Live Alive: Pearl Jam

While some bands quickly become one-trick ponies, incapable of altering the formula that brought them initial success, Pearl Jam has given the finger and shown that their fans deserve more than just the same old approach. Each and every album within the Pearl Jam catalogue has its own distinct flavor and amazingly, not one of them taints a musical reputation, any other 80’s or 90’s band has been able to achieve.

I don’t care if Papa Roach and Linkin Park sold a gazillion albums, and neither do they nor their fans. They have always walked to the beat of their drum and have often treaded in dangerous waters simply for the sake of honesty and artistic integrity. You simply don’t take on Ticket Master if you want people to see you. Well that’s exactly what they did. After this band found out that the monopolizing giant had added service charges to their show tickets, they canceled the summer tour and boycotted the company in protest.

That’s because this band comes alive when they’re live. They look up to the Who and Led Zeppelin who knew what it meant to deliver live. They are known for giving two encores and for some of those encores to be longer than some concerts from the likes of mega stars that didn’t have enough Fiji Water to feed their egos.

I’ve been to three Pearl Jam shows and though that may not seem like a lot, please take into account that I’m not filthy rich, that I live in Puerto Rico and that I need to invest some serious cash each and every time I’ve seen them live. By the way, each experience has not only been worth every penny; they have EACH succeeded in exceeding my expectations and have humbled me as a fan and more than once I’ve found myself torn between doing a Garth and shrieking I’m not worthy and just crying out of sheer joy.


When you think of Pearl Jam live, you need to take into account that they have what they call “two shirt nights”, where so much sweat has bled on stage that they need to change outfits just to not risk electrocution. Hell, when they have back to back nights, it’s a wonder they shower at all.

That’s why they’re my favorite band in the world. They know what they mean to their fans and they always strive to go further. They are not complacent in their relationship and constantly do things that in the short and long run will reward fans of all ages for decades to come. When you look to comparisons, you just need to look back and see the following for bands like The Who or The Grateful Dead. If you’ve ever heard the stories, you know that those fans can get a bit raucous to say the least, which is funny because being one of the Ten Clan, I can tell you that it’s an experience worth living to be in the crowd when the band is blazing through “Do the Evolution” and suddenly all lights come on and the entire crowd chants hallelujah in the über cynical ode to our wanting evolutionary cycle.

You see while religious types have church to go to, real fans have a travelling church, and in the case of Pearl Jam, it’s almost a circus. Plus, make sure to get there early because surprises tend to happen at Pearl Jam shows. Eddie comes out to play a three song acoustic set or he jams with the opening band or special guests make a special appearance truly making the word special mean something for a change. You are the fan and they are playing for you. Not twelve songs. Not Fifteen. Normally sets range upwards of 26 songs and you can bet your butt that they’re exhausted, but that doesn’t mean they won’t finish a concert with Baba O’Reilly, Porch, or Rocking in the Free World.

That’s another thing. Covers played by artists are rarely as special as the original, but with Pearl Jam, you have versions of Baba, Reign O’er Me, Crazy Mary, Masters of War, Rocking in the Free world and countless others that truly give the original a run for their money, live. You could say that such a feat says something about a band, but I disagree… I think it says everything about a band.

Pearl Jam is not "Returning to Form"

You see to return to form, you have to lose it. You have to slip up. You have to do something wrong. Pearl Jam has done neither. True, they may have avoided writing another Ten, but for someone who has been a fan for seventeen years, I know I'm biased, but I also know I'm honest, and there is nothing Perl Jam has done wrong... well maybe "Hey Foxymophandlemama, That's Me", but that's besides the point. No other band could make me prouder to be a fan, a biased, unruly no nonsense tolerating fan. People say everything has sucked since Ten, and I kindly refer them to their cd collection including Limp Bizkit, Good Charlotte, Story of the Year, and the Now music series.

Seriously, if you're not a fan, that's kosher, just don't go trying to rain on my parade because you can and will be ignored, but the memory of you will stick out like some ungodly dump that had me crawling on the floor while wiping.

Are some albums better than others... well there's actually no answer to this question. You can say some albums were more accesible, poppier, harder or mellower... but better? Well no. Music wise they always deliver and they go through different phases, liking to play different things. This isn't Metallica cutting their hair and playing something that sounds like what's out there. They've NEVER played like what's out there and they've always played what they've wanted to play.

You could maybe say they're a little too political for you but I can't help but want music with a message in my collection. People often scoff at some of their titles and to me, every album has meant something to me in different points in my life. Ten was my first rock album and I was beginning a long and gratifying relationship. Vs has the edge and anger that was coming to in me at my early teens yet had beautiful tracks that to this day make me breathe deep and just reflect on my life. Vitalogy sounded like it came from the 70's rock and 80's punk era respectively and during the only time I've ever contemplated suicide, their music didn't pull me out of the gutter, but it did help me piece shit in my head that wasn't making sense. No Code I didn't even know it was coming out and I stumbled on it on its release day at Spec's and I've never had a more randomly pleasant surprise than having an album from my favorite band just pop up in front of me. From this album I have special love from In My Tree, Off he Goes and Present Tense... not to mention that when I die I want Around the Bend to be playing. Then I fizzled slightly on Pearl Jam for some reason and I still listened to them, but something had skipped at beat.... then came yield... and that fire that burned so fiercely in me erupted like some dormant volcano that woke from a Coma. I'd never been that amped to have Pearl Jam in my life and I found myself backtracking to buy all the singles and have PJ binges that would last weeks. I played yield so much I thought it was going to burn right through, but it didn't. I felt inspired, energized and I was given to fly. Then came Binaural... an album I initially didn't totally get. I enjoyed it don't get me wrong... but it didn't click with me until about a year later when I found myself writing and listening to the album... then I hit repeat all and after five listens I realized that it clicked and that though a bit of a test, it finally settled into my soul with all my Pearl Jam memories. Then came Riot Act, an album that isn't my favorite through and through, but that has enough jems for me to enjoy. What was different for me on this album though, was that I finally realized that the album was just the beginning and that these songs demanded to be listened to live... which I did, and I found great appreciating for the live demos found on the album, and the scorching numbers that were kind enough to explode my head. Then came the Avocado and I was amped again... I'd been amped since Yield and it's gotten more intense as time has passed. i played World Wide Suicide to no end but found great satisfaction in Big Wave, Inside Job and Come Back. The whole album is solid through and through... but those foud tracks begged me to hit replay. Then we have present day. I heard Got Some, DVR'd the performance and have listened to that song well past 50 times. I've heard the fixer on their site and was amazed at how happy Ed sounded... damn... I don't think I could remember when Ed sounded that happy in a song and I not only don't mind, but happilly jump on the wagon and smile as I jump up and down like some ridiculous teenager who wears clothes that fit him poorly and who is battling pubescent acne. Now comes Speed of Sound... This song seems like a song that will resonate with me for years to come... It is in the vein of the Into the Wild soundtrack, whic means mellow, folksy, and a song to enjoy over a cup of coffee if you're alone.

That's not counting the side projects, soundtrack appearances, and collaborations all members of the band have done throughout the years. For my part, this relationship keeps getting better and I can't help but send good thoughts on a wave to my unknown friends. I'd write something like keep true to yourselves, but you don't need a random blogger fan saying this and the genuine fire that is your integrity burns bright. So I finish this post with well wishes of great waves and great times.

Cheers

Pearl Jam - Speed of Sound Scavenger fun

So i was a bit late into getting my first listen of Pearl Jam's new track titled Speed of Sound. Now before anyone goes thinking I have education problem, no I did not take four days to find all the images to unlock the downloadable track... oh wait, I get ahead of myself. If you didn't know, Pearl Jam is releasing an album. If you didn't know about that then you might not know that they debuted one of the tracks on their album on Conan Obrien's debut on the Tonight Show. The audio was weird but the song insisted on being awesome, and it succeeded. If you didn't know that, then you probably didn't know that they released a new single on their website and that is already on pre sale as well as the album. And if you didn't know any of that, you probably had no idea that they had a scavenger hunt where your reward for finding all nine pictures of the cover art is a music download.

If you didn't know any of this and are still reading, then I'm impressed because I wouldn't believe you were interested in this band if you didn't know all of that. For your info, Pearl Jam hid nine images from their album throughout the web. I could give all the links to all the pictures, but I seriously think that defeat the purpose and takes away half the fun. Is this an innovative, crazy out there idea... not really. It turns out that Muse did it and you could win a free Dr. Pepper... but since Pearl Jam does not have a bar code on their taint, your reward should you choose to finish the hunt is a download of the demo version of a great song.

I for one am happy with the hunt, with the song and with this band. I proudly proclaim they are my favorite band, I'm going to watch them live for the fourth time and I can't help but smile with every memory that has anything to do with these guys. I've read some people think the hunt was lame, that they didn't like the song and yadda yadda and bull crap. The tendency of people just wanting to be haters and being major douche debbie downers is just insulting to someone who is trying to become more optimistic and for the most part is happy to let people enjoy their cup of tea, especially when it's not mine.

There are so many people that insist that Pearl Jam hasn't put out a great album since Ten that I just have to scratch my head everytime I see their Creed rocks T-shirts. For my part, I'm passing on the hating and am just smiling at the speed of sound... and I suggest you get cracking on that scavenger hunt so you can do the same.

cheers