Powerful display from former grungers.
Everyone who has ever been to, or even heard of a Pearl Jam gig, know very well that the Seattle band do not simply walk on, do a customary routine of 16 songs sprinkled with some inane crowd-pleasing before walking off after a three-song encore.
Pearl Jam are, of course, so much more. Not only do they have one of the most interesting (and extensive) back catalogues of any modern rock band, they have in Eddie Vedder a frontman whose lyrical and musical gift is only exceeded by a tremendous stage presence.
So the band emerge onstage, and with a simple ''cheers'' launch into debut album slow-burner Release with Vedder, customary attired in shorts and shirt, looking healthier than, say, Noel Gallagher has done in a very long time. Even as he stretches his arms out to the side, very Christ-like indeed (and we're still only on the first song remember), there is precious little that can spoil the moment.
Track two, and crowd goes mental to second album's Animal before Vedder picks up his guitar and during Corduroy (that would make it three tracks from three consecutive albums), does a Pete Townshend windmill like he hasn't aged in the last decade.
Breaking the pattern with a familiar drum intro, Why Go fills the brilliant acoustics in the O2, inspiring tonight's first massive singalong, and with Mike McCready doing a lengthy guitar solo on his back, another box in the book of 'classic rock live tricks' is ticked.
''This is the last time we're gonna be in Europe for quite some time'', Vedder claims. The crowd, it's needless to say, is not happy. Smiling, he tells the front row to ''shut the fuck up'' when distracted with song requests, and remembers their first London gig at The Borderline in 1992 before giving us Elderly Woman... Everything he just said is swiftly forgiven. Of course they're coming back. At least we tell ourselves so.
Immortality is upon us, and upon Pearl Jam. Their wall of guitars is perfectly constructed around Vedder's voice, transfixing an audience with one of their finest melodies, and as we begin to wonder if they're not gonna play any songs recorded after 1994, they stumble into latest single The Fixer after Vedder has provided us with some lines probably lifted from Men Are From Mars, Women From Venus.
Obviously, playing a new song is seemingly unbearable, not that we complain, so when traces of a moshpit emerge with another lengthy guitar solo during yet another classic (anyone counting?) Even Flow, we are decidedly spoiled.
It's time for something extraordinary. No, not Jeremy. This, rather more a dignified testament to Vedder's control over his audience, and in return, their respect of Pearl Jam's past. Spotting a crunch in the front rows, a calm Vedder asks the crowd to take three steps back on his command, counts to three and sees a few thousand people move backwards in the softest of waves. It's beautiful. Applause.
Like any extraordinary event is followed by some inevitable downtime (the day after the big bang must have been such an anticlimax), a quartet of songs follow, where a small snippet of Ben - attributed to ''one who was supposed to be on this stage'' is the only highlight. Light Years then, is very welcome. And as it's dedicated to a recently deceased friend, it sees Vedder getting emotional before all grief is seemingly swept away with a massive Insignificant.
Time out. It's customary for all decent rock bands to have a song all girls scream for and that guys secretly want them to play. It's almost a plight. Muse have their Unintended, Foo Fighters their Everlong. Pearl Jam, of course, has Black; The melancholic mother of all heartfelt slow rock songs, which sees one of the finest melody lines of the 90's adorned with a guitar/vocal riff from another dimension of beauty. It's quite simply, astounding. None more so than tonight. Vedder still seems evocative in the presence of his own lyrics, and as an outro of ''we belong together'' fades out, Pearl Jam is untouchable.
Life Wasted is not as much a letdown as it's a gap between Black and Blood - possibly tonight's highlight, which amidst spectacular vocal duties drives to a climax of classic Pearl Jam riffage and Vedder smashing the mic stand.
Encore. Of course there is an encore. At least two we assume, but feet are getting increasingly tired. Hail hail and Footsteps are greeted with massive audience response and rightly so; Do The Evolution with one of those immortal, slightly bonkers Vedder-lyrics (''I can kill 'cause in God I trust'') sports a choir of Hallelujahs after a cover of The Who's Love Reign O'er Me brought smiles all around.
Alive is upon us. The song that started it all, and one they played at the Borderline in '92. Every single words is sung back to the stage, and as the outro stretches into eternity a sea of fists emerge in the crowd, mechanically punching air until Vedder can't stop smiling.
Encore 2 and the fun has just started. The crowd sings the first half of Better Man alone; the crowd sings the second half of Better Man too; The band kickstart Crazy Mary, and a dripping wet Vedder sports a half-drunk bottle of red wine - in the spirit of its lyric passing the bottle to an audience member before returning to the stage for a smoke. Indeed, he seems a bit merry now, throwing the guitar into the photo pit at the end of Porch after having held it aloft, sending a beam of light into the crowd.
But no one could care less. A thoroughly impressive two and a half hour long display of power comes to a customary end with Yellow Ledbetter. The house lights are already on when the song reaches it's first chorus, but everybody knows all the words, and everyone, hopefully, is satisfied. After all, we remember, it may well be the last time they play these isles.
Words: Brand Barstein
Were you at the gig? Leave your review/comments below...
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User Comments
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Oh what can I say? Truly a night to remember. If you weren't there you might as well missed the best gig of the year(s). Hope it's not truth about them not coming here for a long time. Thank you for the memories PJ
Posted by Dush at 4:28 PM | 19/08/2009 | Report Abuse
Great review - best gig i have ever been to. Still buzzing.
Posted by David Grima at 4:40 PM | 19/08/2009 | Report Abuse
Inevitable downtime? That was Rats mate, a tune and one of the highlights!
Posted by James Heal at 4:55 PM | 19/08/2009 | Report Abuse
I honestly don't believe that 6 guys playing songs on a stage can get any better than it did last night. I don't know what happened in Manchester that they didn't get on with but the O2 benefitted with a massive fan pleasing set-list from start to finish. Awe inspiring stuff.
Posted by Musk Up at 5:23 PM | 19/08/2009 | Report Abuse
for me the whole night was a fucking highlight!
even in seating the energy was unbelievable.
Peace
x
Posted by Calum Newbiggin at 6:32 PM | 19/08/2009 | Report Abuse
It was aweeesome. Best gig ive ever been too, I was even at Shepherds Bush the week before and they were even better in this massive arena than that tiny venue.
arazamataz in the ballroom
Posted by Dave at 7:06 PM | 19/08/2009 | Report Abuse
It was aweeesome. Best gig ive ever been too, I was even at Shepherds Bush the week before and they were even better in this massive arena than that tiny venue.
arazamataz in the ballroom
Posted by Dave at 7:13 PM | 19/08/2009 | Report Abuse
Absolutely amazing Gig, they just get better every time i see them. They better have a change of heart and come back soon. And yeah what do you mean down time??? Rats is a great song!!!
Posted by Kristov Hoganova at 9:37 PM | 19/08/2009 | Report Abuse
yeah! That gig was incredible, I'll never forget that evening! 120% performance for whole 2.5 hour!!!
Posted by peter at 2:35 AM | 20/08/2009 | Report Abuse
I agree, RATS was a highlight for sure.. it was an amazing night, I will never forget it.....
Posted by mike at 12:27 PM | 20/08/2009 | Report Abuse
The souless pop-machine that is the O2 became for one night only the most intimate, most inspiring venue I've been at. By the end of "release", every hair on my body was bolt upright. And they stayed that way for 3hrs. Utterly, utterly flawless. Come back soon chaps.
Posted by Stu at 1:47 PM | 20/08/2009 | Report Abuse
It was amazing! Definitely best gig of the year... Great review, captures the night really well. Took me right back there just reading it!
Posted by Myriam at 2:18 PM | 20/08/2009 | Report Abuse
Redeemed my faith in humanity. Too many times soulless, money hungry 'musicians' come and lip-synch their way through sets......then there's a concert like the one played by Pearl Jam at the O2...from the heart...all blood, sweat and tears....a group of guys at one with their music, their talent and their audience. Has there ever been a better concert at the O2? All acts following this have a lot to live up with. Wonder if it's even worth trying.
Posted by Reuben at 4:26 PM | 20/08/2009 | Report Abuse
Redeemed my faith in humanity. Too many times soulless, money hungry 'musicians' come and lip-synch their way through sets......then there's a concert like the one played by Pearl Jam at the O2...from the heart...all blood, sweat and tears....a group of guys at one with their music, their talent and their audience. Has there ever been a better concert at the O2? All acts following this have a lot to live up with. Wonder if it's even worth trying.
Posted by Reuben at 4:28 PM | 20/08/2009 | Report Abuse
Redeemed my faith in humanity. Too many times soulless, money hungry 'musicians' come and lip-synch their way through sets......then there's a concert like the one played by Pearl Jam at the O2...from the heart...all blood, sweat and tears....a group of guys at one with their music, their talent and their audience. Has there ever been a better concert at the O2? All acts following this have a lot to live up with. Wonder if it's even worth trying.
Posted by Reuben at 4:32 PM | 20/08/2009 | Report Abuse
Superb, I haven't been so moved by music in a long time, they are one of the all time greats!
The intensity, passion and heart in nearly all their songs was deliriously strengthening to the soul!
Posted by Ed at 4:54 PM | 20/08/2009 | Report Abuse
Superb, I haven't been so moved by music in a long time, they are one of the all time greats!
The intensity, passion and heart in nearly all their songs was deliriously strengthening to the soul!
Posted by Ed at 4:55 PM | 20/08/2009 | Report Abuse
Superb, I haven't been so moved by music in a long time, they are one of the all time greats!
The intensity, passion and heart in nearly all their songs was deliriously strengthening to the soul!
Posted by Ed at 4:58 PM | 20/08/2009 | Report Abuse
overwhelmingly intense, was in the crush at the front, bruised & battered but everyone clung onto each other protecting in a giant sweaty embrace. cried my eyes out during light years. incredible experience, well worth travelling 500 miles & queuing 7 hours. love x
Posted by Vicky at 8:31 AM | 21/08/2009 | Report Abuse
I was at Manchester the night before and London blew it out of the water! Couldn't have picked a better set myself. Anything that wasn't off the greatest hits was a 10 club fan favourite. my 4th time seeing them and i'm only 19, but more than obsessed. Finally seeing Footsteps was a highlight of the night, and probably my life. Absolutely breathtaking and a spectacle like no other. If they do come back and you havn't seen them, do...it'll change your life :)
Pearl jam: WE BELONG TOGETHER!
Posted by Andy Sutton at 4:45 PM | 21/08/2009 | Report Abuse
I went to the gig with 3 friends: one a gig monster butwith little Pearl Jam experience; one a newby Pearl Jam fan who had yet to experience them live and one a longstanding friend who had seen them with me previously in London in the early nineties. All 4 of us came out elated and singing their praises for different reasons, all feeling closer to one another for having shared such a memorable performance.
Posted by Sully at 1:08 AM | 22/08/2009 | Report Abuse
I was at the Manchester gig tthe night before and to think that its been said that this London gig 'blew it out of the water' is an astonishing thing if true, because the Manchester gig was the best gig that i've ever been to, so how lucky where you guys at London.
Eddie Vedder is a genuine living legend, as humble and charismatic as he is talented. No amount of praise is too much for this awesome band.
Posted by Andy at 8:13 PM | 22/08/2009 | Report Abuse
I was at the Manchester gig tthe night before and to think that its been said that this London gig 'blew it out of the water' is an astonishing thing if true, because the Manchester gig was the best gig that i've ever been to, so how lucky where you guys at London.
Eddie Vedder is a genuine living legend, as humble and charismatic as he is talented. No amount of praise is too much for this awesome band.
Posted by Andy at 8:13 PM | 22/08/2009 | Report Abuse
Unbelievable! i have been a fan for a very long time but had always missed out on the chance to see them. i was anticipating a big song opener but instead we got 'release' and boy did we get it. Ed Veds voice just blew me away and it just kept on coming. best gig of the year by a long shot, possibly ever, cheers pj...
Posted by justin smith at 4:54 PM | 23/08/2009 | Report Abuse
Where do you start but the highlight for me was the setlist spanning their entire career(except Riot Act) & great surprises like Rats, I got Id & Footsteps. Nearly comes close to my first Pearl Jam show 14 years ago. I love everything about this band from their humilty to their art work. Music is pretty good also.
Posted by Michael at 9:09 PM | 23/08/2009 | Report Abuse
Where do you start but the highlight for me was the setlist spanning their entire career(except Riot Act) & great surprises like Rats, I got Id & Footsteps. Nearly comes close to my first Pearl Jam show 14 years ago. I love everything about this band from their humilty to their art work. Music is pretty good also.
Posted by Michael at 9:10 PM | 23/08/2009 | Report Abuse
I've been waiting to see them for 16 years and they didnt disappoint me. I was in tears during 'Elderly woman' as it was just such a beautiful moment. Better man was also a massive highlight. Great band, so talented and Eddie is a true rock god - what can I say! The gig of my life.
Posted by Polly at 3:57 PM | 27/08/2009 | Report Abuse
I've been waiting to see them for 16 years and they didnt disappoint me. I was in tears during 'Elderly woman' as it was just such a beautiful moment. Better man was also a massive highlight. Great band, so talented and Eddie is a true rock god - what more can I say! The gig of my life.
Posted by Polly at 3:58 PM | 27/08/2009 | Report Abuse
I've been waiting to see them for 16 years and they didnt disappoint me. I was in tears during 'Elderly woman' as it was just such a beautiful moment. Better man was also a massive highlight. Great band, so talented and Eddie is a true rock god - what more can I say! The gig of my life.
Posted by Polly at 3:58 PM | 27/08/2009 | Report Abuse
sucks living in glasgow they having been here since 2000! and im only 15 so my parents wouldnt let me go down to manchester (N)
Posted by Liam at 9:13 PM | 01/09/2009 | Report Abuse
i just cant get enough of PJ,since i first sow them,i was 16.Today,in 10 years,still crazy for the band,and after O2,i just cant imagine not to see them very soon...so sad!
Posted by lily at 11:05 PM | 29/10/2009 | Report Abuse
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