Nearly 12 years after their debut album, Pearl Jam performed at the Pepsi Arena last night with the pure energy of youth, yet the experience and repertoire of a mature band. The concert began last night with a mediocre opener, Sparta. Though their performance was nothing to talk about, it helped to build up the crowd’s excitement for Pearl Jam.
Pearl Jam, out on tour supporting their most recent release Riot Act, took the stage close to 9 pm before a roaring crowd. Their playlist consisted of a mix of both new and old songs, including several songs from their first two CDs which were this concertgoer’s favorites.
They performed for almost two hours playing many well-known hits such as: “Daughter,” “Even Flow,” “Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town,” and “Alive.” The band also included the new hit “All or None” from Riot Act. These songs included long, crisp solos that screamed off of the fretboards of Stone Gossard and Mike McCready.
Showing the band’s dedication to its fans, lead singer Eddie Vedder invited a fan from the front row to join him on stage. She sang and danced with Vedder and had her picture taken with each of the band members before departing.
The only disappointing moment of the evening was watching the band leave before 11 pm. Despite that, it was an excellent concert. The experience of a Pearl Jam concert is far superior to simply listening to one of their albums.
