After over a two year delay (show was originally scheduled for 4/13/20) the day had finally arrived for me to see Pearl Jam for only the second time ever, which still blows my mind with as many shows I go to plus the fact that I grew up in Washington state, but to be fair there was this weird unspoken childish thing back in the day that if you liked Nirvana you could not also like Pearl Jam. My second Pearl Jam sighting was pale in comparison to my buddy PM who held onto our tickets that he purchased through the Ten Club to see Pearl Jam for the 51st time!
We arrived just in time to grab a couple beverages and make our way to the seats before Ed came out and treated the early attendees to a solo acoustic performance of Warren Zevon’s “Keep Me In Your Heart” before introducing Josh Klinghoffer as the opening act then disappearing. Klinghoffer played some dissonant type stuff and had an unexpected higher pitched singing voice that absolutely nailed “Take My Breath Away” from the Top Gun soundtrack. He also introduced me to the baritone guitar, which is downright embarrassing for someone who also plays guitar (though not even 1% of how good this guy plays).
Our seats were good because we were near the soundboard but not as good as I would have expected the Ten Club to dole out to a longtime member. They were definitely better than the last time I saw Pearl Jam at this exact same venue since this time I was actually in front of the band instead of sitting behind them like last time. In fact the stark stage setup was identical to that other time in 2006 with only minimal lights, two screens to show action from the stage and people sitting behind the stage (they also turned around and played one song to the people back there just like last time). This is a band that does not need anything but the power of song and I am fairly certain the electricity from the crowd would have been enough to power the electronics in the building. Many of the band members have a San Diego connection which made this opening night of the tour that much more special not only for the crowd but surely the band themselves as well. Ed took time to point out his mother, his guitar teacher and Bill Walton in the crowd, which now makes for two shows I have been to with Bill Walton!
The once new album Gigaton was now two years old but 2/3 of it was so seamlessly integrated into their set that it felt like an old friend, especially “Superblood Wolfmoon” that would not be out of place on one of the first albums. “Porch” was the last song played before the encore break and what Mike McCready did during that song was nothing short of obscene in the best of ways. He is so much of a BEAST that even after they came back from the break Ed said, “He looks a little sunburned but that was just his face next to the amp that was shooting out flames.” Classic. Just like the bottle of wine Ed downed during the show and playing “Alive” as the closer, which felt like it had a little more meaning after these last couple years.
SETLIST: Oceans, Retrograde, Never Destination, Corduroy, Dance of the Clairvoyants, Amongst the Waves, Even Flow, Who Ever Said, Quick Escape, Long Road, Given to Fly, Superblood Wolfmoon, Daughter, Seven O’Clock, Jeremy, Porch, Lightning Bolt, Better Man, Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town, River Cross, Footsteps, Once, Alive
