Dark Matter tour visuals by Rob Sheridan

Very excited to finally tell you what's kept us so busy recently: I’ve had the unique honor of directing/creating the first-ever tour visuals for one of the greatest live rock bands of our generation and a hugely formative part of my Seattle youth: Pearl Jam.
I haven’t worked in tour production/design since NIN 2014, but I always said I would go back to it one day if the right artist and the right creative connection came around. There’s a short list of musicians I’d drop everything and rewire a year of my family’s entire life to make art with, and Eddie Vedder is absolutely one of them.
Ed and I hit it off immediately and discussed an inspiring, experimental approach to creating textural video art inspired by the Dark Matter theme using decidedly tactile and analog methods, with the the album’s light-painted artwork as a jumping off point (I wasn’t involved in the album art / promotions, that was all underway when I came on board). My wife and collaborator Steph, who produced the project, set up a raw studio space here in Tacoma and assembled a lean local camera crew, and we spent two months filming in the experimental, open-ended, DIY style that I like to work. With macro lenses and the 1000fps Ember slow-motion camera (made by fantastic local Washington company Freefly), we followed paths of inspiration through elements and states of matter: Light refractions, chemical reactions, fluid dynamics, incandescent projections (including an old overhead projector that ended up in the show) and other experimental setups tracing the connective tissue of the universe. It was prolific and intense, and wouldn’t have been possible without Steph’s rapid problem-solving and a talented camera, animation, and post-prod team.
A grueling month of editing/programming/rehearsals later, the Dark Matter world tour is out on the road now, with two shows under our belt in Vancouver last weekend.
I’ll have a lot more to say about this production, the unique analog practical VFX we employed, and of course videos to share as more people start to see the shows and I maybe get ten seconds to breathe. For now, I’m off to Portland - show number three is tonight!




Comments
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This is awesome! I know some are bitching about the new effects but I think it rocks! Reminds me of the Sphere in Las Vegas. Visually stunning.0
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I’m psyched to see background visuals to create a new Pearl Jam live experience for this tour!0
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🔥 Amazing work! These visuals are incredible and really add to the live show experience. The edibles will hit that much harder!Post edited by vedpunk on0
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Wow, these photos look incredible!0
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Wicked job!!!0
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So cool!0
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Melbourne #1 '98
Melbourne #2 '03
Melbourne #3 '03
Melbourne #1 '06
Melbourne #3 '06
Melbourne '09
Melbourne '140 -
Very cool, makes a nice change after so long.0
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·Photos from the last day of Pearl Jam production rehearsals in Seattle, May 1st 2024. The empty floor of Climate Pledge Arena, where we were putting together the Dark Matter tour days ahead of its debut in Vancouver, created a beautiful reflection of our light/video production that I knew we’d never see again, so I had to capture some shots of it.We are currently busy preparing the stage production for the upcoming Europe/UK leg, which will have quite a different feel in outdoor stadiums where we have to adapt to a different screen configuration and daylight conditions early in the set. Thankfully we’ll have big bright LED screens this time around. See you in Dublin!
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Pearl Jam’s world tour has a different look. This WA artist designed it
https://www.seattletimes.com/entertainment/music/pearl-jams-world-tour-has-a-different-look-this-wa-artist-designed-it/
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For which Song is the eye - can’t remember / was it in Manchester?
The Animation-Background-Art forDo The Evolution was/is great.
Would keep it fix on the DMWT setlist because of its special Surefire Power.
Post edited by D-Day on0 -
The eye is in setting sun I believe which wasn't played in Manchester0
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Thanks. I suppose Manchester has seen the fewest so far - just because of 4 DM tracks.Looks like the visuals are one more reason to play 11 DM tracks fix on the DMWT dates.
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The eye is showing on the if you could see what I see now0
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There’s only one way to leave this thread
IF you have read it so far & IF you are attracted by the visuals
https://community.pearljam.com/discussion/303266/world-tour-2024-25-dark-matter-in-it-s-entirety
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