Oh my goodness that's so awesome! They played!!
That's great! You had an amazing time I'm sure
I translated a review from last night. It describes exactly how I felt, only I felt it 100 times stronger.
Pearl Jam
At a certain point, the registration cameras in the Ziggo Dome will turn towards the front rows. Lots of frenzied people, arms up in the air. Some arms wear four paper bands in different colors, some wear five, some even six. One band per show. These are the die hard fans, people who follow Pearl Jam all over the world. The pill was therefore the most bitter for them, after the 'soap' of the past few days with last-minute cancellations in Vienna and Amsterdam, among others.
That soap opera was the result of the poor air quality caused by smoke development at the show at Lollapalooza in Paris, which in turn was the result of the various forest fires in the region. But also partly the result of the stubbornness of the band, who want to play coûte que coûte - always. And so they waited until the very last moment to cancel, so that the fully filled square at the Ziggo Dome could turn around again yesterday around five. Luckily the sun was shining, shall we say.
Even today it is exciting for a long time whether Eddie Vedder's vocal cords have recovered to such an extent that there is a performance in it. Just after three o'clock the liberating word sounds: the show continues. Thank God, because this way this European tour will eventually have a worthy finale. And what kind.
Admittedly, when Vedder starts the show with a few semi-acoustic songs on a stool, our heart sinks. Will it be such an evening? One of wanting to, but not being able to? Nothing is less true. Especially not when guitarists Mike McCready - by far the showstopper of the evening (sorry Ed) - and Josh Klinghoffer (ex-Peppers) go completely crazy during 'W.M.A.', which they only released for the second time ever (!) in Europe. to play.
That crowd favorite is followed by 'Why Go' and 'Even Flow', with Vedder wisely deciding to leave the choruses mostly carried by the audience. After all, we still have a while, and in addition, treating ENT doctor Marco Franken (who is extensively thanked and has been given a nice place in the room) has advised 'certainly not to sing in full'. That is what Vedder adheres to. At least while it lasts…
It helps that the band organizes the show smartly, with plenty of room for vocals from the likes of Klinghoffer and drummer Matt Cameron, during rather brilliant covers of Purple Rain and Black Diamond (KISS). That way, Vedder can take some much-needed rest every now and then, and then collapse again. That KISS cover is actually the moment after which it just gets better, and better, and better.
Eddie Vedder is warmed up and the whole Ziggo Dome should know. 'Given To Fly': played and sung very strongly. Closing 'Porch'? The store is upside down. And then that encore, including the Prince cover as the ultimate highlight of the evening. A deep bow to both Klinghoffer (vocals) and McCready (guitar) are in order. If there is also an excellently sung version of 'Indifference' between the bis numbers, we thank our dear gentleman on our bare knees that that fear from earlier in the evening turns out to be unjustified.
It's nearly half past eleven when Vedder and the gang send everyone home with Neil Young's classic '(Keep On) Rockin' In The Free World'. It was suggested here and there on Twitter that, due to the many cancellations and the fact that the band has also been around for almost thirty-five years, it may well have been the last time. Nothing could be further from the truth: Pearl Jam is very much alive and even with an Eddie Vedder who is not at his best, one of the very best bands in the world.
❤
