Pearl Jam Live in Melbourne
November 21, 2009 · Print This Article
Pearl Jam performed in Melbourne at Etihad Stadium and for anyone who’s ever been to a gig at a venue the size of a football field, you will understand what I mean when I state that it’s comparable to watching a DVD with thousands of friends. You can barely see anything, apart from the giant screens around the arena, the sound is of the worst quality and you stand there sweating and feeling uncomfortable whilst the fat guy and his surprisingly hot wife rub their bodies up against you. You’re left feeling that somehow you should’ve stayed home with a tub of vanilla soy chai ice cream and watched the live DVD in your Scooby Doo pj’s.
But there was, and always is, something different about what Pearl Jam brings to the stage. You don’t feel as if you’re missing anything. Sure, there is still the fat sweaty guy, the warm over-priced beer and lack of view. But Eddie Vedder and the boys really bring that small venue presence to the largest of crowds. And I really can’t explain it with words, it is a feeling of absolute euphoria, a sense of wonder and enchantment you haven’t felt since that Christmas when you were seven and Santa bought you that shiny new bottle of vodka…What? So we celebrate a little differently in Australia, big whoop, wanna fight about it?
The anticipation was high; the crowd was growing restless with excitement. I stood there in my $12 shoes from Kmart on the stickiest of floors and felt warm and cozy, despite being surrounded by drunk bogans, (bogans are like rednecks, only they drive utes, name their kids bazza and shazza and listen to ACDC) as soon as I saw Eddie Vedder’s face appear on that giant screen. “We’re going to start out with a few quiet ones, take care of each other out there”. With those words, the first notes of “Nothing Man” started and soothed my soul through those gigantic speakers.
The set roared through the bands entire career. Given to Fly, Even Flow, Jeremy, Gonna See My Friend, Evolution. Song after song, note after note, I was deeply moved at the energy these guys could convey to such a large audience. Although to be straight up honest, I felt that the newer songs washed over the crowd a lot like socialist political agenda washes over a 9 year old.
It had reached the half way point, an already impressive one hour and a half, and on comes my personal favorite “Daughter.” I have to say that it was hard to hold back how moved I was. Sure, I put on a tough front but there was an eerie beauty in that song that night. At the eight minute mark of “Daughter,” the song transformed into a rendition of the Pink Floyd classic “Another Brick in the Wall Pt.2,” a mark of true musicianship I felt, then it kicked right into “Alive.”
Two hours in and Pearl Jam showed no sign of fatigue. At this point in the evening out came Ben Harper to jam on a song with the boys. We then reached, what I felt was truly the most significant and amazingly beautiful part of the show, Eddie Vedder now inviting out Mr. Liam Finn to, as he put it “busk” an astounding acoustic version of “Throw Your Arms Around Me” by Australian group “Hunters & Collectors”. Sadly the roof was meant to open at this point, but due to rain this never happened.
So despite the size of the arena, the lack of air, the horrible sound at some points through the night, and the drunken people around me who, I’m sure had never heard a Pearl Jam song in their life, this was one amazing show! Usually I hate 12 minute long guitar solos, but again, Pearl Jam made it work. The records do them no justice in any way at all! I mean, how can you capture all that raw, unspoiled energy on a piece of vinyl? It is certain that Pearl Jam has come a long way from their first gig under an overpass.
Rob Ryles, Contributor
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I saw Pearl Jam the other night at Etihad stadium. There music is what reminds me of my brother when we were growing up, at 8 or 9 I had no understanding of what they were singing about but knowing that what ever it was, they meant it, with everything that they had. At 24 this was my very first concert ever (I have always had a huge fear of large crowds). My partner took me saying that what these guys bring, the people they attract and the atmosphere the stadium will hold will be pure exhilaration. And once they start singing all your fears will melt away. They did! I sat there 9 months pregnant (due any day now!!!) sweating my already over heated body off, unconcerned about how many people were there, or how I can’t get my feet off the ground without almost loosing my thongs as they stuck to it, that the boys behind kept accidently spilling beer and the girls next to us must have certainly not been there to actually watch the boys as they were getting up and down past us at least 10 times an hour! Everyone was amazing these people, were so respectful, apologising as they squished past, giving me a little more room for my belly! And just generally the crowd was amazing. Some danced to their own tune, but all were just mesmerized by Eddie, (and Ben! Who was amazing!) I couldn’t believe how honoured I felt being there watching them. I know we bought the tickets and made the crap drive in, in the worst traffic ever. Yet I still felt so privileged to be able to hear what I was hearing. I wish I could thank them for such an amazing ‘first time’ especially as they say your first is never any good! Mine truly was the best I’ll ever have!
I thought it was a terrible show. The sound was awful. Pearl jam should really be doing smaller venues for a couple of nights instead of trying to squeeze it all into one show.
The concert was insane!! loved it, but will it be released on DVD??
I thought the show was musical perfection and the sound received in the Fixer field was superb. If you thought the sound was lacking then maybe you should have hopped on board a little earlier with the tickets and enjoyed the show with like minded people who knew the lyrics to every song (yes even the new ones). The band actually opened with Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town, fitting as the lyrics mimicked how the crowd was feeling…”my god its been so long, never dreamed you’d return, but now here you are…and here I am…hearts and thought they fade…away”. And with that, the euphoric state you speak of settled in and did not pass until the show was done and dusted. I hope we don’t have to wait another 3 years for that feeling, we can only hope.
They started with elderly woman, not nothing man. and eddie said “we are gonna start off small and catch a few little waves before we catch some big ones”
you have your setlist our of order.
Elderly Woman Behind The Counter In A Small Town
Corduroy
Animal
Got Some
Brother
Amongst
Even Flow
Oceans
Lukin
Green Disease
Force of Nature
Present Tense
Gonna See My Friend
Given To Fly (matthew richardson tribute)
Daughterwith Another Brick in the Wall snippet
Glorified G
The Fixer
Do The Evolution
Encore:
The Needle and The Damage Done (Neil Young cover)
Just Breathe
Red Mosquito (with Ben Harper)
Indifference (with Ben Harper)
Jeremy
Deep
Why Go
Porch
Encore 2:
Throw Your Arms Around Me (Hunters & Collectors cover) (with Liam Finn)
Black
Spin The Black Circle
Alive
Baba O’Riley (The Who cover)
Yellow Ledbetter
My 10th pearl jam show. great show but melbourne crowd sucked ass. I’ll never watch a show in melbourne again. saw the perth show and sydney tonight.
I think Pearl Jam are one of the best current live rock and roll bands.
If you didn’t like it its probably because you where sitting on the third level and for that you only have yourselves to blame.
The made U2 look like school boys from the same venue.
Pearl Jam was absolutely amazing!! I grew up listening to them, and they were one band that I had to see in person. But the venue was just too big for a concert. We were sitting at the front of the general audience, and we might as well have been watching a concert on tv. You didn’t feel part of the show, and I wasn’t in awe of seeing Pearl Jam in person, because you were too far away.
The music was a great mix, and Eddie’s voice was bang on. I would love to see them again. But I wouldn’t be going to Etihad again for a concert.
I agree with Sarah! What an awesome concert, we had fixer field tickets and the atmosphere and everything about it was wicked.
I think Pearl Jam just keep getting better and better. Come back soon guys!!
I notice you found that my comments to your review weren’t justified to have as a response. I ask that you please post my response as I also took the time to write a reply, and if you are going to selectively choose the replies based upon their reaction to your review, then you probably shouldn’t be writing reviews for public consideration.
As a long suffering PJ devotee I was miffed by the decision to play at Etihad. Having seen PJ 13 times prior to this event, this choice of venue, in my opinion, seemed like a money grabbing exercise. My seating allocation was horrible, to use football parlance, I was playing full foward whilst the band was at full back! Due to our poor internet connections up in the bush, I had to take what tickets I could get. As disappointed as I was, the band’s performance was outstanding and still left me satisfied that I had made the five hour journey south to see them in action. I will need to buy the DVD to see what the band looked like though! Ben Harper and his new crew were also brilliant, and Liam Finn’s eccentricity is refreshing.
Mark,
I have yet to come across a comment from you, other than this one. We publish all comments and welcome them. The only comments that don’t get published are those of a graphic nature and those that are considered spam.
Thanks
Sin
riddick I hear you!
It was only (unfortunatey) my 3rd PJ concert but I think it was pretty average (the only thing that keapt me there was PJ). The sound was not that good and the stadium was not fully prepared for such a gig. On one of the other concerts I have been, it was in Lisbon (in 2000) at the stadium “Estadio do Restelo” which is probably as big as Etihad and not only it was full but also the crowd was amazing. probably that’s why they have included it on their bootlegs
http://www.pearljambootlegs.org/modules/jinzora2/index.php?nuCU0sannA%3D%3D=ZpZlkpRlZGdnYZFtYJhmWYubqtjKzqhQuK2SlZ3bpo9Usp7Vx6KiY1dUsael2qigmqI%3D&ext.html
I think Melbourne doesn’t appreciate this type of music or concerts. They do not know or feel the music, they just went there to see a famous band. Point. No wonder PJ just filled in the time and left. They didn’t feel the public… and the public did not deserve them!
the concert was AWESOME….but then again i booked early and got fantastic tickets for the Fixer area. Went to the concert with 2 of my adult children….not many bands can boast 2 generations of fans! thanks eddie / pearl jam, ben harper and liam finn. please come back soon!
Pearl jam in melbourne was fantastic!!! Eddie and the boys put on a great show!! As far as this reviewer calling people in the crowd “bogans” and saying they were not “real” fans, i think unless he looked at every single person in the crowd (30000+) he should watch what he types!! And by the way buddy, they opened with “elderly woman behind the counter” not “nothing man”. A “real” fan whould have known that.
This concert was the most amazing rock show I’ve be too. It was an absolute honour to be there and witness that performance.
I too am a long and ‘suffering’ PJ fan and thought they rocked it last time they were here, but this show blew everyone away.
To the reviewer, I was one of those ‘bogans’ you refer to in the crowd. I lined up for over 12 hours in the heat followed by a dust and electrical storm and meet some amazing people….far from which I would call bogans. And I most certainly am not a bogan!…and yes they opened with Elderly Women. Next time you write a review about a band that has a huge fan base that spans over three generations, try to get your facts straight, this piece is just amateur journalism.
Was this reviewer actually there?? I have been to many PJ concerts and bucket loads of others and I rate this gig very highly. The sound was great, the crowd was great (some usual wankers, but you get them anywhere) the song list was the best I seen PJ do. Ben was a little flat but I’d blame the sound guy for that. But then again, anyone whos favourite PJ song is Daughter and who leaves out crucial info cause I suggest he didnt know it really aint a real fan. But this isnt a real fan-off….Your views are as valid as anyones here, but if your gonna review a concert, get the song names right and dont insult the crowd. I’d commend the crowd for keeping it peaceful on a hot night and a LONG wait.
PJ still kickin it 15+ years on.
Yup he was there.
I thought the sound was good seeings it had to be heard up in the stands.I was a little pissed off at the bogans who just thought “Hey a concert lets go” and tried to make everyone around them uncomfortable.But anyway Eddie was at his best and it was a great concert.
Hello dude, can i post articles to your website ? Let me know if you are interested