Boston Herald Night I Review
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http://theedge.bostonherald.com/musicNews/view.bg?articleid=140746
Pearl Jam comes alive again as better band
By Christopher Blagg
Thursday, May 25, 2006 - Updated: 02:05 AM EST
For most of us, Pearl Jam left the pop culture consciousness in the late ’90s. For the 17,000 strong packing the TD Banknorth Garden last night, they never left.
Calling their recent resurgence a comeback won’t fly with these die-hards, but the sheer energy and spirit commanded by this veteran Seattle rock quintet couldn’t be called anything but a career renaissance.
Despite Pearl Jam’s raucous and aggressive live reputation, the band began the night on a meditative note, starting with the gradual build of the grunge-era classic “Release,” as singer Eddie Vedder’s much-imitated and dearly beloved baritone welcomed the crowd in swaths of melancholy.
The mellow mood didn’t last long, as Vedder and company then stormed through a pair of muscular tunes from their new self-titled record. After unleashing the fury of “Severed Hand,” Vedder’s brawny roar tore through the righteous rage of their new single “World Wide Suicide.” Because of the band’s refusal to court MTV, and their curmudgeonly attitude about releasing radio-ready singles, Pearl Jam’s fan base has become a concentrated pulp of devotees. Throughout the marathon set,fans seemed intent on competing with the band’s amplifiers, all savaging their larynxes at every song break and every utterance from Vedder.
The crowd’s utter devotion allowed the band to sample liberally from their back catalog, with lesser-known tracks such as “Red Mosquito” and “Love Boat Captain” gaining equal footing among more recognizable singalongs including the blistering “Animal” and the visceral blast of “Even Flow.”
The band’s return to the public eye has to do with the ferocity and focus of their newest material, exemplified last night in tunes such as the neoclassic “Unemployable” and the hard-core “Comatose,” both imbedded with infectious hooks that were, frankly, lacking on their past few records. Two overstuffed encore sets ended the night, Vedder mixing in Dylan’s “Forever Young” with their own grunge-defining “Alive.” An extended and typically ferocious cover of Neil Young’s “Rockin’ In the Free World” closed out the nearly three-hour show. Like it or not, these publicity-shedding rock vets are again part of the cultural conversation.
The pride of Louisville, Ky., My Morning Jacket, opened the show, delivering an explosive set of reverb-drenched Americana. They’ll return next month to do an intriguing show with the Boston Pops.
Pearl Jam comes alive again as better band
By Christopher Blagg
Thursday, May 25, 2006 - Updated: 02:05 AM EST
For most of us, Pearl Jam left the pop culture consciousness in the late ’90s. For the 17,000 strong packing the TD Banknorth Garden last night, they never left.
Calling their recent resurgence a comeback won’t fly with these die-hards, but the sheer energy and spirit commanded by this veteran Seattle rock quintet couldn’t be called anything but a career renaissance.
Despite Pearl Jam’s raucous and aggressive live reputation, the band began the night on a meditative note, starting with the gradual build of the grunge-era classic “Release,” as singer Eddie Vedder’s much-imitated and dearly beloved baritone welcomed the crowd in swaths of melancholy.
The mellow mood didn’t last long, as Vedder and company then stormed through a pair of muscular tunes from their new self-titled record. After unleashing the fury of “Severed Hand,” Vedder’s brawny roar tore through the righteous rage of their new single “World Wide Suicide.” Because of the band’s refusal to court MTV, and their curmudgeonly attitude about releasing radio-ready singles, Pearl Jam’s fan base has become a concentrated pulp of devotees. Throughout the marathon set,fans seemed intent on competing with the band’s amplifiers, all savaging their larynxes at every song break and every utterance from Vedder.
The crowd’s utter devotion allowed the band to sample liberally from their back catalog, with lesser-known tracks such as “Red Mosquito” and “Love Boat Captain” gaining equal footing among more recognizable singalongs including the blistering “Animal” and the visceral blast of “Even Flow.”
The band’s return to the public eye has to do with the ferocity and focus of their newest material, exemplified last night in tunes such as the neoclassic “Unemployable” and the hard-core “Comatose,” both imbedded with infectious hooks that were, frankly, lacking on their past few records. Two overstuffed encore sets ended the night, Vedder mixing in Dylan’s “Forever Young” with their own grunge-defining “Alive.” An extended and typically ferocious cover of Neil Young’s “Rockin’ In the Free World” closed out the nearly three-hour show. Like it or not, these publicity-shedding rock vets are again part of the cultural conversation.
The pride of Louisville, Ky., My Morning Jacket, opened the show, delivering an explosive set of reverb-drenched Americana. They’ll return next month to do an intriguing show with the Boston Pops.
"This guy back here is giving me the ole one more....one more back to you buddy."
- Mr. Edward Vedder 7/11/03
- Mr. Edward Vedder 7/11/03
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