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Vancouver Sun Review of EV Show
http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=261ec2bd-cc59-474c-9195-433b294b915a&k=99796
Review: Eddie Vedder shows he's still a vocal social activist
By AMY O'BRIAN
Vancouver Sun
Thursday, April 03, 2008
CREDIT:
Eddie Vedder performs on the first night of his solo tour at The Centre for Performing Arts
VANCOUVER - Eddie Vedder is quieter now than he was during Pearl Jam's noisy breakout on the Seattle grunge scene 15 years ago.
But his toned-down sound and mellowed out stage presence should not be mistaken for complacency.
The Pearl Jam front man gave a solo performance Wednesday night at the Centre in Vancouver for Performing Arts that proved he is still able to sing and wail like he used to and is still a vocal social activist.
The two-hour show was an intimate affair that saw Vedder chatting back and forth with the audience, touching on local news items - including his disapproval of the removal of the upside-down church sculpture at Coal Harbour - and flubbing lyrics as though he was singing to a group of friends.
But Wednesday's sold-out show was the first of Vedder's brief West Coast solo tour, which explained and excused - to some degree - his brief memory lapses.
Sitting on a stool, surrounded by retro suitcases, an old reel-to-reel audio recorder, and an upturned case of Corona, Vedder created the illusion that you were watching him play in his basement.
The grunge-era icon was relaxed and calm as he worked his way through a set list that covered all the bases. He started things off with a few Pearl Jam songs, including Around the Bend, I am Mine, and Dead Man. The songs were solid, but far from the best of the night, as he seemed to rush through them.
Next was a set of songs from the soundtrack for the film, Into the Wild, which is the promotional reason for the tour.
The songs are poetic and emotional - perfect for an intimate solo performance.
When Vedder stopped abruptly part way through Guaranteed, a gorgeous song from the soundtrack, the vocal crowd didn't seem to mind, yelling out, "We love you Eddie."
The audience of 1,800 was so loud that Vedder had to ask for complete silence as he concentrated on the lyrics for No Ceiling, another highlight from the soundtrack.
There was plenty of random banter between songs, but Vedder used it to take shots against China - regarding the situation in Tibet - and George W. Bush.
"I read something else in the paper today. And this is what separates me from the current United States president. I can read," he said.
The show was divided - slightly awkwardly - into sets. After Vedder finished with the Into the Wild portion of the show, he launched into the covers set.
He did a heart-wrenching rendition of James Taylor's Millworker, which tells the story of a hard-working, but soul-dead labourer with lyrics such as: "My life has been wasted and I have been the fool, to let this manufacturer use my body for a tool."
The crowd rallied and sang along to the Beatles' You've Got to Hide Your Love Away and for Tom Petty's I Won't Back Down.
But Vedder's version of Cat Stevens' Trouble nearly brought tears to my eyes. It was visceral and pained.
Vedder wasn't going to let anyone go home feeling blue though. He ended the show - on the second encore - with the best performance of the night (spoiler alert for anyone who's planning to see Vedder on this tour).
A drum kit was rolled out for Liam Finn, who had opened the show (and who happens to be the son of Neil Finn, of Split Enz and Crowded House.) And a sunnier, beach-themed backdrop was revealed to liven peoples' spirits.
The familiar beat of Hard Sun - which is a song I loved when it was first released by Canadian singer-songwriter Indio back in 1989 - began and the crowd jumped to its feet.
It was the first real heart-thumping performance of the night, and sadly the last.
Vedder on his own was moving and, at times, quite stunning. He was amusing and endearing, but the show fell flat in places.
Then again, Eddie Vedder probably doesn't feel the need to prove anything to anybody. He's an icon. And a respectable, active and talented one at that.
aobrian@png.canwest.com
Review: Eddie Vedder shows he's still a vocal social activist
By AMY O'BRIAN
Vancouver Sun
Thursday, April 03, 2008
CREDIT:
Eddie Vedder performs on the first night of his solo tour at The Centre for Performing Arts
VANCOUVER - Eddie Vedder is quieter now than he was during Pearl Jam's noisy breakout on the Seattle grunge scene 15 years ago.
But his toned-down sound and mellowed out stage presence should not be mistaken for complacency.
The Pearl Jam front man gave a solo performance Wednesday night at the Centre in Vancouver for Performing Arts that proved he is still able to sing and wail like he used to and is still a vocal social activist.
The two-hour show was an intimate affair that saw Vedder chatting back and forth with the audience, touching on local news items - including his disapproval of the removal of the upside-down church sculpture at Coal Harbour - and flubbing lyrics as though he was singing to a group of friends.
But Wednesday's sold-out show was the first of Vedder's brief West Coast solo tour, which explained and excused - to some degree - his brief memory lapses.
Sitting on a stool, surrounded by retro suitcases, an old reel-to-reel audio recorder, and an upturned case of Corona, Vedder created the illusion that you were watching him play in his basement.
The grunge-era icon was relaxed and calm as he worked his way through a set list that covered all the bases. He started things off with a few Pearl Jam songs, including Around the Bend, I am Mine, and Dead Man. The songs were solid, but far from the best of the night, as he seemed to rush through them.
Next was a set of songs from the soundtrack for the film, Into the Wild, which is the promotional reason for the tour.
The songs are poetic and emotional - perfect for an intimate solo performance.
When Vedder stopped abruptly part way through Guaranteed, a gorgeous song from the soundtrack, the vocal crowd didn't seem to mind, yelling out, "We love you Eddie."
The audience of 1,800 was so loud that Vedder had to ask for complete silence as he concentrated on the lyrics for No Ceiling, another highlight from the soundtrack.
There was plenty of random banter between songs, but Vedder used it to take shots against China - regarding the situation in Tibet - and George W. Bush.
"I read something else in the paper today. And this is what separates me from the current United States president. I can read," he said.
The show was divided - slightly awkwardly - into sets. After Vedder finished with the Into the Wild portion of the show, he launched into the covers set.
He did a heart-wrenching rendition of James Taylor's Millworker, which tells the story of a hard-working, but soul-dead labourer with lyrics such as: "My life has been wasted and I have been the fool, to let this manufacturer use my body for a tool."
The crowd rallied and sang along to the Beatles' You've Got to Hide Your Love Away and for Tom Petty's I Won't Back Down.
But Vedder's version of Cat Stevens' Trouble nearly brought tears to my eyes. It was visceral and pained.
Vedder wasn't going to let anyone go home feeling blue though. He ended the show - on the second encore - with the best performance of the night (spoiler alert for anyone who's planning to see Vedder on this tour).
A drum kit was rolled out for Liam Finn, who had opened the show (and who happens to be the son of Neil Finn, of Split Enz and Crowded House.) And a sunnier, beach-themed backdrop was revealed to liven peoples' spirits.
The familiar beat of Hard Sun - which is a song I loved when it was first released by Canadian singer-songwriter Indio back in 1989 - began and the crowd jumped to its feet.
It was the first real heart-thumping performance of the night, and sadly the last.
Vedder on his own was moving and, at times, quite stunning. He was amusing and endearing, but the show fell flat in places.
Then again, Eddie Vedder probably doesn't feel the need to prove anything to anybody. He's an icon. And a respectable, active and talented one at that.
aobrian@png.canwest.com
Van 92.07.21 / Van 98.07.19 / Sea 98.07.22 / Tor 98.08.22 / Sea 00.11.06 / Van 03.05.30/ Van 05.09.02/ Gorge 06.07.22 & 23 / EV Van 08.04.02 / Tor 09.08.21 / Sea 09.09.21 & 22 / Van 09.09.25 / Van 11.09.25 / Van 13.12.04 / Pem 16.07.17 / Sea 18.08.10
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Montreal/98, Toronto/00'03'05'06x2, Brad Toronto/02, Buffalo/03, Kitchener/05, London/05, Hamilton/05, Late Show Taping/06, Cleveland/06, Pittsburgh/06, Bridge School Benefit Concert/06, Hartford/08, Mansfield 1/08, EV Montreal/08x2, EV Toronto/08x2...