Pearl Jam Welcomes Guests & Offers Debuts At 1st Show In 3 Years

Pearl Jam returned to the stage for the first time in 3 years on Saturday to headline the Sea Hear Now Festival in Asbury Park, New Jersey. The renowned rockers welcomed a number of guests and offered up a bevy of live debuts.

Pearl Jam got things underway with a trio of debuts off their 2020 album Gigaton in “Dance Of The Clairvoyants,” “Quick Escape” and “Seven O’Clock.” The band then took it back to their 1994 album Vitalogy with “Corduroy” before frontman Eddie Vedder introduced former Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist Josh Klinghoffer as a touring member of the band. Ed also let the audience in on an inside joke PJ had about the name of their new album, Gigaton, which for the group also meant “Gig A Ton,” something that was postponed due to the pandemic. Pearl Jam then got into “Present Tense” from their 1996 album No Code before unveiling yet another Gigaton track, “Never Destination.”

More vintage PJ came next in the form of “Even Flow.” PJ then took a moment to recognize some of the artists that have passed recently including The Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts and comedian Norm Macdonald before playing “Wishlist” followed by portions of the Stones’ “Waiting On A Friend,” which included a lyric change to “wishing on a friend.” The debut of Gigaton single “Superblood Wolfmoon” followed ahead of “Red Mosquito,” the latter featuring renowned rock photographer and Sea Hear Now organizer Danny Clinch on harmonica. Clinch also directed PJ’s 2017 concert film, Let’s Play Two. A paring of the songs “Daughter” and “W.M.A.” came next, both off PJ’s 1993 sophomore LP Vs. The final debut of the evening came in the form of Gigaton’s “Take The Long Way.”

“Elderly Woman Behind The Counter In A Small Town,” “Given To Fly” and “State Of Love And Trust” came next ahead of a nod to the man who put Asbury Park on the map, Bruce Springsteen, as well as a bit of foreshadowing of things to come. The classic “Better Man” would head into a bit of the Patti Smith anthem “People Have The Power” (Smith also performed at Sea Hear Now) before the band closed out the set with “Porch.” For the encore, Vedder shouldered an acoustic guitar and welcomed a vocal quartet — Joshua Rivers, Jason Rogers, Michelle Rushing and Alexander White — for a rendition of Springsteen’s “My City Of Ruins.” The band then returned for the staple “Alive” ahead of the final number of the evening, Neil Young’s “Rockin’ In The Free World” featuring Patti Smith Group guitarist Lenny Kaye.

Watch fan-shot video from Pearl Jam’s first show in three years below via the JamBase Live Video Archive:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ncpv08LdwF0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_CeBC61_S4

Setlist

Source: JamBase.com