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Echoes |
Topic: [Music] "Live At Benaroya Hall" - Pearl Jam
Posted: 2004-08-22 @ 22:03:24
Anyone who so much as turned on a radio, watched MTV (or its Canadian affiliate, MuchMusic), or opened an issue of Rolling Stone in the early-to-mid 90's has heard of Pearl Jam. They were the hottest thing since sliced bread. Their records went platinum in under a week, every second teenager had long hair, flannel overshirts, and ripped jeans, and then....they disappeared. They popped up sporadically on the pop culture map, with unintentional hits like "Last Kiss," and the Todd McFarlane-animated music video for "Do the Evolution." These minor commercial successes were nothing compared to the massive popularity they attained at the turn of the decade, however. So what have the venerable boys of Pearl Jam been doing the past 9 years? They have spent it being embraced by a sizable cult, supporting numerous charities, becoming a vocal opponent of George W. Bush, and more importantly, reinventing themselves musically from album to album.
In October of 2003, they announced a series of acoustic benefit concerts to support charities such as YouthCare, a Seattle-based organization that provides care for homeless teens in the area. From that, this album (it's unfair to call it a CD, as there are numerous vinyl copies available out there) emerged. It is released by the Ten Club, because Pearl Jam has not had a record label since parting ways with Sony after the release of Lost Dogs, a collection of B-Sides and rarities. As a result of the independent distribution, the digipack casing is simple and efficient, with no booklet, or credits beyond those of the Pearl Jam roadies.
A warning for those of you who idolized the Jam back in the grunge days : This is NOT your older brothers Pearl Jam. Nowhere will you find radio hits such as "Alive," "Jeremy," "Betterman," or even "Do the Evolution." Conversely, what you will find is two and a half hours of great music from one of the most talented bands of the 90's.
 | new hairstyle, new music |
The pace is more subdued than most Pearl Jam concerts, as befits an acoustic show. In spite of the mellower songs, none of Pearl Jam's trademark intensity is lost on any of the songs. The set opens off with "Of the Girl," and right off the mark we are grabbed by the force of Mike Mccready's soulful guitar work ( a small note : on a few songs Mike uses an electric guitar, thus making it not a solely acoustic set). The force he puts into songs such as "Nothing as it Seems" and "Black" are nothing short of riveting. It is this amazing fret-mastery that has completely enamored me with his work. I consider him the greatest guitarist of the 1990's and will fight anyone who disagrees to the death. The concert rolls comfortably along on the wings of "Low Light," a rather lackluster performance of "Thumbing My Way" and a solid performance of "Thin Air"(relatively - there's a great misstep by the rhythm guitarist about a minute in - good times all around). Some never before played songs are thrown in for those who have followed the band, including their first new track since Riot Act, "Man of the Hour," which can be found on the Big Fish soundtrack.
The atmosphere is relaxed, casual, and easy to listen to, especially during songs such as "Around the Bend," "Sleight of Hand," and "Off He Goes." Yet one need not go far to find passion in the songs, with intensity-driven tracks such as "I Believe in Miracles," "Immortality," and "Lukin." The latter is a brilliant transfiguration of a minute long thrash punk song to a minute long acoustic gem. The best song (in my humble opinion) to be found is "Down," a B-Side from the Riot Act sessions which closes out the main set. The song is catchy, has a wicked solo, and an amazing riff. The songwriting is cute, as it showcases Eddie Vedder's do-gooder virtues like few others.
The encore starts with a few solo songs by Ed, which are unique (including "Can't Keep" on the Ukulele). They then launch into classic Pearl Jam tunes like "Daughter" and "Crazy Mary." "Black" is played marvelously, and the crowd singing along with the final few verses before Mccready's blistering solo is hauntingly beautiful. As far as a concert trademark goes, Pearl Jam has been known to cover other bands songs relentlessly, and that is no different here. Bob Dylan, the Ramones, Johnny Cash and the Beatles are all skillfully paid tribute in true acoustic fashion. The set closes with an electric version of the concert staple, "Yellow Ledbetter."
The sound quality on this recording is better than any live record I have ever heard (and that's quite a few, I assure you). Eddies voice is solid, and the both guitars come in crisp and clean. The crowd levels perfectly toe the line between not there and enthusiasm, providing the metaphorical coal for the S.S. Pearl Jam. The CD only cost me $14.75 (Canadian, no less) for 2 and a half hours of solid music, so I count it to be one of the better deals I got all summer. I recommend it to any audiophile.
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