A little greyer but no less grunt
Andrew Murfett
November 21, 2009
THE first time Pearl Jam toured Australia, in 1995, fans hatched a virtual mini-riot.
Barricades were stormed, seats were smashed and there was a sense that, midway through the so-called grunge era of rock, they were one of the most vital bands in the world.
Almost 15 years on, there are speckles of grey hair evident, and the fan base is, perhaps, a little less excitable.
Yet, in an epic performance last night at Etihad Stadium in front of an ecstatic crowd of about 45,000, it's obvious they remain as vital as ever.
Earlier this year, they released Back-spacer, widely hailed as their best album in a decade.
And they drew heavily from the release last night, while also carefully scattering a long list of their greatest hits through the set.
Last night's event, the best-attended single stadium rock show of the year, began surprisingly early with support act Liam Finn hitting the stage just after 6.
An unexpectedly rock heavy set from Ben Harper came next.
But it was all about the headline act. Wily frontman Eddie Vedder is as energetic at 44 as he was in the early 1990s, if perhaps a little sloppier.
After opening with classics Elderly Women Behind the Counter in a Small Town, Corduroy and Animal, he began casually slugging from a bottle of wine.
The crowd roared with approval.
The humid conditions, along with extraordinary lines at the bar and at concession stands, tested fans' patience.
They were duly rewarded with a riveting performance of unrelenting intensity. Singalongs were frequent and as consistent as the smoke wafting up from the packed crowd on the stadium floor.
Even Flow, Brother, Amongst the Waves, Daughter, Glorified G and Oceans were particularly well received.
Vedder dedicated Lukin to Ross from the Melbourne rockers Cosmic Psychos and proudly paraded a Richmond jumper.
Tigers legend Matthew Richardson was even name-checked on-stage, although Vedder called him Mark when dedicating Given to Fly to him. He corrected himself a few songs later.
The night's most intimate moment came during Just Breathe. Vedder, accompanied with only an acoustic guitar, rendered a giant stadium stage intimate.
In line with what was an impressive show, it was a terrific achievement.
http://www.theage.com.au/news/entertain ... 76047.html
), Hold On, Speed of Sound, Deep
), Black, Alive, ils ont pris la DeLorean et joué une setlist de 1992 !
