[ATTENDED: September 14, 2022] Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam released Gigaton, their first album in seven years back in 2020. They announced a US tour, but it was remarkably limited in scope. There was an NYC date, but that sold out really quickly.
It was postponed for COVID and when they announced their 2022 tour, they threw in a stop in Camden as well. So we actually had a chance to see them (us and 25,000 other people).
Well, getting there was a nightmare! We got to Camden with no trouble and then it took us an hour to get from the Camden exit to a parking space.
I don’t know if this is a Camden problem or if the Freedom Mortgage Pavilion is to blame (they are at least the third owners since I’ve been going there and it doesn’t get better).
We missed the opening band Pluralone entirely and were actually worried we might miss the opening of the Pearl Jam set. We didn’t but we only had to wait about 15 minutes. And of course, we were REALLY far back.
Pluralone is the creation of Josh Klinghoffer who also played guitar and more with Pearl Jam on this tour. I was really surprised that they had an opening band as recently they haven’t been having one. I’m glad there was one as we would have missed the band if there hadn’t been. But it also meant a shorter set (I think).
C. went with us for this one (his first and hopefully not last Pearl Jam show). T. was going to come with us, but she bailed. It’s probably just as well, as we had to walk about a mile to our car and she didn’t really know them all that well.
Without question, I will not be going to another show in Camden again. They simply don’t have the infrastructure for that capacity crowd.
But all was forgiven when the band came out.
They opened the show with a slow set. The video screen was even black and white. It was an unusual choice, and was quite a difference from when they burst forth with “Given to Fly.”
They opened with “Wash” which they opened with when we saw them in Wrigley. That turned out to be an incredible 3 hour show. But things weren’t exactly the same here. They followed it with “Oceans” the moody song on Ten. C. loves Ten but said he often skips “Oceans.” Oops. Then came “Daughter.” More upbeat, but still mellow. And then “Hard to Imagine” (that’s two songs from the odds and sods compilation Lost Dogs).
Then they woke the crowd up with “Animal.” It’s one of my favorite PJ songs and they play it pretty much all the time, so that’s great. They did a segment of greatness by following it with the rocking “Mind Your Manners” and then my favorite live PJ song “Do the Evolution.”
They touched back on Ten with “Deep” and after a brief riff of Pink Floyd’s “Interstellar Overdrive” they played classics “Corduroy” and “Given to Fly” An outstanding segment of music!
So they did release the new album back in 2020 and although I liked a lot of it, I didn’t listen to it all that much. I love “Dance of the Clairvoyants” and “Superblood Wolfmoon” is super catchy as well. They didn’t play either of them rather, they opted for “Quick Escape” which is a very solid song and “Retrograde” a rather moody ballad with a catchy melody.
They bounced back to Ten (last time they were in the Philly area, they played the album straight through), for a rocking “Even Flow.” Then they played “MFC.” It’s the first time I’ve heard this classic song and it was great. Every show that we’ve been to in the past has been chock full of songs that we hadn’t seen live before. This one had a fair share (8), but they were mostly new ones. So it was nice to get this treat.
After a rocking “Not for You” they played “Who Ever Said,” the song that opens the new album and one which I think is outstanding and can’t believe it wasn’t a single. It sounded even better live.
Eddie had somethings to say, although not a ton. He talked about the upcoming election and they had a QR code for texting to vote. And then somehow he was talking about volcanoes and asked Mike to play “Eruption” the Eddie Van Halen solo. Which he did. And it was really quite amazing.
This segued into to more songs from Ten, a scalding “Why Go” and a ripping “Porch” Two frankly great set enders.
After the encore, they played a song from the maligned and underrated avocado album. I happen to really like this album and would love to hear a few songs from it (see my picks below). They played “Inside Job,” the moody album closer. It’s a lovely song but not really an encore song. Given that they play like seven encores though, it was like warming up the audience for the rest.
I’m always thrilled to hear “State of Love and Trust.” Eddied introduced a first responder. He said that he had introduced a few in Madison Square Garden the night before but this guy couldn’t make it (or something). They said some nice words and then they were told they could request a song. And they chose “Breath” so both songs from the Singles soundtrack were covered.
I feel like I’ve heard “Crazy Mary” a million times, but this was only the second time they’ve played it for us. I thought that might mean the end of the encores, but they launched into a viscous “Leash” before the ever familiar riff of “Alive” started up.
C. was in awe of 25,000 people all on their feet singing along to the chorus. It always seems like “Alive” should be the last song of the show but it pretty much never is. And this time they added on “Rockin’ in the Free World” which we never get tired of hearing.
All in all it was a solid and enjoyable Pearl Jam show. The moon was full and looked cool. The night was perfect temperature. It was way overcrowded and we didn’t look forward to the mile long hike back to the car. But it was great to bring C. to this show and to experience it with him.
These were the songs that I hope to see next time (I got nothing checked off my list this time).
Grievance
Light Years
Dissident
Unlikely songs that would tickle me:
I Got Id
Habit
Mankind
| 8/18/2018 (Wrigley Field Night 1) |
8/20/2018 (Wrigley Field Night 2) |
9/14/2022 (Camden, NJ) |
| “Aye Davanita” ♦ (recording) | “Aye Davanita” ♦ (recording) | Wash ¿ (2) |
| Wash ¿ | Given to Fly ∇ (2) | Oceans ‰ (2) |
| Low Light ∇ (2) | Why Go ‰ (2) | Daughter ≠ (2) |
| Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town ≠ (2) | Go ≠ (2) | Hard to Imagine ¿ |
| Breakerfall ß | Last Exit ♦ | Animal ≠ (4) |
| Corduroy ♦ (2) | Mind Your Manners √ (3) | Mind Your Manners √ (4) |
| Hail Hail Ø (2) | Do the Evolution ∇ (4) | Do the Evolution ∇ (5) |
| Animal ≠ (3) | Rain (The Beatles) | Deep ‰ (2) |
| Getaway √ | Throw Your Hatred Down (Neil Young) | Intersetellar Overdrive (Pink Floyd) (2) |
| Leaving Here (Edward Holland Jr.) | Even Flow ‰ (4) | Corduroy ♦ (4) |
| Present Tense Ø | U (first performance since 2014} Ø | Given to Fly ∇ (3) |
| Even Flow ‰ (3) | In My Tree Ø (2) | Quick Escape ⊗ |
| Missing (Chris Cornell) | Immortality ♦ (2) | Retrograde ⊗ |
| Garden ‰ | Daughter ≠ | Even Flow ‰ (5) |
| Not For You ♦ (with “Modern Girl” tag) (2) | Unthought Known ⇐ (3) | Untitled [“intro to MFC”] > |
| Can’t Deny Me (single) | Jeremy ‰ (3) | MFC ∇ |
| Wishlist ∇ (3) | I am a Patriot (Little Steven) | Not For You ♦ (with “Modern Girl” tag) |
| I Won’t Back Down (Tom Petty) | Lukin Ø (2) | Who Ever Said ⊗ |
| Porch ‰ (2) | Porch ‰ (3) | Eruption (Van Halen cover) |
| encore | encore | Why Go ‰ (3) |
| Just Breathe ⇐ | We’re Going to Be Friends (White Stripes) | Porch ‰ (4) |
| Sleeping By Myself (Eddie solo song) | Come Back ¶ | encore |
| Footsteps ¿ (2) | Corduroy ♦ (3) | Inside Job ¶ |
| State of Love and Trust § (2) | Black ‰ | State of Love and Trust § (3) |
| Breath § (2) | Lightning Bolt √ (3) | Breath § (3) |
| Know Your Rights (The Clash) | Rearviewmirror ≠ (4) | Crazy Mary (Victoria Williams cover) (2) |
| Do the Evolution ∇ (3) | Smile Ø (2) | Leash ≠ (2) |
| Alone ¿ | Evil Little Goat ¿ (live debut) | Alive ‰ (5) |
| Rearviewmirror ≠ (3) | Leash ≠ | Rockin’ in the Free World (Neil Young) (3) |
| encore 2 | Alive ‰ (4) | |
| Rebel Rebel (David Bowie) | Baba O’ Riley (The Who) | |
| Better Man ♦ (2) (with Save It For Later tag) | ||
| Alive ‰ (3) | ||
| Rockin’ in the Free World (Neil Young) (2) | ||
| Yellow Ledbetter ¿ (2) | ||
|
Note: “Gimme Some Truth”, “Evil Little Goat”, “Leash”, “Baba O’Riley”, “Indifference”, and “All Along the Watchtower” were on the setlist, but were replaced with “Not for You”, “State of Love and Trust”, “Know Your Rights”, “Rockin’ in the Free World”, and “Yellow Ledbetter”. Soundcheck included “U”, “Throw Your Hatred Down”, “Alone”, “I Am a Patriot”, “Gonna See My Friend”, “Getaway”, “Again Today”, “Speed of Sound”, “Rain”, “I Won’t Back Down”, and “We’re Going to be Friends”. Total time: 3h 0m (19:54 – 22:54) |
Note: Show delayed two hours by lightning. “Gonna See My Friend” and “Comfortably Numb” were on the setlist, but were not played. “Yellow Ledbetter” and “All Along the Watchtower” were listed as options to close the show, but neither were played. Curfew at Wrigley Field is 11 pm but they got the permission to play till midnight. Total time: 2h 27min (21:30 – 23:57) | Note: “Yellow Ledbetter” was written on the setlist, but not played. “Superblood Wolfmoon” was written on the setlist, but “Why Go” was played instead. “Interstellar Overdrive” and “Rockin’ in the Free World” were not on the original written setlist. “Nothingman” was listed as an alternate, but not played. |
| 4/28/2016 (Philly) |
8/5/2016 (Ten Club Live Stream of |
8/7/2016 (Fenway Park) |
| “Master/Slave” | “Baba O’Riley” (The Who song) | Pendulum √ |
| Once ‰ (first time as show opener since 1992) | Release | Off He Goes Ø |
| Animal ≠ | Long Road | Nothing as It Seems ß |
| Gonna See My Friend ⇐ (tour debut) | Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town | Nothingman ♦ |
| All Night ¿ (tour debut) |
Low Light | Wishlist ∇ (2) |
| Mind Your Manners √ | All Those Yesterdays | Corduroy ♦ (with “Interstellar Overdrive” intro) |
| Low Light ∇ | Given to Fly | Animal ≠ (2) |
| Wishlist ∇ | Mind Your Manners | Hail Hail Ø |
| Love Boat Captain ® | Why Go | Lightning Bolt √ (2) |
| Given to Fly ∇ | Daughter (with W.M.A. & Another Brick in the Wall) | In Hiding ∇ |
| Even Flow ‰ (with “Third Stone From the Sun” tag) | Even Flow | Even Flow ‰ (2) |
| In the Moonlight ¿ | Faithfull | Sirens √ |
| In My Tree Ø | Grievance | Draw the Line (Aerosmith cover) (with Tom Hamilton) |
| Jeremy ‰ | I am Mine | Lukin Ø |
| Education ¿ | Down | Not for You ♦ (with ‘Modern Girl’ tag) |
| Unthought Known ⇐ | Black (with Bronson Arroyo) | Immortality ♦ |
| Do the Evolution ∇ | Do the Evolution | Deep ‰ |
| Lightning Bolt √ | Masters of War (Bob Dylan cover) | Jeremy ‰ (2) |
| Porch ‰ | I Am a Patriot (Little Steven cover) | Unthought Known ⇐ (2) |
| encore | Porch | Rearviewmirror ≠ (2) |
|
Picture in a Frame
(Tom Waits cover) (EV solo acoustic) (first since 2006)
|
encore | encore |
| Oceans ‰ (preceded by “Angie” (The Rolling Stones) snippet) | Strangest Tribe | Yellow Moon √ |
| Chloe Dancer/Crown of Thorns (Mother Love Bone cover) | Society (Jerry Hannan cover) | Angel |
| Why Go ‰ | Just Breathe | Footsteps ¿ |
| Got Some ⇐ | Sleeping by Myself (Eddie Vedder song) | I Believe in Miracles (Ramones cover) |
| Rearviewmirror ≠ | Wasted Reprise | Mind Your Manners √ (2) |
| Encore 2 | Life Wasted | Better Man ♦ |
| Save You ® | State of Love and Trust | encore 2 |
| Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town ≠ [to the back seats] | Comfortably Numb (Pink Floyd cover) | Smile Ø |
| Crazy Mary (Victoria Williams cover) ( (with “Paint It Black” tag; tour debut)) | Corduroy | Go ≠ |
| State of Love and Trust § | encore 2 | Love, Reign O’er Me (The Who cover) |
| Alive ‰ | Draw the Line (Aerosmith cover) | Do the Evolution ∇ (2) |
| Fuckin’ Up (Neil Young & Crazy Horse cover)( tour debut) | Alive ‰ | Breath § |
| Indifference ≠ | I’ve Got a Feeling (The Beatles cover) | Alive ‰ (2) |
| Baba O’Riley (The Who cover) | Rockin’ in the Free World (Neil Young cover) (with J Mascis) | |
| Yellow Ledbetter ¿ (with “The Star-Spangled Banner” Mike McCready guitar outro) | ||
|
Note: “Without You” (Eddie Vedder), “You Are”, “Strangest Tribe” and “Better Man” were on the printed setlist, but not played; Soundcheck included “Rival”, “Of the Girl”, “Parting Ways”, “Around the Bend”, “Parachutes”, “Gonna See My Friend” and “You Are”. |
Note: “Parachutes”, “Unthought Known”, “Lightning Bolt”, “Red Mosquito”, “Lukin”, “Better Man”, and “Indifference” were on the setlist, but were not played; “Unthought Known” and “Lightning Bolt” were replaced with “State of Love and Trust” and “Comfortably Numb” (Pink Floyd). Soundcheck included “Angel” (x2), “Hold On”, “Parachutes”, “Sirens”, “Lightning Bolt”, “Speed of Sound”, “All Those Yesterdays”, “Swallowed Whole”, “Just Breathe”, “Society” (Jerry Hannan), “Masters of War”, “Sleeping by Myself”, “Strangest Tribe”, and “Draw the Line” (Aerosmith) |
Note: “Red Mosquito”, “Come Back”, “Parachutes” and “Save You” were on the setlist, but were not played. |
§ Singles: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (1992)
Ø No Code (1996)
® Riot Act (2002)
¿ Lost Dogs (2003)
¶ Pearl Jam (2006)
⊗ Gigaton (2020)
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