"Jam Still Match the Energy Levels"
Review by Danielle O'Donohue
22nd November, 2006
THE second of this month's touring extravaganza's has rolled into town armed with a political message and rock show just as potent as U2.
Grunge era pioneers Pearl Jam rocked the Entertainment Centre in the first of two shows on Tuesday night, playing old favourites and new songs off this year's critically acclaimed self-titled album.
Political numbers including recent single Worldwide Suicide and Army Reserve were powerful in their own right but were almost overshadowed by the sentiment of lead singer Eddie Vedder dropping the chorus of Midnight Oils' Australian political anthem Beds Are Burning and War (What Is It Good For?) into the band's early hit Daughter.
Vedder then sang Bob Marley's No Woman/No Cry during the encore, changing the words to No Baby/No Cry and dedicating it to all the new parents before launching into Betterman, letting the enthusiastic crowd take over vocal duties on the chorus.
Vedder then had to wait for the crowd to finish applauding before he was able to begin the second verse, the band joining him to prove that even in their 40s they still match the energy of their early days.
It was another early hit that got the night's biggest reception, the moving Jeremy.
The show started with Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town, the house lights going up halfway through the song so Vedder could lean back from the mic and watch as the crowd sang the song's refrain of, `hello,' a fitting welcome for the pioneers of the grunge era.
Last here in 2003, the band delighted their long-term fans with early songs such as Once, State of Love of Trust, Alive and Even Flow.
And the band repayed the crowd's obvious respect. Vedder, at one point, ad-libbing, "I wish I lived in Adelaide, take a break from the US. Write some songs and catch some waves."
Similar to U2, Pearl Jam is a band that is passionate about its beliefs.
On Friday in Melbourne the five-piece were joined by Bono at the Make Poverty History concert in Melbourne to sing Neil Young's Rockin' In the Free World.
The band also donates money to various environmental charities to offset the environmental impact of touring.
With the band now in their 40s, Pearl Jam guitarist Stone Gossard said he doesn't see an end for the band any time soon.
"I think we can do it for a long time though I don't think we'd do it the same way. I can imagine touring less, but in terms of going in and starting a record and making music, it's like finger painting. It's so great. I want to hear what kind of stories Ed would tell next."
And Gossard has nothing but praise for his lead singer.
"It really is shocking how he just keeps getting better and better. He can jump up onstage with anybody and hang. He's such a music fan."
"When he goes out and does songs by himself you sense that if he really wanted to he could just go out and play acoustic songs. It's a tribute to him that he really still loves the energy of the band.
"He likes the way we play which sometimes shocks me. Not to sell ourselves short but in the grand scheme of things he really could do more than Pearl Jam for sure."
Young southerners Kings of Leon got the crowd dancing early, playing their fried southern rock and debuting new songs off an album out early next year.
par GreenDisease » Mer Nov 22, 2006 12:12 am 
Jeremy est né le 28.04.06 et Fanny le 17.07.09 
MARSEILLE
C'est quoi cette bague ??? 
