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Article - The Patriot Ledger - Mansfield 1 [mixed] review
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Why go see Pearl Jam? Because their music comes alive
30 June 2008
The Patriot Ledger
RUN OF PAPER
21
CONCERT REVIEW
Pearl Jam is one of the hottest tickets of the summer concert season, as a security guard at the Comcast Center noted before Saturday's sold-out show, the first of two at the Mansfield shed.
Saturday's 24-song, two-hour, 10-minute show was the kind of exhaustive barnburner the Seattle sextet has become famous for, leaving most of the 20,000 there satiated by its end, precisely at the 11 p.m. curfew.
With its second show tonight, and many fans prone to seeing multiple shows, the band varies its set lists admirably, and Saturday's was no exception.
There were some lesser-known tunes, both old and new, but also most of the group's signature hits. That being said, Saturday's first hour was kind of hit-or-miss, with too many songs sounding too much alike.
The second half of the concert, packed with those driving rockers that vaulted the grunge kings into mass popularity, was much better.
Pearl Jam combines heavy metal dynamics with punk or garage-band style better than anyone. At best, those elements serve songwriter Eddie Vedder's tales of personal anguish, giving listeners their own catharsis as Vedder expels his demons.
In later years, Vedder has shifted the focus off himself and tackled larger themes like politics, where all that outrage finds plenty of ammunition. Pearl Jam has kept, and even expanded, its fan base throughout, even if many might not support or even understand all the politics.
Things get off the rails somewhat with lesser-known songs because too often Vedder's impassioned yowl blurs the words.
The rumbling midtempo opener, "Hard to Imagine," was kind of static, but the full-bore fury of "Why Go?" got the night rolling.
Oddly, the video screens in the pavilion were not used, although the screens for lawn patrons were functioning. A fiery guitar duel between Mike McCready and Stone Gossard made "Comatose" a raging delight.
The thunderous chords of "Corduroy" ignited the crowd's fist- pumping joy. "Down" was another roaring blast that kept the first half going.
The tumbling power of "Evenflow" marked the start of the superb homestretch, although its power was dissipated a bit by a pair of over-long guitar solos. The roadhouse blues feel of "Do the Evolution Baby" could have come from the White Stripes.
The surging "Once" was vintage Pearl Jam, Vedder's passion perfectly in sync with the music's transporting power. The main set ended with "Rear View Mirror," which lacked focus.
Pearl Jam's first encore began with a blistering cover of The Who's "Love Reign O'er Me." Vedder's impressive vocal range was matched by superb acoustic and electric guitars and even an organ solo from his mates.
"Come Back" sounded like a tear-in-your-beer country ballad, but the riveting guitar figures of "Insignificance" got matters boiling again.
"Black" featured one of Vedder's best vocals, droning out his pain as the band amped up the tension. "Better Man" became a mass sing-along as the crowd sang the choruses back at Vedder.
The second encore segment was highlighted by "No More," an antiwar song Vedder performed solo, explaining it was for a friend who returned crippled from Iraq. Noting his support of servicemen in general, Vedder noted the incongruity of having a Marine Corps recruiting station at the concert venue, and hoped no one had signed up.
That got mostly cheers, although the pair of young men who were behind me smoking pot all night grumbled about Vedder making money in this country despite his views.
But if Vedder isn't converting everyone, by the time the band ended with "Alive," 20,000 had at least achieved a few moments of communal release.
JAY N. MILLER For The Patriot Ledger
Why go see Pearl Jam? Because their music comes alive
30 June 2008
The Patriot Ledger
RUN OF PAPER
21
CONCERT REVIEW
Pearl Jam is one of the hottest tickets of the summer concert season, as a security guard at the Comcast Center noted before Saturday's sold-out show, the first of two at the Mansfield shed.
Saturday's 24-song, two-hour, 10-minute show was the kind of exhaustive barnburner the Seattle sextet has become famous for, leaving most of the 20,000 there satiated by its end, precisely at the 11 p.m. curfew.
With its second show tonight, and many fans prone to seeing multiple shows, the band varies its set lists admirably, and Saturday's was no exception.
There were some lesser-known tunes, both old and new, but also most of the group's signature hits. That being said, Saturday's first hour was kind of hit-or-miss, with too many songs sounding too much alike.
The second half of the concert, packed with those driving rockers that vaulted the grunge kings into mass popularity, was much better.
Pearl Jam combines heavy metal dynamics with punk or garage-band style better than anyone. At best, those elements serve songwriter Eddie Vedder's tales of personal anguish, giving listeners their own catharsis as Vedder expels his demons.
In later years, Vedder has shifted the focus off himself and tackled larger themes like politics, where all that outrage finds plenty of ammunition. Pearl Jam has kept, and even expanded, its fan base throughout, even if many might not support or even understand all the politics.
Things get off the rails somewhat with lesser-known songs because too often Vedder's impassioned yowl blurs the words.
The rumbling midtempo opener, "Hard to Imagine," was kind of static, but the full-bore fury of "Why Go?" got the night rolling.
Oddly, the video screens in the pavilion were not used, although the screens for lawn patrons were functioning. A fiery guitar duel between Mike McCready and Stone Gossard made "Comatose" a raging delight.
The thunderous chords of "Corduroy" ignited the crowd's fist- pumping joy. "Down" was another roaring blast that kept the first half going.
The tumbling power of "Evenflow" marked the start of the superb homestretch, although its power was dissipated a bit by a pair of over-long guitar solos. The roadhouse blues feel of "Do the Evolution Baby" could have come from the White Stripes.
The surging "Once" was vintage Pearl Jam, Vedder's passion perfectly in sync with the music's transporting power. The main set ended with "Rear View Mirror," which lacked focus.
Pearl Jam's first encore began with a blistering cover of The Who's "Love Reign O'er Me." Vedder's impressive vocal range was matched by superb acoustic and electric guitars and even an organ solo from his mates.
"Come Back" sounded like a tear-in-your-beer country ballad, but the riveting guitar figures of "Insignificance" got matters boiling again.
"Black" featured one of Vedder's best vocals, droning out his pain as the band amped up the tension. "Better Man" became a mass sing-along as the crowd sang the choruses back at Vedder.
The second encore segment was highlighted by "No More," an antiwar song Vedder performed solo, explaining it was for a friend who returned crippled from Iraq. Noting his support of servicemen in general, Vedder noted the incongruity of having a Marine Corps recruiting station at the concert venue, and hoped no one had signed up.
That got mostly cheers, although the pair of young men who were behind me smoking pot all night grumbled about Vedder making money in this country despite his views.
But if Vedder isn't converting everyone, by the time the band ended with "Alive," 20,000 had at least achieved a few moments of communal release.
JAY N. MILLER For The Patriot Ledger
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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Comments
That pretty much sums up the ignorance of the "shut up and sing" crowd.
Who can speak out by their standards? Only the obscure and unsuccessful?
Ridiculous.
Artists have been making social commentary since the first caveman
scrawled a picture on a cave wall.
Get over it.
I'll ride the wave where it takes me...
i don't see how PJ making money is in any way in spite of his views. PJ makes their money _by_ voicing their views! that's what art is all about! vedder doesn't criticize america, he criticizes the motives and actions (and inactions) of the people making decisions and influencing policy in America, which is as American as apple pie, baseball, and the first amendment.
This guy clearly is not a fan of the long jams. He even said Evenflow had two long guitar solos. SIR that is one real longggggggggggg solo not two solos.
6/7/2003 (***1/2)
7/9/2006 (****1/2)
7/13/2006 (**** )
4/10/2008 EV Solo (****1/2)
6/25/2008 MSG II (*****)
10/1/2009 LA II (****)
10/6/2009 LA III (***** Cornell!!!)
if it were a rolling stone artical, then the columnist would have had a better prior understanding of PJ's body of work, and would have written a more complimentary article.
this is just an example of what a non-fanatic would think of the show, and all-in-all, i'd say it wasn't bad....i'm sure everyone on this forum already understands the shortcomings of this n00b.
:-)
I thought the world...Turns out the world thought me
I have no problem pointing out people's (including Ed's) hypocrisy, but what is exactly hypocrtitical about being rich and against the war. Athough the media likes to put us in buckets (Rich=Conservative, Poor=Liberal), being wealthy should have nothing to do with your opinion of the war, the democratic process, the environment or the uplifting of society. All things Ed clearly has an opinion on.
I have been lucky and worked hard all my life and would be considered a wealthy man by most. I am also against the war, worked on many enviromental issues and would be considered a liberal. Most of my friends and work associates are not. This leads to healthy (sometimes heated) debates, but that is what makes America great.
could you please explain what's hypocritical about eddie's comments? I'm an independent, (fiscal conservative, social liberal, but not too far in either direction) and ther are some opinions of eddies that i find to be more liberal than my own, but i've never been able to knock him for inconsistency or hypocricy.
EV intro to Chloe Dancer / Crown of Thorns
10/25/13 Hartford
10/30/09.10/31/09.5/17/10.9/7/11
EV:boston 1+2.albnay 1.boston 2010
That is awesome....you thought of the perfect way to say it.