Pearl Jam Benefit Raises $3 Million For Charityhttp://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/art ... 1003823184
Pearl Jam packed arena-sized power into New York's 2,800-capacity Beacon Theater last night (July 1), rattling off an eclectic 26-song set list during a private show that raised $3 million for the Robin Hood Foundation's poverty fighting initiatives.
Frontman Eddie Vedder told the crowd, some of whom had paid $2,250 for floor-level seats, that he required a steroid shot in his posterior to get him stage-ready for the evening, the last show of a mini-U.S. tour for the Seattle band. Pearl Jam had played a two-and-a-half hour set the night before in Boston.
As such, the group eased its way into the show, playing seated for the first five songs, which included such obscurities as "Lowlight" and "Sleight of Hand" alongside covers of Neil Young's "Harvest Moon" and Bob Dylan's "Masters of War."
The band then shifted into its normal set, which went heavy on some of its more classic-sounding repertoire like the Motown-inspired rave-up "All Night," the sing-a-long "Marker in the Sand" and "Down," which showcased lead guitarist Mike McCready's blues-drenched leads.
Vedder was not shy about getting political, bashing the current Presidential administration's continued funding of the Iraq War and reminding the audience that the next time Pearl Jam returned to the New York area that there would be a new leader in the White House.
But the focus remained on the music, with the band offering a slew of crowd favorites such as "Wishlist," "Why Go," "Do the Evolution," "Black," "Crazy Mary," "Alive" and a thunderous, show-closing cover of the Who's "Baba O'Riley."
Pearl Jam will now transition into work on its next studio album, which will be produced by longtime collaborator Brendan O'Brien. Vedder is also expected to embark on an East Coast leg of his solo tour in August, showcasing material from his soundtrack to the film "Into the Wild" alongside deep Pearl Jam tracks and covers.
Publié : Mer Juil 02, 2008 7:07 am
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