin Davis.

“The entire experience of recording Pearl Jam’s ‘Release’ in London Bridge Studios was so surreal. Pearl Jam is one of my favorite bands and to cover that song in the same room as they did, was very emotional for me. I had no idea that a couple of years later we would be performing it live with Dave Krusen and Kevin Martin on the Candlebox tour; it’s such an odd and incredible feeling of living and experiencing the moments we’ve made because of ‘Release.’ It’s by far the coolest thing that’s ever happened to me as a musician. Thinking back to when I was in my adolescent years playing that song over and over and then one day to be performing it live with the original drummer, is simply crazy for me. ‘Release’ has a special place in my heart and is one of my favorite songs to play live.” – John Strickland (Vocals/Guitar)

Lullwater
Lullwater

For more than a decade, alt rockers Lullwater have been blazing their way to the top of the industry thanks to their gritty, Southern-infused sound and straight-up, raw performances.

Formed in 2007 in Athens, GA, the foursome was born from the indelible mark that the godfathers of grunge left on music. The convergence of this inspiration, mixed with a healthy helping of swagger, defines this critically acclaimed alternative rock band.

Lullwater album cover

The group released its debut, self-titled album in 2012 to solid reviews and were immediately invited to join some of the biggest tours that same year, as well as had the single “Albatross” featured on Sirius XM Octane Radio. Since that time, Lullwater has spent the majority of their career on the road sharing the stage with such A-list acts as CandleboxTheory of a DeadmanFlyleafPassafireAmarantheButcher Babies, and more. The band released their critically acclaimed sophomore album, Revival, in 2015, followed by a live EP, The Seattle Sessions, in 2017.

Voodoo, their latest effort and arguably their best work to date, was recorded at the end of 2017 in New Orleans at Marigny Studios by Swedish producer and engineer Jakob Herrmann, co-produced/engineered by Justin Davis, and mixed by Jakob Herrmann at top floor studios, is scheduled for a Winter 2018 release; this record promises an even bigger, more explosive sound that will shake you to your core.

Lullwater is:

John Strickland – Rhythm Guitar & Lead Vocals
Daniel Binnie – Lead Guitar
Roy ‘Ray’ Beatty – Bass & Vocals
Joseph Wilson – Drums & Vocals

Lullwater Online:

Website |  Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Stream/Download

YouTubeiTunes  |  Spotify  |  Bandcamp


Featured Photo (top) by Thrasher Photo & Design LLC