That’s because the group had long passed their prime and it had been geological ages in band years since making a splash equal to its meteoric 1990s run. But jump forward to the present and the tides have turned back in the alternative rock act’s direction thanks to its most successful album in over a decade that not only has its diehard appreciators loving every minute of it, but prompted a return to radio in full dominating force.
In Tuesday’s first of a two-night stand at the United Center, Pearl Jam merged its past with the present, plugging in many of its grunge era classics with key cuts from this year’s self-titled CD. Members must have felt confident enough with the new material and as a result learned towards tunes like “Life Wasted,” “Severed Hand” and the current single “World Wide Suicide” early in their set. In each of those instances, the gang unfurled with modern rock insistence, occasionally throwing in a psychedelic influence, but avoiding any dated references to its flannel bearing days.
Of course, the older material naturally bore resemblance to that time period, but thankfully everything was updated and fleshed out with frequent but not over indulgent jams and rooted in the finely preserved vocal gruff of Eddie Vedder. Who I may add has returned to his classic dishevel look that made all the girls swoon him and the guys want to be him. Tunes like the battering “Even Flow,” the acoustic “Daughter,” the haunting “Alive” and the burly “Jeremy” both showcased the talents of lead guitarist, Mike McCready, and served as reminders why Pearl Jam joins Nirvana in carrying the torch of the previous decade’s alternative surge while refusing to go down for the count during learner commercial times.
Though the group offered a generous, two and a half hours with countless encores, players could’ve trimmed the fat in certain instances, such as cutting out a sluggish and lackluster rendition of “Come Back.” A treatment of The Who’s “Baba O'Riley” fell unusually flat, perhaps making some yearn for the band’s more memorable version of Neil Young’s frequently covered “Rockin' In The Free World”, which was in turn performed the following night.
But by the time the grand finale “Yellow Ledbetter” nestled into its strategically building grind, those grievances were swept under the rug, resulting in the loudest karaoke meets air guitar moment of the evening, assuring us that Pearl Jam is not only “Alive” but they still have a few tunes up their flannel sleeves.
Photos are from the May 17 concert.
Powered by AkoComment 2.0!
Entertainment
