Paul Jam - Paul Andrews' Blog - Dunsborough, Western Australia

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.

I just witnessed one of the most amazing concerts of my life. If this is not one of Pearl Jam’s finest shows ever, then this band is even more incredible than I can comprehend. The show I witnessed, from about 15 metres from the stage has left my ears ringing, my throat hoarse and my heat pounding.

A show of hits, album tracks, rarities and three incredible guest appearances including an extremely rare reformation of all the members of Temple Of The Dog, for probably the finest ever version of the pre-ten classic, Hunger Strike – featuring the one and only Chris Cornell. This one song will go down in Pearl Jam folklore – and I was there to see it. I’m totally awestruck baby!

I’m in Hollywood – or at least ‘Universal City’. After avoiding this place for the last few trips I’ve done over here, I’m glad the prospect of seeing Pearl Jam twice in the USA brought me back. I’m enjoying it.

The day started well enough with a great sleep and some time to catch up on work I needed to do on the SSTUWA website. But then the bill for my hotel was slipped under my door. As well as the charge for he room, there was a $500 fee for ‘international phone calls’. Considering I’d made a total of about 20 minutes of phone calls to Australia, I was not very happy. Needless to say, after a shower, my first stop was the hotel reception.