Pearl Jam @ The Vic, Chicago, IL 8/2/07

I've always been a Pearl Jam fan but until Thursday night, I'd never seen them live.  It's all about timing.  I really liked Ten and had a chance to see them on that tour but they were opening for Smashing Pumpkins and RHCP, both of whom I'd seen a few times already.  I figured I'd catch them 'next time'.  Well, by the time they released their second album, they were already playing stadiums and unless it's someone huge like the Stones or The Who or someone of that stature, I don't like going to big shows.  So, I missed the Pearl Jam boat. 

I heard that Pearl Jam were playing a warm-up gig at The Vic (Capacity: 1,200) in anticipation of their only North American concert appearance this year at Lollapalooza but it was for fanclub members only.  Not being a fanclub member, I assumed I wouldn't be going. A day later, I got a call from one of my colleagues telling me that Pearl Jam offered the radio station tickets (for purchase) for the staff. I didn't blink at the $75 ticket price, I just finally wanted to see Pearl Jam live (especially at The Vic) and did.

"I'm the opening act, I came cheap" were Eddie Vedder's first words as he opened with a short acoustic set.  Let's just say that as a guitarist, Eddie's a great singer but the set still had ample charms, inlcuding a newly-penned, never-performed-live song about his (and my) favorite sports team, The Chicago Cubs.  The chorus, "Someday, they'll make it all the way" became an instant sing along, except for the small but vocal Sox fan contingent. He then said he'd written a song for the Sox called "Fuck 'Em", which drew laughs, applause and a few boos. Seriously though, if Vedder did record a version of the Cubs song he played Thursday, it would supplant Steve Goodman's "Go Cubs Go" as a rallying cry of the north siders and would be ten times cooler than The White Sox appropriation of "Don't Stop Believin'" in 2005.  Let's face it, I like that Journey song too but if The Cubs did make it all the way, having Eddie Vedder as your musical talisman is way cooler than Steve Perry.

After a twenty minute intermission, Pearl Jam took the stage.  The first thing that struck me was  how many times I'd heard Eddie Vedder's voice and yet had never heard it live.  It's even better live than on record.  The set was slanted towards the last two or three records but they threw in enough of the older stuff--including a blistering "Why Go"--to keep me happy.  The first set was about an hour and then they came back for a covers set which began with a 'worth-the-ticket-price-alone' version of The Who's "Love Reign O'er Me", a two-take version of KISS's "Black Diamond" with drummer Matt Cameron handling an amazing lead vocal and then the time-honored live PJ standard, The Dead Boys' "Sonic Reducer".   

Right after "Sonic Reducer", I looked at my watch and realized if I wanted to get to work on time, I'd have to get going.  As I walked back to my car with a co-worker who was hitching a ride, he got a text message that indicated Ben Harper had just joined Pearl Jam onstage.  So, as of 11PM, for all I know, we missed another marathon set filled with guest stars.  Hell, everyone in rock is in town for Lolla, for all I know the show's still going. I got my money's worth and can now scratch off Pearl Jam on my short list of "Great Bands/Artists I Haven't Seen Live".  Prince, you're next.

Anyone going to Lolla?  Who are you most psyched about seeing?  Any live Pearl Jam moments you'd like to share?

Comments

[megan]

I wanted to go to Lolla, but none of my friends did. Ho hum. Sounds like this was a great show, I'm jealous!

[Maria]

The show was amazing...but your got the chorus lyrics wrong for the Cubs song. It was "Someday they'll go all the way." For a true Pearl Jam fan that was a once in a lifetime experience with an amazing set list and Eddie's voice was yes perfect.

[Mike]

I hate to be Mr. Negative but I think that this year's Lollapalooza line-up is pretty bad. There are only 4 or 5 acts that I would have any interest in seeing, and I've already seen 3 of those before...and 2 are playing at the same time.

[Kenny]

I live in LA & I'm not attending but this week I went on line and looked at the schedule and I agree the line up this year really seems week! Ok, you want Pearl Jam stories...I got Pearl Jam stories!!! I was a big Mother Love Bone fan so I was into Pearl Jam right away. I saw them for the first time at the Aragon w/ the peppers + the pumpkins. That's back when the Ballroom had folding chairs on the main floor. PJ opened the set w/ "Release" - Eddie came out and said, "I had a dream that one day I'd get to play here but in my dream there were no chairs." And literally everyone started taking the chairs and passing them back to the back of the Ballroom which created a giant pit! It was pretty amazing. After the set I bought a ten t-shirt and went up to the balcanoy. There was Eddie just hanging out. So I asked him to sign my shirt -- he wrote, 'Aragon (w/ the Anarchy sign as the A) Survivor '91.

Next time I saw them was at the Metro!! That show was unbelievable!!! They were so hungry! That's the show where U2 was in town checking them out and asked Pearl Jam to open for them over in Europe. I actually was standing next to Eddie backstage when the Edge asked him. Side-note: Eddie & Jeff showed up 20 min. late b/c they were across town checking out a Bulls game. On top of that earlier in the day Eddie scaled the wall at Wrigley and tore out Wrigley field sod. He was carrying it around in a box. I actually have the metro show on video w/ soundcheck.

The next time would be Lollapalooza!!! We got to know the band so they set me and my friend up w/ passes. That was another great PJ show. A few cool r-n-r moments...I was backstage and this girl painted a picture for Eddie and while he was studying the picture she asked him about the lyrics from "Black". So Eddie closed his eyes and started snapping his fingers and sang the song softly, it was pretty damn cool. Earlier I lost my friend backstage and I noticed a sign that said Peal Jam (it was their dressing room) so I walked over and stood next to it (thinking I would run into my friend soon), I didn't think I was aloud to in and the security guy goes to me, "You can go in you know - you're pass is all access". So I walk in and there are members of PJ & Soundgarden just hanging out. They told me to grab some food and some beer. Ahhh, the good ol' days!!!!

[jean b]

I caught the '91 tour with PJ opening for RHCP and SP in Ames, thanks to free front row tix from a Warner Bros. rep. The perks of making minimum wage in a record store! PJ was okay--I'm not a fan, but enjoyed the show and was impressed with Eddie's scaling of the wall by the stage and diving into the crowd (see the video for Even Flow). My biggest memory of that show, aside from being crushed against the stage during RHCP and thinking I was going to die, was how unbearably awful Smashing Pumpkins were. I still can't stand to hear them. Billy Corgan came into the record store a few days later and purchased The Best of Foghat, and he was a complete and total dick to my coworkers. But I digress...

[Christopher Calandro]

I second the emotion on Prince; I've had the pleasure of seeing him THREE times at Atlanta's Tabernacle, the equivalent of Chicago's Riviera or Vic. Fantastic shows all.