New York Daily News Article: Pearl Jam is Vedder than ever.

Jeremys SpokenJeremys Spoken Posts: 7,578
edited June 2008 in Given To Fly (live)
Pearl Jam is Vedder than ever

Wednesday, June 25th 2008, 1:09 AM

They don't sell one-tenth the records they did at their peak. The scene that boosted them died more than a decade ago. And the sound they helped advance 16 years back has been bastardized in watered-down versions that stoop as low as "American Idols" Daughtry and David Cook.

No matter. Pearl Jam soldiers on, and even thrives it seems, judging by the hit-'em-between-the-eyes performance they gave at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night.

Like many bands in the post-album era, Pearl Jam has refigured itself primarily as a live act, touring constantly and releasing almost every show on CD (a la vintage Grateful Dead). While they haven't turned into a jam band, their shows have a fiery spontaneity in the musicians' rhythmic interplay, not to mention in the constantly changing set lists.

Tuesday night's show - the group's first performance at the Garden in five years and one of the few of late to sell out every seat in the full, round configuration - found singer Eddie Vedder at his growling finest, chewing the notes as often as singing them. Guitarists Mike McCready and Stone Gossard reveled in riffs that have long transcended their grunge roots to rate as classics.

The band caught the wave early in songs like "Why Go Home" and "Corduroy," powering through the latter's descending chords with panache.

The show wasn't all thrust and bluster. They mined a swampy psychedelic mystery in "Who We Are," while an acoustic song like "Elderly Woman Behind a Counter in a Small Town" had a grace equal to the harder songs' bite. The song "Daughter" showed the group's enduring melodic flair, though they expanded its finale with a surprising funk flourish.

The band took other liberties with the songs, adding a long psychedelic jam to "Even Flow," and piling on a three-person, special guest soul chorus on several numbers.

From the band's most recent, self-titled album - their most robust in years - they played "Unemployable," whose theme of economic woe has gained fresh relevance.

Though the set snaked on at great length - more than 2-1/2 hours - the band seldom slackened the pace. They just seemed to keep building the intensity through punk outbursts like the vinyl fetishist's anthem "Spin The Black Circle" and the wryly sarcastic "Do the Evolution," which they dedicated to George Carlin. It's hugely rare to see a band of any age, let alone a middle one, pumping this hard for so long, and seeming to have such fun doing so.

http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/music/2008/06/24/2008-06-24_pearl_jam_is_vedder_than_ever_.html
2008 - MSG 6/24-6/25
2010 - Newark 5/18 MSG 5/21
2011 - PJ20 9/3-9/4
2012 - MIA Festival 9/2
2013 - Wrigley Field 7/19 Brooklyn 10/18-10/19 Philly 10/22
2015 - Colbert show - 9/23 Global Citizens Festival 9/26
2016 - Philly 4/28-4/29 MSG 5/1-5/2



Post edited by Unknown User on

Comments

  • pdalowskypdalowsky Doncaster,UK Posts: 15,078
    I'm not moaning as thats a great article, but the bit about they are constantly touring isnt quite accurate is it? granted they do play a few dates, but this makes them sound to be on the road all year long...how i wish that was true (in a purely selfish stance, as I'm accutely aware the band has other things to do!!)
  • ZosoZoso Posts: 6,425
    awesome article this tour has been great. what a show that would have been.
    I'm just flying around the other side of the world to say I love you

    Sha la la la i'm in love with a jersey girl

    I love you forever and forever :)

    Adel 03 Melb 1 03 LA 2 06 Santa Barbara 06 Gorge 1 06 Gorge 2 06 Adel 1 06 Adel 2 06 Camden 1 08 Camden 2 08 Washington DC 08 Hartford 08
  • pjalive21pjalive21 St. Louis, MO Posts: 2,818
    "Why Go Home?????"
  • Jeremys SpokenJeremys Spoken Posts: 7,578
    pjalive21 wrote:
    "Why Go Home?????"
    dude.. CALM down.
    2008 - MSG 6/24-6/25
    2010 - Newark 5/18 MSG 5/21
    2011 - PJ20 9/3-9/4
    2012 - MIA Festival 9/2
    2013 - Wrigley Field 7/19 Brooklyn 10/18-10/19 Philly 10/22
    2015 - Colbert show - 9/23 Global Citizens Festival 9/26
    2016 - Philly 4/28-4/29 MSG 5/1-5/2



  • dannydanny Posts: 2,279
    Pearl Jam is Vedder than ever

    Wednesday, June 25th 2008, 1:09 AM

    They don't sell one-tenth the records they did at their peak. The scene that boosted them died more than a decade ago. And the sound they helped advance 16 years back has been bastardized in watered-down versions that stoop as low as "American Idols" Daughtry and David Cook.

    No matter. Pearl Jam soldiers on, and even thrives it seems, judging by the hit-'em-between-the-eyes performance they gave at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night.

    Like many bands in the post-album era, Pearl Jam has refigured itself primarily as a live act, touring constantly and releasing almost every show on CD (a la vintage Grateful Dead). While they haven't turned into a jam band, their shows have a fiery spontaneity in the musicians' rhythmic interplay, not to mention in the constantly changing set lists.

    Tuesday night's show - the group's first performance at the Garden in five years and one of the few of late to sell out every seat in the full, round configuration - found singer Eddie Vedder at his growling finest, chewing the notes as often as singing them. Guitarists Mike McCready and Stone Gossard reveled in riffs that have long transcended their grunge roots to rate as classics.

    The band caught the wave early in songs like "Why Go Home" and "Corduroy," powering through the latter's descending chords with panache.

    The show wasn't all thrust and bluster. They mined a swampy psychedelic mystery in "Who We Are," while an acoustic song like "Elderly Woman Behind a Counter in a Small Town" had a grace equal to the harder songs' bite. The song "Daughter" showed the group's enduring melodic flair, though they expanded its finale with a surprising funk flourish.

    The band took other liberties with the songs, adding a long psychedelic jam to "Even Flow," and piling on a three-person, special guest soul chorus on several numbers.

    From the band's most recent, self-titled album - their most robust in years - they played "Unemployable," whose theme of economic woe has gained fresh relevance.

    Though the set snaked on at great length - more than 2-1/2 hours - the band seldom slackened the pace. They just seemed to keep building the intensity through punk outbursts like the vinyl fetishist's anthem "Spin The Black Circle" and the wryly sarcastic "Do the Evolution," which they dedicated to George Carlin. It's hugely rare to see a band of any age, let alone a middle one, pumping this hard for so long, and seeming to have such fun doing so.

    http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/music/2008/06/24/2008-06-24_pearl_jam_is_vedder_than_ever_.html


    pj are the best!!!!!!!!!!could play england more though!
    danny d
  • wolfbearwolfbear Posts: 3,965
    That's one of the few reviews I actually enjoyed reading. Thanks for posting. :)
    "I'd rather be with an animal." "Those that can be trusted can change their mind." "The in between is mine." "If I don't lose control, explore and not explode, a preternatural other plane with the power to maintain." "Yeh this is living." "Life is what you make it."
  • The ChampThe Champ Posts: 4,063
    dude.. CALM down.

    Seriously, who the fuck cares? I didn't even notice, and I think I have referred to it as 'Why Go Home' as well..:)
    'I want to hurry home to you
    put on a slow, dumb show for you
    and crack you up
    so you can put a blue ribbon on my brain
    god I'm very, very frightening
    and I'll overdo it'
  • pjalive21pjalive21 St. Louis, MO Posts: 2,818
    dude.. CALM down.


    obviously that went over two of your heads in this thread
  • over bendsover bends Posts: 1,568
    Who WE Are!!!????
    Yield!

    3 Decibels Doubles the Volume

    2006
Sign In or Register to comment.