Pearl Jam - Manchester MEN - Wed 22 June, 2012

Pearl Jam first played Manchester 20 years ago. They played ten songs, which was all they knew. “We know more than that now and there are more people here” so said Eddie Vedder during the  two hour plus, curfew busting, rock n roll extravaganza  that we witnessed at the sold out MEN Arena on Wednesday evening. 

The evening started out with X the 35 year old punk band from Texas. The evening was too young and the venue to large for them to make any real impact but, they played a solid 40 minute set of full power and a smaller venue would have been perfect. It was indeed great to see John Doe on these shores.

8.50 and the houselights dim, the PJ sign lights up behind the stage and the band stroll on and launch into ‘Release’ from debut album Ten. An intense moment and one that has the crowd singing, from the off. it’s a mark of a great band is that they don’t have to start an arena gig with a blast but, can start a gig with one of their greatest songs because there is more than enough in the locker for the rest of the evening.

‘Do the Evolution’ from Yield and ‘Corduroy’ from Vitalogy gets three albums covered in three songs and the concert is well and truly on the move. "How are you doing?" Eddie asks. "It's a question we ask of you as a collective, but we mean it individually." and I really do believe that they do.

These first 70 minutes are a non-stop breathless set which is very impressive after twenty years. The audience are rap in attention and enjoyment. Very little back and forth to the bars, toilets etc., which is quite amazing for such a large capacity gig.

The band storm though their back catalogue and a Buzzcocks cover, say thank you and leave the stage. I am thinking, oh well, we might just scrape 90 minutes with an encore.

The Band return with ‘Just Breathe’ dedicated to all the newly married couples in the world and this set includes a tribute to Joe Stummer by playing ‘Arms Aloft’. Heartfelt feeling towards the memory of Joe was very much in evidence. ‘Porch’ which followed was delivered with raw intensity.

Now we are edging downhill at speed towards the 11pm mark and as the band return for a Second time, a massive sing-a-long ensues to a mighty ‘Better Man’. An audience request for ‘Come Back’ from the 2006 self titled album means a change to the set list as it get played spontaneously. After an uplifting ‘Jeremy’.

Eddie makes touching reference to the tragic events in Toronto last weekend which the audience truly respect. Alive is immense (those lyrics seem so much more meaningful the older you get).

The house lights go up but there is no chance of the band leaving the stage. “We have never played this before” (?) as they launch into Neil Young’s ‘Rockin’ In The Free World’.

The band, the audience are one. Twenty years down the road it is a testament to to the band that they can still connect and still put on such a blinding performance. We look forward to the next 20 years!

Pete

Set:

Release

Do The Evolution

Corduroy

The Fixer Play Video

Given To Fly

Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town

Pilate

Even Flow

Unthought Known

1/2 Full

Insignificance

Why Can't I Touch It (Buzzcocks cover)

Immortality

Nothingman

Got Some

Why Go

Encore:

Just Breathe

Black

State Of Love And Trust

Arms Aloft (Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros cover)

Porch

Encore 2:

Better Man

Come Back

Jeremy

Alive

Rockin' in the Free World (Neil Young cover with John Doe)