Breakdown of Gigaton - a viral community reveal!
https://wishlistfoundation.org/blogs/news/gigaton-pearl-jam-teases-potential-new-album
Gigaton - Pearl Jam Teases Potential New Album
Gigaton [ gig-uh-tuhn, jig- ]
noun.
- one billion tons. Abbreviation: GT
- a unit of explosive force equal to one billion (109) tons of trinitrotoluene (TNT).
- the possible title of the upcoming new album by Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam fans around the globe went on an information gathering scavenger hunt using hints provided by the band via their website, fan club newsletter and social media channels, Friday, January 10, 2020, and ended up learning about climate change in the process.
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First Hint
The Seattle band initially posted an unexplained image on their social media accounts depicting the band's name in dark red within a wave graph on a navy blue background. Fans speculated the image could be a new logo for a forthcoming album with the waves symbolizing a seismic wave, electrocardiogram, polygraph results or a soundwave.
Source: @PearlJam. Posted midnight Pacific, 2020-01-10
Second Hint
Later that morning a second vague image was posted on the band's socials that appeared to be three flames in a triangle layout, potentially fitting in with the wave graph from the first hint posted.
Source: @PearlJam. Posted 7AM Pacific, 2020-01-10
One theory is that the top flame represents a candle for hope, the bottom left flame as a heart for love and the bottom right as a peace symbol.
The Geo Hunt
Pearl Jam fans were caught by surprise at 11 AM Pacific, when pearljam.com, its social channels and the Ten Club, (the band's fan club), newsletter came out with an interactive map from MapBox.com, pinning eleven cities around the world with the flame images from the second hint earlier that morning. The cities included are Toronto, New York, Seattle, Mexico City, Los Angeles (Venice Beach), Sao Palo, Santiago, Berlin, London and Paris.
Sydney was also among the eleven cities, but it's pinned with a heart instead of the flame, likely out of respect for the massive wildfires burning out of control in Australia.
Pearl Jam's message dangled the carrot in challenge, stating, "We have something special for you. Locate the nearest marker and activate the lens once you arrive."
Clicking the pin on each city displays a linked set of Google map coordinates. Intrigued by the challenge, fans around the world went in search of their nearest marker to see what Pearl Jam had in store. Many hoped to find some new album related Geocached prize at the location.
Given the average age of Pearl Jam's fan base resides firmly in the GenX demographic, not all fans had the understanding of geofilters and lenses or just generally lacked the motivation or proximity to go out on the hunt. While frustrating and humorous for some, this caused many in the community to band together, finding "operatives in the field" to hunt down and collect information to disperse to the masses.
The Prize
Photos started appearing on feeds from fans on site at the geomarkers, all featuring a version of the same image, whether it was a billboard or photo gallery art. When viewed via the augmented reality Facebook or Instagram lens, the clouds and waterfalls became animated, an audio clip looped wind howling, ice fracturing and falling with ambient music in the background and "gigaton" was written in the seismic wave font.
The image in all of the geomarkers is by polar photographer Paul Nicklen, a striking photo capturing the meltwater run off from an ice cap on the island of Nordaustlandet, in Norway's Svalbard archipelago.
Nicklen, a Canadian photographer, filmmaker, and marine biologist, has documented the beauty and the plight of our planet for over twenty years. As an assignment photographer for National Geographic magazine, Nicklen captures the imagination of a global audience.
Photo by Paul Nicklen. "Ice Waterfall" Svalbard, Norway, 2014
The image was used by National Geographic and Nature Conservancy magazine; Al Gore frequently uses it in his talks on climate change. “While I sleep, that image is up there working on behalf of our planet, and that’s exciting to me,” Nicklen says.
As a co-founder of the non-profit, SeaLegacy, Nicklen is opening a fresh, progressive chapter in the story of ocean conservation. Through visual storytelling, Sea Legacy inspires millions of people to stand up and have a voice for the pristine places threatened by climate change.
“Ten years ago I’d say the word ‘climate change’ in a lecture and people would kind of roll their eyes,” Nicklen said in an interview with Bill Moyers back in April, 2017. People were starting to listen — but not fast enough. “The problem with humans is we sort of deny, deny, deny, panic,” he continues. “And right now we’re in the denial phase.”
Now three years later, it seems Nicklen and Pearl Jam have joined forces to help get the message out about climate change.
Gigaton?
So what does the beautifully tragic photo of the melting polar ice cap, the word gigaton and Pearl Jam have in common?
Known worldwide for their philanthropy and activism and based on the hints dropped by the band today, the prevailing theory is that Pearl Jam's new album will be eco-political in nature. A call to arms for global citizens to unite and do their part helping to mitigate climate change.
Comments
CLEVELAND, OH 5.9.10
E.V. DETROIT, MI 6.26.11
PJ20 ALPINE VALLEY, WI 9.3.11
PJ20 ALPINE VALLEY, WI 9.4.11
A whole bunch starting here and the page or 2 after.
This is my kind of love...
♥♥♥
Here’s a morsel of info for everyone.
A Gigaton is 10 to the 9th power and also the prefix “giga” means exactly that, 1,000,000,000 (a billion but say “Aaaa billion” like Wayne Campbell did when was gifted “Aaaa gunrack” in the 1992 classic...but I digress...).
A gigaton is equivalent to a billion metric tons. Figure in terms like like “gigawatt” or “gigahertz” and you have yourself a Stan Mikita donut...due to the hurts doughnut...
Our world’s climate UZI weighs a gigaton. It’s real reality.
GOAT = Greatest Of All Time
Goating = anagram of Gigaton
Wal-Mart announced “Project Gigaton” a few days ago in the latest feeble attempt from a large Corporation to “act like” they are doing their part for the dent they inject into our environment...or an attempt to be responsible for their massive carbon footprint. Don’t drink that up.
2020 will be the best year in music since 1991. Put a mirror on that. Serious. Bands, groups and artists have been Pelosi’ing their articles of art for 2020. Visionaries.
“Of The Earth” - first single to be released off the new album...Pearl Jam are pissed...anybody remember the raw rage of early demos of “Hard To Imagine” or that live version of “I Got ID” from Japan from 1995...well, best buckle up ladies and gents.
On Pearl Jam’s tour in 2000 they toured hard and several live shows included different “Improv jams.” 20 years later...one of those or many selections from their improv jams may receive a proper studio release.
PJ is both being responsible for their art, their business and their fans. In 3’s. Don’t call it “fan service” because they’ve been here for years...
But let’s all breathe, take a moment here for a second. The Pearl Jam community is its own eco-system of sorts. We travel, we buy merch, we sleep outside of venues for GA pits (and never forget...Ohana...(we’re family...the term ‘jamily’ has evolved from the 2000s mainly due to evolution done and we’re all 20yrs older...). Upon finding 5-10 fans sleeping on concrete around 2am at the Ohana entry gates to get rail, I heard a story that this fan met those fans, went back to his hotel to grab a comforter and other linens to give to the fans so at least they’d have a makeshift bed and cover. It’s legend and what Pearl Jam people and fans are about. The band knows and recognizes what they have built from their art and music to grow a socially conscious fanbase. We all should be appreciative for that regardless of what the new album brings or whether or not they tour extensively...but when spring comes, we’re all anew and among the living...God willing.