Serious Jam
Grunge veterans know how to rock - and have fun

Pearl Jam front man Eddie Vedder was adept at winning over the Edmonton crowd during last night's concert at Rexall Place. (DARRYL DYCK, Sun)

No one would ever dare accuse Pearl Jam of being frivolous. You'd have to be joking.

Everything about the band's sold-out concert at Rexall Place last night was serious business - to the serious intensity of the performance to the serious subject matter of the songs to Eddie Vedder's serious comments on politics and humanitarian issues.

It was a seriously good show. Word of the day.

The band - and Eddie in particular - has taken heat over the years for being a bunch of liberal drama queens. And sure, there were a few elements of the concert that grated on the nerves. Before the show even started, a sign of rules set out by the band greeted patrons: No moshing or crowd surfing, for starters. Funny, I seem to recall that at Pearl Jam's last show in Edmonton (it was 1993), they wanted the kids to mosh. A lot of water has gone under the bridge since then, of course, though it's also funny that the same songs that got the biggest rise from the crowd back then did likewise last night: Even Flow and Alive, for instance - classic hits from the grunge era that still stand up.

But anyway, however pretentious Pearl Jam seems sometimes, this band obviously finds joy in delivering a great rock show for its fans.

They've been literally living on their concerts (recording and selling each one on-line for $10 US a pop), so no wonder. They know how to rock. There is no law that says you can't have fun and be serious at the same time. Is there? Better check that.

RIPPING ROCKERS

For a band that doesn't play by the rules, it's no surprise this concert was somewhat unconventional, too. The band put the ballad first, opening with a droning dirge on a stage bathed in nothing but blue light. Then came one ripping fast rocker after another. The stage was stark, no fancy frills, with what appeared to be work lights illuminating some of the songs.

Vedder got a big hand by pointing out how beautiful the North Saskatchewan River looked from his hotel room window (at the Mac, probably), adding that it reminded him of what's happened in New Orleans.

He lamented, "It'll never be the same. It's a tremendous, tremendous place." Blues and jazz both came from New Orleans, without which "we wouldn't be here tonight," he added. Cue guitarist Mike McCready's bluesy introduction to Nothing As It Seems.

It was a good 30 minutes before the first "hit," and then there were three in a row. The poignant ballad Better Man drew the Bic lighters. Daughter had the entire crowd singing along, Even Flow had them jumping en masse.

Later came another unconventional hit, introduced as Elderly Woman Behind a Counter in Saskatoon, nice touch.

For the encore, Eddie came back to the stage with a little political speech - which was as inevitable as hearing Even Flow - ending it with "If we were going to invade a country and take it over, it should've been Canada. It's beautiful." Pearl Jam could lead the charge.

REDEMPTION FOUND

Opening act the Supersuckers at first sounded like it was living up to only half its name, not the good half - coming off like some bar band that took a wrong turn on the way to the pig roast - but that was OK because the arena was half-empty, too. Never seen it this empty for an opening act. Or was it half-full? Anyway, this oddly Spinal Tappian punk-country band started to warm up, work its mojo, plow through the middle of a dirt road of badass rock 'n' roll goodness and redeem itself as "Pearl Jam's new favourite band." PJ wouldn't pick clinker support to make itself look better, would it? No. Perish the thought.

It's also nice to see a band that doesn't take itself too seriously.

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SOUND CHECK

MAIN EVENT: Pearl Jam

IN THE SEATS: 16,800 in Rexall

LOWDOWN: A serious yet unconventional show revealing the veteran grunge stars at the top of their game.

RATING: 4 out of 5