Pearl Jam @ Acer Arena, Sydney(07/11/06)

Wed 8th Nov, 2006 in Gig Reviews

Venturing down to the Acer Arena in Sydney I comment on what a soulless venue it is. As I approach the gates the queues were split into male and female groupings so the appropriate sex could body search the punters coming into see Pearl Jam. What a reflection of the times we live in that we have to be searched before we rock. And rock we did!

Kicking off the gig were the fabulous Kings of Leon. The perfect band to warm-up the loyal Pearl Jam fans. With their young, shaking rock and roll, this troupe of three Followill brothers and a cousin were able to win the crowd over and gain their attention. Caleb’s vocals and range are just thrilling to experience. The bass playing of Jared was also a highlight of the interplay of these kings of the south. This was only  a taste of what they really can deliver in a full set, they left me wanting more and more and I look forward to them returning to Australia and headlining the Enmore once again!

At approximately 9PM, Eddie and the rest of Pearl Jam hit the boards with Release from 10. With the stage fairly dark during this song, you were unsure what Eddie looked like tonight. But by the time the second song was underway, you could see the straggly haired Vedder with his goatee firmly in place. He looked relaxed and eager to perform and that he did.  Firmly planted at the front of the stage for the early part of the show, he was in excellent voice and blasted through Rearview Mirror, Severed Hand, Corduroy, and World Wide Suicide before he came up for air. Eddie talked briefly about touring and saying the world was full of beautiful people and that the only people who seemed ugly-like were the leaders of the world who had their heads up their asses and the asses of the corporations they supported. All in all though, Eddie did not have much to say about activism and he let the music speak for itself.

Mike McCready was all over the strings of his guitars and all over the stage. Do The Evolution and Life Wasted and Big Wave were highlights, but there were so many I would have to list almost the entire set-list. Mike was throwing guitar picks by the bucket load to the adoring throng. Stone Gossard cruised around the stage with a fairly laid back attitude, Jeff Ament drilled the bass and Matt Cameron kept the furnace alive with his driving drums. The band were also joined by their most recent member Boom Gaspar on keyboards, but most of the time the sound of his playing was lost in the mix of the acoustics at the Arena.

The set list consisted of quite a few from Pearl Jam’s first three releases (10, Vs., and Vitalogy) and half a dozen from their latest. Throw in a few others from Yield and Merkin Ball and you had what was an almost perfect Pearl Jam set. There was not a moment where the audience was not engaged. On their feet, fists punching the air,dancing and singing loud were all happening around me during the 2 hour show. Closing the show down with Throw Your Hatred Down (Mirror Ball) and Rockin’ In The Free World was a tip of the hat to their grunge godfather Neil Young, who penned them both and who supposedly had some influence on the Jam part of their name.

With the members of the band now in their 40’s, the youthfulness inherent within the playing of the band and the singing of Vedder, declare that Pearl Jam are still a vital team on the rock and roll circuit.