REVIEW: Pearl Jam
- Posted on June 19, 2007 2:09 PM
- 21 comments
Pearl Jam
Wembley Arena
Monday 18th June, 2007
Hear Eddie Vedder in action:
Click here to find out what he had to say about Tony Blair and the war. There's also a live song too
Review by Katie Spain
“What types of people go to a London Pearl Jam concert?” Now, I’m a fan but when asked this question, I couldn't answer. Is there an answer? As I tuck my ticket in my back pocket I vow to find out.
Earlier this month, Pearl Jam ticket holders were emailed stern instructions not to wear studs; obviously the security at Wembley Arena has their own ideas about the stereotypical Pearl Jam fan. In my twenty-five years of Jam action, I've not yet come across a fan decked to the halls in spikes. I doubt there'll be many 'attire issues' tonight - and I'm right. The hoards of people on the Jubilee line are dressed for comfort. Nothing more, nothing less; trainers, T-shirts and Jeans all the way. There's no sign of blazing emblems, designer logos or trousers perched precariously below bum cracks. No sir... if it stays on in a sweat-soaked mosh pit you've hit the dress code spot on...
The first thing that hits you when you walk out of Wembley Park tube station is the sea of touts. As I barrel through them, the harsh chorus of "Buy or sell tiiiiiiiickets" reaches a crescendo.
On the other side, I’m greeted with the awesome sight of Wembley Stadium. No other venue creates quite the same atmospheric build up as you approach it. The walkway is pounded by Pearl Jam addicts, united in an Eddie Vedder worshipping Fellowship. The merchandise van is doing a roaring trade - the crowd is already specked with red tour shirts. The sun is shining, the water feature is doing its best to soak unsuspecting stragglers and the vibe is one of chilled out anticipation. I make it through security without skipping a beat and the speed and lack of stress surprises me. Pity I can't say the same for the pint department.
A girl in the toilets is upset. Her friend bought a ticket from a tout and couldn't get in. Oh, the pain of a fake. I'm feeling more honoured to be here by the minute. I've chosen against general admission tonight but when I see the buzz on the ground floor I begin to doubt my decision. The last time I was here I saw Bob Dylan but was so far away he was a mere smudge in the distance. All doubts scamper when I spot S5 - I've hit gold this time. As I settle down next to a friendly Scotsman, his fellow countrymen 'Idlewild' take the stage.
"I saw these guys in Scotland years ago. It was a tiny venue and they were shit".
Idlewild have a lot to live up to (as does anyone supporting Pearl Jam) and although they've obviously improved a hell of a lot with age, the on stage action is kept to a minimum and front man charisma just isn't there. I'd love to see them in a more intimate venue - I think they'd hit home. Then again, the bodies around me are waiting for the man who has it all down to a tee. Comparison just isn't fair… there's just no beating this crowds' musical Messiah. As far as setting the scene goes, Idlewild do well. We can't all be show ponies.
During the break, it’s time to soak up my surroundings and a beer. The place is packed to the gills. It's a multi-cultural bunch too; flags are held high in the mosh pit (geez those guys always have more fun) and the guy next to 'The Scot' travelled over from Brasil. Like me, it's his first live Pearl Jam experience, while the Scotsman has seen them a few times. Pearl Jam is his favourite band and he's travelled to London just for the gig. Now that's the type of fan dedication I like to see. Turns out I've sat next to a walking Pearl Jam evangelist (and dictionary) for that matter. Sometimes you just get lucky. Beats a sullen concert-goer any day!
Any mid-show banter disappears as soon as the lights dim. We're in for a treat and boy don't we know it. Eddie Vedder is nothing short of a master of his art. An all-round nice guy with a voice that has the ability to rock you, move you, shake you and engulf you - all at once. Pearl Jam is nursed me through my late teens; my first romantic fumbles, musical awakening, the family feuds and amazing sing-a-longs around a coastal Australian campfire. As I look around me, the reminiscence on the fan's faces reflects their own Pearl Jam inspired memories. No one remains seated - we all rise to meet the long-haired King. The roar of the crowd engulfs us - as the plectrum hits the strings for the first time, the crowd go crazy. What a voice.
A few spotlights are all that's needed to light up the five musicians on stage. A mesmerizing stage presence and the music is all we need. I've got chills - I've never been engulfed by a performance like this before. I thought I was going off big arena performances - I'm back on the bandwagon.
The band has an amazing ability to connect with every audience member. Before the show, Mr Scotsman told me he'd been in the front row of a mosh pit and Eddie had "Clocked" him. As I watch his idol prowl the stage, acknowledging the crowd members with sincerity, I suddenly believe him. Between songs, Vedder chats to us like a roomful of mates.
"It's the first time we've played here since a thing called Reading and a thing called Leeds and ah, and those felt pretty good for us - only because of you guys who were there. Thank you for that - thanks for coming. It's been 7 or 8 years since we've played this building but it doesn't feel that long... we couldn't be happier to be playing in a room this size with all you people."
The feeling is mutual. The set covers at least one song from every album, with an emphasis on the new and unheard live. The band shakes Wembley's foundations and Vedder seals most tunes with the trademark rock star scissor kick. He's cool without trying - there's not a man in the house that doesn't want to be him nor a woman who doesn't want to 'have' him. In return, the man is modest and has a genuine respect for the crowd and the team around him. One of the crew gets a special mention:
"Let me introduce you to Pete. He's from Cornwall. The whole time we're on the road he actually gets shit for it... but I thought this time he should get some credit." Keyboardist Kenneth "Boom" Gaspar however, is met with resounding “boos”. Or is that “Boom”? Settle that one for me guys…
A song-by-song description would turn this into three part series, so for eye-fatigue’s sake, here’s a quick run down:
Set: Long Road, Severed Hand, Grievance, Comatose, Given To Fly, Low Light, I Got Shit, Faithful, Green Disease, Marker In The Sand, Immortality, Down, Present Tense, State Of Love And Trust, Why Go, Save You, Porch
1st Encore: Inside Job, Parachutes, Crazy Mary, Do The Evolution, Alive
2nd Encore: No More, Bu$hleaguer, World Wide Suicide, Rockin' In The Free World, Indifference
This is like a journey - a sweaty trek through the Pearl Jam catalogue. The song choices are varied but the crowd knows them all. We're whipped into a frenzy by the single strum of a chord, snagged by riffs and hung up to dry by the slowies. Eddie drawls, "We've had greed, we've had religion, and we’ve had death... I want to follow it up by hope. This one's called 'Down'". There's more hope in this room than there is BO - and that's saying something. Like a man possessed, Vedder rocks back and forth, supported by a mic stand and the adoration of thousands. He looks good - the man is on fire.
Comparisons will be made to the 'Reading Experience' which I'm told was unbeatable. Comments on the ground floor hint that fans aren’t completely happy with the Wembley sound levels but from where I'm standing, there are no complaints needed. I guess first timers are easily impressed. I'm in a self-confessed Pearl Jam time warp... I love the old tunes and would have love a rendition of 'Rearview Mirror', ‘Animal’ or 'Betterman' but 'Evolution' and 'Alive' do the trick. The new stuff fuels Wembley's fire and I guess no one wants the same concert twice.
Special mention must be made of Mike McCready on lead guitar. If Vedder is the driving force of this band, McCready is the fuel injected engine that comes with it. The man has fun on stage - bouncing, guitar thrashing fun. It's something a lot of bands forget these days... and nothing whips a crowd up like a guitar wielding ball of energy.
The show goes on, and on... and on. Bladder issues aside, I still don't want it to end. As the temperature rises, Vedder sheds layers and beneath the 'No Crowd Surfing' signs, the crowd surfers do their thing. Crowd controllers pull the overwhelmed out from the heaving depths as the pulsating mass rocks back and forth. I'm beginning to see the logic in my seated decision. I've been a ‘mosh casualty’ before... as much as I love this band, I'm tiny and want to see the concert, not feel it directly in the rib cage.
Vedder may not swing from banisters this time round, but the amps are his playground. A few lucky front row punters are treated to a drink container and a tamborine or two; Mementos of a great night out with first class musicians.
As we leave the venue, Scotsman pipes up; "So what are you going to write? Can you just say 'amazing'?" Unfortunately, a one-word review isn't possible. I'm tempted to add an expletive for emphasis and sum it up in two... but this is a family site and there ain't no watershed on the Internet. I wish I’d seen all the concerts gone by and can’t wait for the next. As for the typical Pearl Jam fan? That box just isn't big enough. ‘Passionate about the music’ is the common thread - and to be honest, that's all that matters.
Were you there? What did you think? Was Reading better or did you too, experience the Pearl Jam power live for the first time? We want your reviews and comments. Post them in the comments section below.
Keep your eye on the site - we've got the audio from Vedder's mid-song banter coming soon.
Tags
concert, Pearl Jam, review, set list, wembley arena
Comments (21)
Jeff Iker
That review was almost as awesome as the 4 Pearl Jam shows I've seen here in Kentucky/Ohio/Indiana. I almost purchased a ticket and travel package to London one winter evening after the consumption of a few alcoholic beverages...sad I didn't but I'm glad to have read your description of the concert. The PJ concert truly is a wonderful experience. I honestly can't describe a stereotypical Pearl Jam fan either...but the passion for the music is most definitely there. Thanks for the review.
Posted on June 19, 2007 3:36 PM
Katie
Hi Jeff - cheers! I usually don't write such LONG WINDED reviews... but cutting back on this one more than I already did would have been painful.
I felt really ill during the day yesterday but Vedder must be a healer as well as a musician - as soon as the concert started I felt well again. funny that :) Maybe it was the magical healing qualities of the beer ;)
Posted on June 19, 2007 4:04 PM
neil
think you hit that spot on Katie and welcome to the obsessive pearl jammers.... Ive seen them in Dublin, Lisbon, Manchester, London (3) and Birmingham over the last 15 years and that was EASILY one of the beast they have done... great review
Posted on June 19, 2007 4:28 PM
korova
Awesome gig. I have waited 15 years (due to a poor run of bad luck) to see the greatest band on the planet, and I wasn't disappointed. The atmosphere on the floor was superb!! As for the boo/Boom thing, take it from me, it is definitely 'BOOM!!!!'
Posted on June 19, 2007 10:31 PM
Katie
Ahhh... thank you! Have to say, I didn't think a mate of Eddie's would cop a "boo" from the fans. Especially once I heard that solo! Amazing... I'm having withdrawal symptoms already. Here's to the next London gig.
Posted on June 20, 2007 9:44 AM
James
Superb review - really great, obviously written by someone who 'gets it'. Well done!
The show was amazing, as have the last two I've attended (all in the UK in the last 18 months).
The world at large may only remember Pearl Jam for 'Ten' but eventually they will go down as one of THE most important bands of all time, with a truly amazing back catalogue.
Posted on June 20, 2007 12:55 PM
La Nouvelle Heloise
Hi Katie - loved reading your review! I was there - this was my 4th PJ gig and I hope there will be many more to come. PJ fans in my opinion belong to a unique fandom realm: obsession, love, dedication (all those pilgrimages!), suffering (to get hold of often elusive concert tkts), nurturing and pride - as if the band were our own children growing up so beautifully... But sometimes they are also the children inside ourselves, ready for another amazing musical adventure!
Posted on June 20, 2007 1:42 PM
Innes
Great review - thanks.
Wembley was far more intimate than Reading. The 7000 standing places were all sold to the fan club, so Eddie was playing for us. A lot of the classics were dropped in favour of the obscure numbers which have never been played here. I consider this show to have been the best ever in the UK.
Posted on June 20, 2007 6:57 PM
Lori
Great review! It was my first UK show, and my favorite of the Europe shows I was lucky enough to be at. I was in the pit, right in front of Mike - who is SO fun to watch! He totally interacts with the crowd and has a great time.
Posted on June 20, 2007 8:59 PM
trev
8 long years i've waited to see pj i've been going to gigs since 1979 and pj on the 18th is one of the best. can't wait to see them again my only hope is it's not another 8 year wait ! p.s. great review
Posted on June 20, 2007 9:18 PM
Phillip Walch
Great review, I was there and was rockin all night. Great gig.
First time for me, have been a fan since the start of it all but something has always got in the way. Never again will I put work before PJ. Love Eddies take on Bush and Blair (Drunk driver and all of that)
Can't wait for the next time. Me and my mate Rob met 2 Irish guys who were cool too, they sat with us at the concert so that was good. I feel blessed to have been in the same room as those guys and experience their music. See all of you at the next Pearl Jam gathering.
Phil
Posted on June 20, 2007 9:38 PM
Emma Haselip
What a amazing concert!!!! This was the third time I've seen them - the last one being 7 years ago at Wembley.
Definately the best one so far.
Can't wait for the next gig- but this time I will be in the front row!!!!
Eddie and the boys- YOU ROCK AND WE LOVE YOU!!!!
Posted on June 21, 2007 9:33 AM
Sara
IT was BOOM not BOO that they were saying lol..I saw Pearl Jam twice last year at the Astoria and Reading Festival. I have not missed them since they played Brixton Academy all those years ago.
I thought they were fabulous, couldn't bounce around so much as I am 7 months pregnant(thats dedication for you) and had to give up my two floor fan club tickets as I really needed a seat...wouldnt have missed it for the world...baby enjoyed it to.
Posted on June 21, 2007 11:40 AM
Tom
Hey, I have to disagree with all of you. That was my 6th PJ gig, and easily the least memorible. It wasn't a bad gig, but compared with the 2 I saw last summer, it was below par. Dublin last year was fantastic, and I thought it couldn't get any better. That was, until I went to Berlin and got completely blown away by a gig from another planet. The Wembley gig just never got going. Too many lesser songs, the pace was stop-start, and they left out so many of their big scream-along-to songs. Not a bad gig, certainly far from their best, and to be honest, in comparison to their tour last summer, felt a little bit lazy.
Posted on June 21, 2007 1:35 PM
Derek
Hey, awesome review and I'd say pretty much spot on. I was down in the mosh pit myself and enjoyed the whole thing. Yes the sound wasn't great down there and my tinitus is still just about with me, but the atmosphere and the energy of the band really carried it for me. One of my more memorable PJ gigs most definitely. Cheers, -derek-
Posted on June 22, 2007 3:20 PM
Furry
Wasn't at gig, but saw them in Dublin last year and Madrid 2 weeks ago. Madrid gig better musically, dublin better crowd. A fan for 16 years, took me 15 to see them live....regrets indeed...would travel miles to see them again, no doubt (HAVE to hear State of Love and Trust live - have'nt yet)
Posted on June 22, 2007 11:55 PM
David Marshall-Nichols
Had a Swedish guy came up to me after "Crazy Mary" and asked "Why are you booing this keyboard player?"... Awesome gig!!!
Posted on June 24, 2007 1:43 AM
Graham
I was SO pumped for this, my first PJ gig. However i left disapointed, too much hype maybe?
The sound quality was among the worst i have ever heard, it sounded like someone put all the instruments in a blender. No real definition. The playlist was mostly a let down (no Yellow Ledbetter!?!?!) 'Faithful' was awesome! I just felt more energy could have been injected with a 'classic' playlist. Will definately see them again though.
Posted on June 25, 2007 5:17 PM
Graham
I feel i should ammend the above comment with the benefit of hindsight. I have gone a bit 'oh no, my wallet is too small for my fifties and my diamond shoes are too tight'. An average PJ gig is still WAY better than any other day. The playlist wasnt what i would call classic but when they rocked, OMG they ROCKED!!
Posted on July 6, 2007 10:50 PM
kaz
what can i say mmmmmmmmmmm wah!!!!!!!!!!!!!! after the point in dublin i never thought pj could get any better how wrong was i!!! my best bud lynn and i nearly peed our pants in dublin the irish and eddie ho hum the memories! from scotland we travelled once more to see perfection at its best!!!!!! we did pee our pants at wembley and for 40 something pj chicks are not afraid to say so! EDDIE VEDDER IS GOD!!!!!!!!!!
Posted on December 27, 2007 12:56 PM
keith
" I didn't think a mate of Eddie's would cop a "boo" from the fans"
it is defo BOOM but
Look at the way Pearl Jam fans treated Jack Irons, plenty of boos there tho awful behaviour towards a good drummer.
Posted on April 25, 2008 3:15 PM
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