Edmonton Journal(newspaper)
'Can't find a better Vedder'
Pearl Jam as good a live band as you'll see
EDMONTON - "Have they even released any albums lately?"
That's a question I've been asked dozens of times since Pearl Jam's cross-Canada tour was announced -- which sort of implies the Seattle rockers have lost much of their relevance since the mid '90s.
(The answer, by the way, is yes: Binaural in 2000, Riot Act in 2002, while a new one is slated for this fall.)
In a way, it's Pearl Jam's own fault.
Not because they stopped writing radio hits but because they rarely tour up north (Monday's show at Rexall was their first trip to Edmonton in 12 years). And if you were one of the 16,800 local Jammers to see Eddie Vedder and co., you'll know the former giants of grunge are one of the most passionate and powerful live acts in rock and thus, even more relevant than they were when their first single, Alive, hit the airwaves in 1991.
What makes Pearl Jam so formidable is their close attention to detail.
Not only are Vedder, Stone Gossard, Mike McCready, Matt Cameron and Jeff Ament an incredibly tight unit, they understand there needs to be a natural ebb and flow to a concert in order to keep propelling fans to new heights of rock 'n' roll rapture. Intimate, minimal lighting also helps -- especially in such an impersonal venue as a hockey arena.
Starting off under simple blue lighting -- as if the moon and stars were illuminating the stage -- Pearl Jam casually strolled on stage to the rabid cheers of fans, and started playing one of the most subdued opening numbers, Release. With the slow jangles of McCready's guitar and the raising of Vedder's arms, the song felt like a hymnal, or a pre-show blessing, to ensure the success and sacredness of the rest of the group's three-hour, multi-encore set.
Pearl Jam then quickly tore through three ferocious tunes -- including Go and Save You-- before falling into a general pattern of slow (Nothing As It Seems), fast (Daughter), fast (Evenflow), slow (Better Man), faster-ish (I Am Mine).You get the picture.
Not that it felt predictable -- Vedder and his mates are the kind of musicians who don't like to stick to the same setlist night after night, so every selection was welcomed with delirious roars. They're also the kind of musicians with fans who know the word to every song, no matter how obscure or how many times it's been played on the radio. In fact, Rexall burst into the most spirited sing-a-longs during the group's supposedly lesser known campfire ditties -- such as Better Man and Elderly Woman Behind The Counter In A Small Town, which Vedder changed to Saskatchewan as he introduced the song.
Over the years, Pearl Jam has been accused of spawning scores of diluted soundalikes -- Bush, Creed, Nickelback, Default, Theory of a Deadman -- but none of their vocalists come even close to Vedder.
"Can't find a better Vedder," read one fan's T-shirt.
While there's an air of insincerity hanging in the vocals of Scott Stapp, Chad Kroeger, etc. -- you can tell they're trying to sing like Pearl Jam's frontman, instead of cultivating their own sound -- you know Vedder isn't trying to imitate anyone.
He's one of those honest artists with integrity, who feels the pain of the downtrodden because he has a heart, not because he wants to further his career. As he introduced Nothing As It Seems, a brooding tempest fuelled by McCready's bluesy guitar, Vedder talked about the plight of New Orleans in the aftermath of hurricane Katrina.
"You've really got a beautiful place here in Edmonton," he said. "Outside the windows we could see the river flow and it made us think of New Orleans ... It'll never be the same. It's really a beautiful city. That's where blues and jazz comes from."
Vedder isn't necessarily the slickest frontman around -- on Monday, he tended to kneel, stumble or reach for his microphone as if he was about to fall over from exhaustion, but you could tell he was living every note as he unleashed his vein-popping, gravelling baritone. But as powerful as it was, Vedder wasn't always strong enough to cut through the squealing morass of McCready's riffs, Ament's nimble bass lines and Cameron's bashing drums.
Like Green Day, the members of Pearl Jam obviously cherish every moment on the stage, never taking any of their fans or fame for granted -- another reason for the group's prowess as a live act. During the first 75 minutes, McCready pogoed around, sometimes exchanging scissor kicks with Ament while Goddard's golf pants were enough to keep fans mesmerized.
"It's great to be in a band where you are in awe of the other members," cracked Vedder, refering to Goddard's trousers.
It's even better to see such a band in action.
Sandra Sperounes
The Edmonton JournalTuesday, September 06, 2005
PEARL JAM
When: Monday
Where: Rexall Place
Opening act: The Supersuckers