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Veddernarian
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Can’t find any better men
16 November 2009
The West Australian
First
2
For a band that seemed just as likely to crash and burn as any of their Seattle brethren in the early 90s, it is remarkable that Pearl Jam have turned out to be the only band from the scene still standing.
However, the group are far from survivors standing on weary legs. In fact, as anyone who saw them in action on Saturday night will attest, the group continues to thrive and is one of the best live acts in the world in 2009, just as they were in 1991.
A healthy crowd had assembled by the time Ben Harper and Relentless Seven hit the stage, and with the swampy slide-guitar of long time favourite Faded, the Californian quickly won the audiences attention.
However, the crowd really came to life when Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder joined Harper onstage for a startlingly unexpected, but fun rendition of the Queen/David Bowie duet Under Pressure.
With the sun nearly gone and the crowd now near capacity, the anticipation was palpable as Harper left the stage to an appreciative applause. After so long in the game, it seems nigh-on impossible for Pearl Jam to put on anything less than a great show. They are the rare band with enough radio hits to keep casual admirers happy, and a massive back catalogue of album tracks, rarities and covers to draw from to be able to pleasantly surprise even the most die-hard of enthusiasts.
With Perth being the first stop of their Australian tour, the group seemed even more energised than on previous visits as they launched into Breakerfall from 2000’s Binaural. Hard-hitters Why Go and Corduroy followed in quick succession, before Elderly Woman allowed both the casuals and the die-hards to join Vedder and sing along in unison under the clear night sky.
While he may not be the scaffolding-swinging lunatic of the band’s earlier days, Vedder remains one of the most emotive and magnetic performers around.
The rest of the band was also firing on all cylinders: drummer Matt Cameron was indefatigable, while Mike McCready’s soloing was first-rate all night, particularly during the lengthy break down midsection of Even Flow.
Following the first encore break Vedder returned to the stage solo, and somehow managed to make Members Equity Stadium feel almost intimate, with the acoustic ballad Just Breathe from the group’s latest album Backspacer.
Harper returning to the stage to tackle the wailing slide-guitar of Red Mosquito was a definite highlight, while long-time fans would have loved the inclusion of album tracks such as Pilate from 1998’s Yield, and Whipping from 1994’s Vitalogy.
After a riotous Do the Evolution, the band returned for a second encore, bringing Liam Finn onstage to duet with Vedder on Throw Your Arms Around Me, before Vedder handed vocal duties completely to the crowd for the first half of the classic Better Man.
As a final treat after bringing the entire crowd to its feet with a typically inspiring performance of 90s anthem Alive, the evening finally came to a close with live favourite Yellow Ledbetter.
While it may be near impossible for Pearl Jam to not put on a great show, as Yellow Ledbetter’s final guitar lick rang out from McCready’s guitar it was clear the band had conjured something truly special this night, which won’t be forgotten by anyone in attendance anytime soon.
CONCERT
Pearl Jam
Saturday, November 14
Members Equity Stadium
Reviewer: Sam Jeremic
Can’t find any better men
16 November 2009
The West Australian
First
2
For a band that seemed just as likely to crash and burn as any of their Seattle brethren in the early 90s, it is remarkable that Pearl Jam have turned out to be the only band from the scene still standing.
However, the group are far from survivors standing on weary legs. In fact, as anyone who saw them in action on Saturday night will attest, the group continues to thrive and is one of the best live acts in the world in 2009, just as they were in 1991.
A healthy crowd had assembled by the time Ben Harper and Relentless Seven hit the stage, and with the swampy slide-guitar of long time favourite Faded, the Californian quickly won the audiences attention.
However, the crowd really came to life when Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder joined Harper onstage for a startlingly unexpected, but fun rendition of the Queen/David Bowie duet Under Pressure.
With the sun nearly gone and the crowd now near capacity, the anticipation was palpable as Harper left the stage to an appreciative applause. After so long in the game, it seems nigh-on impossible for Pearl Jam to put on anything less than a great show. They are the rare band with enough radio hits to keep casual admirers happy, and a massive back catalogue of album tracks, rarities and covers to draw from to be able to pleasantly surprise even the most die-hard of enthusiasts.
With Perth being the first stop of their Australian tour, the group seemed even more energised than on previous visits as they launched into Breakerfall from 2000’s Binaural. Hard-hitters Why Go and Corduroy followed in quick succession, before Elderly Woman allowed both the casuals and the die-hards to join Vedder and sing along in unison under the clear night sky.
While he may not be the scaffolding-swinging lunatic of the band’s earlier days, Vedder remains one of the most emotive and magnetic performers around.
The rest of the band was also firing on all cylinders: drummer Matt Cameron was indefatigable, while Mike McCready’s soloing was first-rate all night, particularly during the lengthy break down midsection of Even Flow.
Following the first encore break Vedder returned to the stage solo, and somehow managed to make Members Equity Stadium feel almost intimate, with the acoustic ballad Just Breathe from the group’s latest album Backspacer.
Harper returning to the stage to tackle the wailing slide-guitar of Red Mosquito was a definite highlight, while long-time fans would have loved the inclusion of album tracks such as Pilate from 1998’s Yield, and Whipping from 1994’s Vitalogy.
After a riotous Do the Evolution, the band returned for a second encore, bringing Liam Finn onstage to duet with Vedder on Throw Your Arms Around Me, before Vedder handed vocal duties completely to the crowd for the first half of the classic Better Man.
As a final treat after bringing the entire crowd to its feet with a typically inspiring performance of 90s anthem Alive, the evening finally came to a close with live favourite Yellow Ledbetter.
While it may be near impossible for Pearl Jam to not put on a great show, as Yellow Ledbetter’s final guitar lick rang out from McCready’s guitar it was clear the band had conjured something truly special this night, which won’t be forgotten by anyone in attendance anytime soon.
CONCERT
Pearl Jam
Saturday, November 14
Members Equity Stadium
Reviewer: Sam Jeremic
Up here so high I start to shake, Up here so high the sky I scrape, I've no fear but for falling down, So look out below I am falling now, Falling down,...not staying down, Could’ve held me up, rather tear me down, Drown in the river
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Pearl Jam feels the vibe via Oz fans
SAM KELTON, MUSIC WRITER
16 November 2009
The Advertiser
1 - State
23
AUSTRALIAN audiences have a passion unlike anywhere in the world, says one of the biggest names in modern rock, Pearl Jam.
The band will play to an outdoor stadium audience at Adelaide Oval tomorrow night, in what is the first of several big acts to hit Adelaide in coming weeks, including Britney Spears, Nickelback and Tori Amos.
Pearl Jam guitarist Mike McCready said that the band had developed a special bond with its Australian fans and tomorrow night's show will have an unrivalled energy and enthusiasm to say thank you.
``Eddie (Vedder, singer) is aware that he's going to have to bring it to the larger audiences,'' McCready said.
``We want to be playing to the back row on this tour and to transfer that to a larger audience is no small feat - but we can do it, we've been building for this.''
Tickets to the Pearl Jam gig, with support acts Ben Harper and Liam Finn, are still available through Ticketek and at the gate.
Tomorrow night: Sam Kelton reviews the concert
Ageless Pearls retain their lustre
POLLY COUFOS
16 November 2009
The Australian
1 - All-round Country
16
MUSIC
Pearl Jam
Members Equity Stadium, Perth, November 14
THE scene is familiar. A singer is standing onstage silently mouthing the words to one of his hits before thousands of fans.
Towards the end of a 140-minute set Pearl Jam's frontman Eddie Vedder confessed he'd been lip-synching while the crowd sang Betterman. His sweat-drenched face bore the same cheeky smile he'd been wearing all night as he then took the song back and belted it out for all he was worth.
Forget the circus surrounding that other American visitor, this was old-fashioned, passionate rock 'n' roll, based on the simple premise that all an act needs to create a night to remember is a selection of quality songs performed well.
As they move into veteran status, Pearl Jam remains in remarkably good shape, physically and musically.
Now in their 20th year, they maintained a clear focus between old and new and delivered a performance based in the moment.
In a 28-song set they played seven tracks from their latest album, Backspacer, as well as something from most of their other albums, including a handful from their smash debut Ten.
At no point did it feel like nostalgia or that they were merely positioning the new material as bait to once more celebrate the likes of `Do the Evolution, Daughter, or Alive.
Possibly due to the two bottles of tongue-loosening red wine he swigged while on stage, Vedder spoke at length about his time in Perth, including name-checking several young bands he'd seen the night before, dedicating songs to them as well as several local people he'd met.
Vedder is a walking, talking compact case of charisma.
As soon as the singer stopped chatting, the band powered with a sonic assault.
Although less frenetic than they once may have been, they just may be getting better.
An emotional reworking of the Who's Love Reign O'er Me was a highlight.
A very casual duet between Vedder and Liam Finn on the Australian rock classic Throw Your Arms Around Me was sloppy fun.
An earlier duet with Ben Harper, during his support set, on Under Pressure, sat somewhere between the two, with Harper given the unenviable task of reprising Freddie Mercury's part.
Of course he missed by some way, but this music fan wasn't looking for perfection, just a sense of occasion.
It was delivered.
Pearl Jam perform: Adelaide Oval, tomorrow; Etihad Stadium, Melbourne, November 20; Sydney Football Stadium, November 22; QSAC Stadium, Brisbane, November 25.
Pearl Jam, Ben Harper, Relentless7 Kick Off Tour
Blackout Music Management
15 November 2009
20:08
Scoop.co.nz
The mighty Pearl Jam consolidated their reputation as one of the world's best live acts with another fantastic performance at Members Equity Stadium last night – http://http://www.perthnow.com.au
Pearl Jam remain a class act, showing off new album Backspacer and the tunes that were some of the 90's biggest smash hits – http://http://www.watoday.com.au
Monday, 16 November, 2009: — Pearl Jam, Ben Harper & Relentless7 and Liam Finn kicked off their Australian tour in Perth on a balmy Saturday night with over 25,000 elated fans converging on ME Bank Stadium. It was a record capacity for a concert crowd at the venue, for what was a night to remember with the band playing an almost two-and-a-half hour set that the Sunday Times called "entertainment at its finest".
Liam Finn opened the proceedings before Ben Harper and Relentless7 rocked the stage, with Eddie Vedder joining during their set, together performing a cover of Under Pressure.
Ben returned the favour by joining Pearl Jam during their first encore for Red Mosquito, a track they've been regularly performing live together on their recent tour dates. Eddie Vedder then returned to the stage for a second encore, this time with Liam Finn joining them for a self confessed, ‘unrehearsed' rendition of the Hunter's and Collectors classic Australian song Throw Your Arms Around Me, complete with a harmonious backing choir of 25,000 fans.
Promoter, Michael Chugg, summed it all up: "The magic of watching an audience bonding with Pearl Jam, with the same energy of the first time they bonded, some six years ago, some 20 years ago, is why I'm still in the rock n roll business. To be able to see the brilliance and the creativity of Ben Harper and Relentless 7, and to see Liam Finn stand up with EJ Barnes and conquer a stadium audience on the same might, it was just incredible."
A project which kicked off alongside their Australian/New Zealand tour announcement, Pearl Jam Tour TV (http://http://www.pearljamtour.tv) this week launches its 14th episode. Over the more than 3 month long campaign, the weekly webisodes, which go live every Sunday at http://http://www.pearljamtour.tv, have already received well over 115,000 views on you tube and through the course of the campaign, have offered insights into the Pearl Jam fans, the media reaction to the tour, the band's affinity with Australia and New Zealand, and the incredible depth of the connection between each of the acts on the bill.
This week's episode breaks new ground with exclusive behind the scenes footage from their first show in Perth, an insight into the long hours that go into building the show, the anticipation from the fans and footage of Pearl Jam on stage. In addition to live performance footage and a behind the scenes look at production, Pearl Jam Tour TV speaks with Mike McCready, Ben Harper and Relentless 7 and Liam Finn backstage. Go to http://www.pearljamtour.tv, to watch this week's episode of Pearl Jam Tour TV "The Show Begins", filmed in Perth less than 48 hours ago.
Limited tickets are still available for all the remaining shows so you'd better be quick!
AUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND TOUR DATES:
Saturday, 14 November, 2009
Members Equity Stadium, Perth, Australia
Tuesday, 17 November, 2009
Adelaide Oval, Adelaide, Australia
Ticket prices: $123.90 – Gold and $99.90 – Silver
Tickets available from Ticketek - http://http://www.ticketek.com.au
Friday, 20 November, 2009
Etihad Stadium, Melbourne, Australia
Ticket prices: $123.90 – Gold and $99.90 – Silver
Tickets available from Ticketmaster - http://http://www.ticketek.com.au
Sunday, 22 November, 2009
Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney, Australia
Ticket prices: $123.90 – Gold and $99.90 – Silver
Tickets available from Ticketek - http://http://www.ticketek.com.au
Wednesday, 25 November, 2009
QSAC Stadium, Brisbane, Australia
Ticket prices: $123.90 – Gold and $99.90 – Silver
Tickets available from Ticketek - http://http://www.ticketek.com.au
Friday, 27 November, 2009
Mt Smart, Auckland, New Zealand
Ticket prices: $119.50 – Gold and $99.50 – Silver
Tickets available from Ticketek: http://http://www.ticketek.com.au
Sunday, 29 November, 2009
AMI Stadium, Christchurch, New Zealand
Ticket prices: $119.50 – Gold and $99.50 – Silver
Tickets available from Ticketek: http://http://www.ticketek.com.au
By JAY HANNA
15 November 2009
Sunday Times (Perth)
5 - Final
35
TWENTY-FIVE thousand ecstatic fans last night welcomed Pearl Jam back to Perth after a three-year absence.
The Seattle band, which rose to prominence during the early 1990s grunge era, all but filled Members Equity Stadium for the start of their Australian tour.
Considered one of the best live acts in the world, the five-piece kicked off their set with Breakerfall from Binaural.
The set included songs from throughout Pearl Jam's nine-album career, including songs from their latest album Backspacer.
``This is the start of our fifth Australian tour,'' singer Eddie Vedder told the crowd.
``We've always played Perth last, but this time we're not saving the best til last, we're starting here.''
Ben Harper and his latest outfit, Relentless 7, warmed up the crowd, with Vedder making a cameo on David Bowie's Under Pressure.
Pearl Jam sounded incredible from the start, filling the stadium with their powerful sound.
Old favourites such as Even Flow and Daughter received the most cheers and inspired mass singalongs from fans.
Touching on the recent Britney Spears lip-synching debacle, which sparked calls for artists to declare they would be lip-synching, Vedder joked: ``I have a public service announcement to make -- there will be some lip synching tonight. Not so I can dance or change outfits, it's so I can drink and smoke.''
17 November 2009
Stirling Times
1
2
PEARL Jam lead singer Eddie Vedder gave a big shout out to Scarborough at Saturday nights concert in Perth.
Surfing fanatic Vedder dedicated the song Big Wave to lead guitarist Mike McCready, who spent time with Vedder before the show at Scarborough Beach, trying to catch a few waves.
It was one of many local references Vedder made in front of an estimated 30,000 fans.
Vedder also joked several times that he was lip-synching his vocals.
WITH JESSICA HURT, ANNA VLACH AND HELENE SOBOLEWSKI
18 November 2009
The Advertiser
1 - State
22
PEARL Jam fan Daniel Eramiha, right, thought he had more chance of winning the lottery than getting to meet frontman Eddie Vedder and guitarist Mike McCready.
But on Monday night at Glenelg, that very thing happened. And while a lotto windfall is nowhere in sight and Daniel's bank balance hasn't been boosted, he's much richer for the experience.
A singer-guitarist in Adelaide cover band Black Star and co-manager at Derringers Music, Daniel finished up a sound check late Monday night when a mate alerted him, via Facebook, that Eddie was playing pool at a Glenelg pool hall.
Daniel didn't hesitate in grabbing his treasured guitar and heading down to the bay, getting his instrument signed not only by Eddie but by Mike and Pearl Jam supporting artist Ben Harper, who was also out and about in Glenelg.
``It still seems very surreal,'' Daniel tells Confidential. ``He (Eddie) was lovely - really patient with everybody and when he spoke to you he really let you know that he was listening.''
Daniel says his band - which is performing this weekend at East End nightspot The Elephant - often receives requests for Pearl Jam tracks. Many of Eddie and Co's tunes are massive crowd pleasers and now will take on a special meaning when Daniel beats them out.
``I'm still numb now. If I didn't have the signatures I just would have thought I was dreaming,'' says Daniel, who after the late-night meeting called his parents interstate, waking them and excitedly detailing his encounter. - Jessica Leo
Pearl Jam shows it's hard to find a better band
SAM KELTON, MUSIC WRITER
18 November 2009
The Advertiser
2 - Metro
20
ADELAIDE Oval was awash with a sea of music fans young and old as Seattle rockers Pearl Jam blasted the sun from the summer sky with a wall of guitar squeals last night.
More than 20,000 revellers savoured one of the year's finest rock performances with the veteran band showing no signs of fatigue after almost 20 years.
As gates opened, hundreds flocked to secure a front spot for the legendary band.
They were superbly supported by special guests Liam Finn and Ben Harper and the Relentless Seven - whom frontman Eddie Vedder joined onstage for an inspiring sing-a-long of Queen's classic Under Pressure.
Pearl Jam then opened their set with Release from its brilliant debut album Ten.
The slow builder soon gave way to a powerful rock show with the always-vocal Vedder chatting regularly with the large crowd about the perfect weather.
Onstage for more than two hours, the band reeled off the hits and fan favourites including Even Flow, Why Go and I Got ID, during which Vedder apologised for messing up the lyrics, joking ``well at least you know I'm not lip syncing''.
Vedder also told the audience about a letter he received from Adelaide paraplegic athlete Mel Leckie, saying it moved him to donate ``a few thousand dollars'' to her cause.
The affable frontman managed to make the band's stadium gig an intimate show, with the ballads Elderly woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town.
19 November 2009
Joondalup Times
1
24
Pearl Jam rocked out in front of 25,000 fans last weekend.
THERE may have been jokes about lip-synching, but Pearl Jam delivered the real deal in their epic return to Perth last Saturday night.
About 25,000 music fans were treated to a night of classic rock, where substance ruled over style.
But while the acoustics at ME Bank Stadium far outshine what else is on offer in this city, entering the venue proved an utter debacle.
Sadly, most of Ben Harper and Relentless7s set was heard from a distance while waiting in line.
Luckily, aggravation turned to wonderment when, on entering the stadium, Eddie Vedder swaggered on stage to join Harper for a soaring rendition of the Queen and David Bowie duet Under Pressure, perhaps the live local musical highlight of the year.
The Seattle five-piece then came out all guns blazing with surprise opener, Breakerfall.
Fan favourites Why Go and Corduroy came next before a heartfelt rendition of the superlative Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town, which Vedder said reminded him of Yallingup.
Songs from latest album, Backspacer, featured heavily in the two-and-a-half hour set, with new tracks such as Amongst the Waves fitting in perfectly with classics like Daughter and Even Flow.
Breaking up the encore which played out like a mini greatest hits set with the likes of Better Man, Alive, Do The Evolution and Given to Fly was the now customary cover of the Hunters and Collectors classic, Throw Your Arms Around Me.
It was another spontaneous yet magical musical moment that demonstrated why live acts like Pearl Jam are few and far between.
Ross McRae
After playing this he then spoke to the "12 Year Old Kid" who was holding a 'G'day From Yallingup' sign.
Pearl Jam set to impress fans
By Kathy McCabe, Music Editor From: The Daily Telegraph November 20, 2009 12:43AM Increase Text Size Decrease Text Size Print Email Share Add to Digg Add to del.icio.us Add to Facebook Add to Kwoff Add to Myspace Add to Newsvine What are these?
Pearl Jam lead singer Eddie Vedder performs at the Spectrum in Philadelphia, Saturday, Oct. 31, 2009. Source: The Daily Telegraph
PEARL Jam fans have never been of the passive variety. They buy into their ethos as much as they do their music and are rewarded with the kind of consideration few bands devote to the very people who support their career.
The most striking evidence of Pearl Jam's endeavour to make sure the people who bought tickets have as great a time at the gigs as they do is their setlist.
Send us your best Pearl Jam playlist
Guitarist Mike McCready says their rehearsals are dedicated to examining every setlist from every gig they have played in a city before assembling the roster of songs for the next show.
The songs from their return-to-form record Backspacer are being rotated through the shows, alongside tracks from their catalogue of eight other studio records plus B sides and covers.
"We have a ridiculous amount of material," McCready says. "Eddie [Vedder] will look over every single setlist we have ever played in Perth or Sydney and we'll throw out ideas as to what this particular moment, this show means to us."
Start of sidebar.
Related Coverage
Readers' Comments: It's hard to find a better band Adelaide Now,
Readers' Comments: Pearl Jam feels the vibe Adelaide Now,
Ageless Pearls retain their lustre The Australian, 4 days ago
Pearl Jam rock Perth . . . again Perth Now, 4 days ago
Harper and Pearl Jam heading to Oz Daily Telegraph, 6 Nov 2009
End of sidebar.
So do the five bandmates have high-distinction diplomas from the Pearl Jam College in terms of knowing their history?
"I think our fans are bigger and better students of Pearl Jam than we are," he laughs. "But we do have to do some woodshedding, for sure, to remember parts of some songs we may not have played for a while. Me and Stone [Gossard] will generally go backstage to work things out, looking at each other and saying 'That's not how it goes'."
McCready will be voting for an AC/DC or The Angels cover to be played by the band during their Australian tour. When we spoke he had been playing some tunes from both bands on his guitar in his hotel room, getting ready just in case Vedder gives him the nod. It wasn't to be in Perth, where Throw Your Arms Around Me added the local flavour.
"I would do The Angels myself. Of course I love
AC/DC but I grew up on No Exit and Night Attack
and covering No Secrets but I don't think Eddie knows The Angels," McCready says. "That is the Australian music that meant so much to me, maybe because me and my friends were the only ones who knew them.
"But I definitely don't give Angus [Young] enough credit for influencing my playing."
One influence which has always loomed large on Pearl Jam records and is shared by the five members
of the band is the ocean.
McCready arrived in Australia two weeks before the tour kicked off in Perth last Saturday and spent his time surfing on the Gold Coast.
He cites Oceans as his favourite water-related track from their catalogue and gives a thumbs up to their most recent offering Amongst The Waves, which is getting a regular hit-out on the Backspacer tour.
"I was out trying to catch some waves when we got to Perth but it was pretty gnarly," he says. "Not for the young locals though, they have no fear."
Pearl Jam, Ben Harper and Relentless7 with Liam Finn perform at Sydney Football Stadium on Sunday
Send us your ultimate Pearl Jam setlist
dailytelegraph.com.au
Pearl Jam triumphs on a night when everyone raised a sweat
Bernard Zuel
24 November 2009
The Sydney Morning Herald
13
ROCK
PEARL JAM
Sydney Football Stadium, November 22
Reviewed by Bernard Zuel
THERE are different ways to do a stadium show: U2 go for big ideas, big sets and big emotional involvement; Metallica take the approach popularised during a certain tour of Europe circa 1939-40 of steamrollering anything in its path; Bruce Springsteen goes long, goes sweaty and (if they haven't stuffed up the SCG sound again) goes triumphant.
For Pearl Jam, the approach is a bit of all of the above as a stupidly hot Sydney night barely crawled towards the promised southerly.
Eschewing flashy sets and gimmickry, the Americans trade on their intensity of purpose, the compelling argument they have always had against the star-struck media cheerleaders who once laughably declared Nirvana artistic rebels and the men of Pearl Jam careerists when differences between the bands really were negligible.
The earnestness can of course be a little tiring even for the non-cynical, but it doesn't feel contrived and genuinely creates a communal atmosphere in a 35,000-seat "room".
Still, for those like the man along the row from me - shirtless, about two-hours-and-a-slab past being merely pissed and displaying an alarming amount of plumber's crack - who are less concerned with social justice and more about goin' off mate, Pearl Jam don't lack ammunition.
From the opening pair of Why Go and Hail Hail there was a not entirely subtle but often compelling brooding power which radiated outwards rather than raged internally.
This side of Pearl Jam became a little dull a few times, notably around the ponderous Light Years and Last Exit nearing the end of the first set. And there rarely was a melodic quality to match the vigour except for the covers: a wonky Throw Your Arms Around Me done with Liam Finn and their regular expansive take on Neil Young's Rockin' the Free World, which closed the night.
But in the best moments, none better than Even Flow where Mike McCready delivered that rare thing, a continually exciting long guitar solo, Pearl Jam were a rock band without bombast made up of adult men in touch with their inner-teen punk.
Eddie Vedder's flu-damaged voice (the problem only really noticeable against Liam Finn's sweet tones) cut the show short at about two hours with at least seven or eight listed songs dropped from the encores.
They did go long (enough), they most certainly did go sweaty and within their limitations, they did go triumphantly. Job done then.
23 November 2009
World Entertainment News Network
Nov 23, 2009 (WENN via COMTEX) -- EDDIE VEDDER braved a bad bout of influenza to play a PEARL JAM concert for thrilled fans in Sydney, Australia on Sunday (22Nov09).
The rocker was concerned he wouldn't be able to perform because of his illness and at the start of the show warned fans in the 40,000-strong crowd his voice wasn't in peak condition.
But he managed to battle through the virus and the scorching heat at the Sydney Football Stadium - and even surprised ticketholders by collaborating with support act Liam Finn on the Hunters & Collectors' classic Throw Your Arms Around Me.
The star also conquered his sore throat to put in a guest performance on Under Pressure during Ben Harper's set with new band Relentless7.
The night's most emotional moment came as Vedder brought a fan who almost lost her life in a car accident onstage to sing a special Happy Birthday tribute to her.
Pearl Jam rocks hard in Adelaide
25 November 2009
East Torrens Messenger
1 - FIRST
22
CONCERT REVIEW: Pearl Jam, Adelaide Oval, November 17
THE Adelaide Oval scoreboard welcomed Pearl Jam to our city on Tuesday, November 17, and the Seattle band responded warmly and loudly.
While not as young as they used to be when they formed 19 years ago, Pearl Jam members have lost none of their passion (or volume!).
Many long-time supporters shared the oval with much younger fans.
Most were too embroiled in the evening's heat and revelry to misbehave, with the exception of one tall bloke near the front, who received a tongue lashing from lead singer Eddie Vedder to ``watch his elbows''.
Set-list regulars Betterman and Daughter made way for the likes of long-lost Rearviewmirror.
Eddie halted proceedings to amusingly request a bottle of wine that was older than the 2009 he was holding. ``Isn't it 2009 now? This was bottled on (checks bottle) . . . Friday.''
The oval was an atmospheric venue to celebrate Pearl Jam's sixth Adelaide visit.
Opening track Release had kicked off at sunset, but joyous final number Yellow Ledbetter was lit up by the light towers.
Support act Ben Harper was sublime in his cameos on Red Mosquito and Indifference.
Council time constraints or not - this was a special night in Adelaide's musical history.
Pearls before a loyal following
Cameron Adams
21 November 2009
Herald-Sun
2 - SECOND
19
PEARL Jam is a different kind of stadium band.
They let their fan-club members in early to get prime position.
They research set lists from each time they've been to a city to make sure they're not repeating themselves. This is important: no two Pearl Jam shows are the same -- the reason they've made a whole second career selling legal bootlegs of live shows.
Such loyalty to their fans works both ways -- nearly 50,000 fans turned up to Etihad Stadium last night.
Their 2009 world tour comes on the back of their return-to-form album Backspacer.
A swag of songs from Backspacer were littered through their set, which included fan favourites and key album tracks rather than just the usual greatest hits sets most rock bands at their level serve up.
After noting the crowd looked like an ''ocean'', frontman Eddie Vedder, who chugged from a bottle of wine all night, tested the waters early on with hard-rocking oldie Animal and harder-rocking newbie Got Soul.
Hits -- such as Jeremy, Daughter (with a nod to Another Brick in the Wall) and Even Flow with an impressive Mike McCready solo -- mixed with new songs such as latest single The Fixer (already a singalong favourite), the beautiful Just Breathe and See My Friends, dedicated to Nick Cave.
That wasn't Vedder's only shout out to a hometown hero -- Vedder dedicated Given to Fly to freshly retired Richmond star ``Richo'' Matthew Richardson, who was luckily in the crowd.
Ben Harper warmed the crowd with his new band Relentless 7.
Eddie Vedder joined Harper for a surprise cover of the Queen/David Bowie classic Under Pressure.
Our wines rockin'
WITH JESSICA HURT, ANNA VLACH AND HELENE SOBOLEWSKI
23 November 2009
The Advertiser
1 - State
20
PEARL Jam fans will be happy to know the band is no longer drinking bad wine. You may remember we told you last week Eddie Vedder wasn't happy with the wine provided to drink onstage during their Adelaide Oval gig. Well, Amanda Pritchard and winemaker beau Glenn James sent top SA wines to tour promoter Michael Chugg.
We know the wine made it to the boys because at Pearl Jam's Melbourne gig on Friday, Ed remarked to support act Ben Harper: ``Hey Ben, this wine is so much better than the stuff they gave us in Adelaide.''
Wham bam ... thank-you Jam
Nathan Davies
22 November 2009
Sunday Mail
1 - State
95
ROCK
Pearl Jam
With Ben Harper and Liam Finn, Adelaide Oval, November 17.
*****
FEW bands can stay relevant for the best part of 20 years, and few bands can deliver a live show like Pearl Jam.
Eddie Vedder is a frontman par excellence, and from the opening strains of Release it was obvious the 20,000 at Adelaide Oval were in for a treat. Vedder was in fine form, praising the wonderful location (``We've played a lot of ovals, but none as beautiful as this one'') and admonishing a mosh-pit bully (``I got my eye on you a - - hole'').
But it was the music the people had come for and Pearl Jam delivered.
Roaring through a set list that included crowd favourites (Even Flow, Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town, Blood, Alive), some more obscure tracks (the brilliant Smile off the criminaly underrated No Code ) and some live rarities (Rearviewmirror). The highlights were too many to mention, but Red Mosquito with Ben Harper on guitar and an amazing cover of The Who's The Real Me will be burned into my brain for a long time. While there may have been some issues with catering (queuing for an hour for a cup of XXXX? How do people do it?) and ticketing (last-minute price reductions are not fair on those who paid full price) there were no complaints about a band that's still totally on top of its game.
Gig of the year so far.
Pearl Jam lends hand
PEOPLEl CHLOE KENNEDY
25 November 2009
City North Messenger
STAMES
1 - FIRST
8
AS PEARL Jam belted out State of Love and Trust at Adelaide Oval, Collinswood wheelchair athlete Melissa Leckie had no idea she would soon be closer to reaching the 2012 London Paralympics.
``But then the band pulled out this letter and before they even opened it I knew,'' Leckie says.
In front of more than 20,000 people, Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder read the letter from 25 year old Leckie, detailing her plight to fund her passage to the Paralympics.
Vedder then promised the band's support, offering her ``a couple of grand'' to help make it to London.
``I was crying and I couldn't even speak,'' Leckie told the City North Messenger a few days after the November 17 concert. ``I nearly fell out of my wheelchair.
``I'm an Australian asking Americans to help me get to the Paralympics, I mean, there is nothing in it for them.
``It's like being in the Paralympics - you wonder did it really happen.''
Leckie, who is paralysed from the stomach down, represented Australia at the 2008 Beijing Paralympics in hand cycling, where she came sixth and eighth.
``I am arms only (athlete), I don't have any stomach muscles and I was competing with people that could kneel.''
She spent the months leading up to the Games busking with her bike in Rundle Mall so she could afford to go. Knowing how difficult it would be to get to the London Games, Leckie wrote a letter to her number one band Pearl Jam in the hope they would be able to help.
``A couple of days before (the concert) I decided to write this in a letter to Pearl Jam and sent one to Vedder, Jeff (Ament), Stone (Gossard), Mike (McCready) and Matt (Cameron).
``One of the letters I even threw over the fence outside their (tour) vans.
``I had absolutely no idea if they had even received it or read it.
``I thought if you don't ask, you don't really know (what can happen).'' Leckie says the boost has come at the perfect time, as she is nearing the end of her teaching degree at the University of South Australia and is ready to get back into full-time training.
``In front of 20,000 people, that's the biggest publicity possible for me.
``It will definitely get me back into gear.
``As far as motivation goes, if this isn't the biggest kick up the arse I don't know what is.''
Pearl Jam is well-known for its charity work and political activism, including raising money for various health and environmental causes and encouraging more Americans to vote.
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