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After an amazing performance the previous night, the anticipation was incredible as to what Pearl Jam would do to make their last Los Angeles performance even better. This was the forth LA show and people who has seen the previous three were predicting all kinds of mayhem. There were dozens of people trying to purchase tickets outside the venue – I could easily have sold my ticket for $500 – but no f’n way was I going to miss this show.
Celebrity appearances and rumours that the entire line up of Soundgarden would appear for a song were rife, but ultimately were unfounded – even though the entire Soundgarden line up were at the venue to watch the show as well as a number of A-list stars. What Pearl Jam delivered was a super high energy show with so many songs I’d never seen played live before and a crowd that was even more intense than the previous night.
My seats were only half a dozen rows further back that the previous night, but this time on Stone Gossard’s side of the stage. This was great as it gave a different perspective and a slightly higher elevation for my to shoot HD Video. I got about ¾ of the show on my memory card and will have a great video collection from the two nights.
As set lists go, this one was for the purists – loads of rarities and album tracks played with energy and received with respect and enthusiasm by the crowd who knew just about every song, word for word. Only seven songs were repeated from the previous night giving me a total of over 50 different songs over the two shows – absolutely awesome! Talk about value for money!
Like last night the crowd was on fire – they knew every bit of participation from when to scream, when to call out certain lines and when to have hands in the air and so on. We’re talking major spontaneous and unscripted co-ordination. Watching 6000 people all punch the air in unison to Alive (happened both nights) while the house lights were on, was amazing. But there were so many more surprises that will live with me forever.
Again, the musicianship was beyond compare. Mike McCreedy is the best lead guitarist on the planet right now – there is no doubt about it – his solo’s were beyond great. Stone Gossards riffs and rhythm was sold as was Jeff Ament’s bass and Matt Cameron’s drumming – and these guys are also masters of their trade deserving of high ranks in the best of all time lists.. Boom Gaspar provided sensational keys and Eddie Vedder’s vocals just get better with age. No doubt about it, Pearl Jam are the crowned heavy weight champions of the rock’n’roll world. Who knew they’d be this strong 20 years into their career?
The slammed out an incredible rendition of The Who’s “Love Reign Over Me” with Eddie Vedder singing it probably better than Rodger Daultry ever has (and that is saying something). The there was the cover of MC5’s “Kick Out the Jams” with Jerry Cantrell once again joining the band on stage to shed on guitar. This was totally amazing. I filmed both songs and will eventually get them uploaded.
As well as this Ben Harper once again joined the band on stage for Red Mosquito and then helped them close the set with Pearl Jam’s brilliant and mournful “Indifference’. We had a rare rendition of ‘All Those Yesterdays’, ‘Present tense’, ‘Nothingman’, ‘Hail Hail’ and the punkiest version of ‘Spin The Black Circle’. The when you add to this another nod to the pre-Pearl Jam roots of the band with a soulful version of Mother Love Bone’s (Jeff and Stone’s ill fated previous band) ‘Crown of Thorns’, the show was totally special – as announced by Eddie at the beginning. ‘Wishlist’ made an appearance with the last verse changed to “I wish I was the President..’ and leading to a comment about ‘getting out of Afghanistan’ which receive thunderous applause.
The show began with “Long Road” one of my favourite songs and made all the more special given that the song was recorded and used on Dead Man Walking with Sean Penn, who happened to be sitting right behind me for the entire gig. I even pulled away a guy who was getting in his face. I was proud of myself for not intruding on his privacy and saying anything other than a brief nod when we made eye contact. I can’t lie by saying I would not have loved to have shaken his hand and talk ed to him, but I just didn’t want him taking up my time ?
There is no doubt about it; to really see Pearl Jam these days, you need to see them twice in consecutive shows. It is a real shame that Perth will get one stadium show – two (or more) ent cent shows would have been perfect.
These shows will be high in my memory until the day I die. I’ve now seen Pearl Jam in USA, lived to tell the tale and walk away a betterman – even though this was left off the set list both nights.
The set list:
October 7, 2009 Universal City, California, Gibson Amphitheater
Set List: Long Road, Animal, Hail Hail, Gonna See My Friend, Got Some, Alone, Nothingman, Amongst The Waves, Even Flow, Untitled, Unthought Known, All Those Yesterdays, Why Go, Wishlist, Present Tense, Force Of Nature, The Fixer, Spin The Black Circle, Porch
1st encore: Just Breathe w/string quartet, The End w/string quartet, Lukin w/string quartet, Red Mosquito w/Ben Harper & string quartet, Jazz Odyssey, Love, Reign O'er Me (The Who), Blood/Atomic Dog
2nd encore: State Of Love And Trust, Crown Of Thorns (Mother Love Bone), Kick Out The Jams w/Jerry Cantrell (MC5), Alive, Indifference w/Ben Harper
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