Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder was able to perform the band’s final, rarities-stacked concert of their European Tour 2022 on Monday at the Ziggo Dome in Amsterdam. Pearl Jam was forced to cancel their three preceding shows when Vedder suffered vocal damage from performing outdoors at Lollapalooza Paris in “extreme circumstances … heat, dust, and smoke” caused by a historic heatwave and nearby wildfires.
Pearl Jam made up for their canceled appearances in canceled concerts in Vienna, Austria and Prague, Czech Republic as well as Sunday’s Amsterdam concert by delivering several tour debuts. Vedder also received assistance from his bandmates, who sang lead on a few songs throughout the night.
Two of the tour debuts kicked off the concert as “Nothing As It Seems” and “Off He Goes” each made a setlist for the first time since 2018. “Footsteps” came next, followed by the tour’s first “Alright” (and third time overall) and first complete “W.M.A.” After a pair of tracks off the band’s 1991 debut Ten, “Why Go” and “Even Flow,” Pearl Jam dropped into their first performance of “Pilate” since 2018. Vedder then led the group through the setlist staple “Corduroy.”
Guitarist Stone Gossard took over lead vocals on the subsequent “Mankind,” which also had last seen action in 2018. Continuing with “Wishlist” and “Hard to Imagine,” Pearl Jam then played “Better Man,” tagging it with The Rolling Stones’ “Beast Of Burden” and The English Beat’s “Save It For Later.”
Drummer Matt Cameron and guitarist Mike McCready handled lead vocals on a cover of KISS’ “Black Diamond,” another tour debut last played in 2018. “Given To Fly” and “Porch” were the final two songs of the main set. Pearl Jam began the five-song encore with “Do the Evolution.” Vedder handed off lead vocals to multi-instrumentalist Josh Klinghoffer during the ensuing cover of Prince’s “Purple Rain.” The night, and tour, came to an end with “Alive,” “Indifference” and Neil Young’s “Rockin’ in the Free World.” McCready punctuated the encore by smashing his guitar on the stage.
Pearl Jam’s North American Tour 2022 starts in Quebec on September 1. Watch video highlights of the tour finale last night in Amsterdam below:
Setlist (via Pearljam.com)
Set: Nothing As It Seems, Off He Goes, Footsteps, Alright, W.M.A., Why Go, Even Flow, Pilate, Corduroy, Mankind, Wishlist, Hard To Imagine, Better Man, Black Diamond, Given To Fly, Porch
Encore: Do The Evolution, Purple Rain, Alive, Indifference, Rockin’ In The Free World
