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Editor’s note: Maine Campus staff members Marshall Dury and Tracy Collins visited Boston, Mass., this past Tuesday evening to witness Pearl Jam in concert. The following express their opinions on the show.
Marshall Dury: Pearl Jam took to Boston on Tuesday, Sept. 28, and let me tell you – it was a sight to be seen.
Tracy Collins: Especially if you made it for Eddie Vedder’s preset. I, of course, was stuck in a horde of people trying to buy a T-shirt from a man who couldn’t quite understand that I wanted a men’s medium, not a women’s medium, but even from outside the seating area, Cat Stevens’ “Don’t Be Shy” had me squirming from the get go. As is usually the case with Eddie’s choice of artistic expression, the choice of the Cat Stevens tune was more than just for melody, and the follow-up, the Beatles’ “You’ve Got to Hide Your Love Away,” had the crowds rushing from outside the stage area to catch the first glimpse of Eddie on what was to be a rocking opener leading up to the Vote for Change tour.
MD: After partaking in the atmospheric, emo-rock that is Death Cab for Cutie, everyone in the Fleet Center was loud with anticipation. When the lights dimmed, the darkness erupted with cheers and whistles, as Pearl Jam opened their set with the dream-like soliloquy of “Release.” Characteristically calm at the beginning, Pearl Jam followed up – true to form – with the punchy and abrasive “Last Exit,” “Hail, Hail” and one of my personal favorites “Save You.” The ball was rolling on the rocking.
TC: And rock they did. Hard. So hard that the entire first set kept arms in the air and feet pounding the concrete as the band wailed through “Do The Evolution” and “Dissident” to an Avengers cover, “The American in Me.” So hard that even veterans to the show were surprised at how drained the first set had left them. But how could you not be sweating after “Given to Fly” and jumping in tempo to the best version of “Evenflow” I’ve heard yet. After Mike’s guitar solo, which even I, an amateur guitar-listener at best, could appreciate, you couldn’t help but justify why rockers have elevated to a status close to royalty in America. These six musicians warranted it, and by the end of “Evenflow,” they had us right where they wanted us.
MD: From the indulgence of the guitar playing in “Evenflow,” Pearl Jam introduced the B-side “Down,” noting the historian and Boston activist that the song was centered around – Howard Zinn. Before launching into the upbeat, high-powered song, Zinn came out and imparted some words of wisdom to the crowd: “Hi. Stop the war!” What followed next was one of the band’s most well-known earlier hits, “Jeremy.” Overplayed on radios across the country, this single took on new meaning live. The singing was perfect – with Eddie’s wails – and the guitar playing was nothing short of awe inspiring.
After a short encore break, Pearl Jam came back to start their acoustic set, beginning with bassist Jeff Ament’s “Low Light.” The slow pace and energy-filled song set the stage for the acoustic set. Quickly following was Bob Dylan’s “Masters of War,” certainly the most politically charged song of the evening – as Pearl Jam bit their thumb at the industrial complex that has created the war raging in Iraq. Political statements aside, the song was the only lyrical mention of partisan politics, as Pearl Jam is known for supporting the progressive cause.
TC: We absorbed the political tone respectfully and the men on stage rewarded us with one we all knew all the words to: “Small Town.” Eddie belted it out and we did, too. Back and forth, the band rocked like it was playing for a small crowd of friends and the thousands in the audience sang like we all had mics and the gift. It was Boston; outside, we ignored each other passing on the street as rain poured down on us and we may have afforded strangers eye contact and a polite smile at the pub while we were counting the minutes to the concert, but we knew everything would be different under the FleetCenter roof. “I just want to scream, hello,” and we did it as loud as we could for the six on the stage. As usual, Pearl Jam gave the gratitude right back to us. Because it is an equal opportunity band, Eddie explained, they played one for the back: “Last Kiss.” A few of us moaned inside at this one, which was one for the radio if nothing else, but the guys reminded us why we love them so with a chilling rendition of “Crazy Mary.” It’s no surprise that the music sounded fiercer live, amplified by the intense motions of the men on stage, but even the lyrics seemed to mean more in Boston than they do coming out of the stereo in a dorm room: “That which you fear the most could meet you halfway.”
MD: After another short encore, the band waded into a chilling and emotional version of “Love Boat Captain,” showboating every members dynamic in the band – even Boom Gaspers. A longtime staple for Pearl Jam concerts made an appearance as Eddie employed the fans in the arena to help him sing the entire first verse and chorus of “Betterman.” The last two songs of this encore ended on a note that can only be understood after experiencing the concert. A cover of The Dead Kennedy’s “Bleed For Me” helped show Pearl Jam’s wide range of talent – adding a metal feeling to a common viewed “classic rock band.” The encore ended with “Blood,” off of their sophomore release “Vs.” With that the lights dimmed, but not for long.
Soon Eddie was back on stage with the Fleet Center house lights on. He informed every listening fan that the proceeds from the two Boston shows (including Wednesday’s) would go to benefit the defense cases of the West Memphis Three. Giving a brief history of the details surrounding the wrongful incarceration of the three men, Eddie invited the rest of the band back onto the stage. They ended their last encore with the ripping riffs and scorching solos of “Alive,” one of their better-known, early singles.
What is most commonly looked at as a single experience of going to a concert can frequently turn into an evening to never forget. The music, impassioned singing and charged energy of every band member and fan in the Fleet Center made the first of the two shows something few will forget.
Marshall Dury is the editor in chief of The Maine Campus. Tracy Collins is the production manager.
