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05/14/2024

Pearl Jam at the Moda Center on 05/10/24

By Brent Angelo (with PHOTOS, REVIEW AND VIDEO)

Pearl Jam returns to Portland and shows they still have alot to say

The music world has really changed since Pearl Jam first started in the early 90s. When the band first burst on the scene as part of the exploding Seattle music scene with bands like Nirvana and Alice In Chains, they became radio favorites, and their videos would dominate MTV. Videos like “Evenflow” offered glimpses into their raw live shows and a conceptual video like “Jeremy” offered a deeper dive in their song writing.

The record business thrived with bands like Pearl Jam. Their albums sold well, and their music was in heavy rotation on radio and MTV. Music then went through its changes in the early 2000s. Music media options like vinyl and CDs soon would shift to digital formats and now music has become dominated by streaming services like Spotify.

I remain a music buyer and supporter of both the music artist and the record stores. We need to support both. With that, I bought Pearl Jam’s newest release, Dark Matter. The cd format is in a stylish book form, including beautiful artwork and I started taking in the lyrics when I first listened to the album. It got me thinking. How many people still do this? With a band like Pearl Jam, these song lyrics are deep, even poetic. These words are at the heart of what makes this band great.  

The Pearl Jam show at Moda was sold out and for good reason. In support of their new release, Dark Matter, the band would play most of their new album live. “Wreckage” was a standout in my opinion and sounded wonderful live with band vocals that shined even brighter than the recorded version. With these songs still all very new, the band would get respectful applause from the crowd. Songs like “Evenflow” on the other hand would get the crowd really going and “Daughter” for one would get the crowd singing loudly along.

Pearl Jam has a special chemistry in concert. The band consisting of Eddie Vedder (vocals), Jeff Ament (bass), Stone Gossard (guitars), Mike McCready (guitars) and Matt Cameron (drums) remain a force in concert. They have survived through changes in music over the years and continue to be a band you can still count on live. Pearl Jam remains personal with their audience, up close and honest. They share their concerns, voice their opinions on the issues, and try to help where they can.

Eddie Vedder for one remains one of music’s best lead singers. His singing voice is captivating. In 2016, Peter Gabriel and Sting toured together, and they played a show in Seattle at Climate Pledge Arena. At the show, Eddie made a surprise appearance singing with both. When he walked out for the first time, the vibe in that room completely changed. It was magical the vibe he brings and especially when he started to sing.

I feel like this show came and went too fast. As I listen to the record more, I get a deeper appreciation for the music. It continues to grow on me. The live version of “Wreckage” really got my attention and remains my go to on the record. I wish I had more time to get more appreciation for the new songs to fully take in what I just saw.

Overall, Pearl Jam put on a great show at the Moda Center. There is still a special quality when these musicians come together and play as a band. You can watch someone like Mike McCready and see just how much he loves to play. Pearl Jam remains inspired, still playing with passion and heart. They gave their loyal fans a good selection of fan favorites and strongly supported the new ones in the setlist including some covers along the way.

So, if you haven’t, go down to your local record store and pick up the new record. Put on some headphones and take in all that new music Dark Matter offers and absorb those new lyrics while you're at. Pearl Jam is a band that still has a lot to say. 


Pearl Jam
Moda Center
Portland Oregon
05-10-24

Setlist

Release (tour debut)
Nothing as It Seems (tour debut)
Present Tense (tour debut)
Given to Fly
Scared of Fear
React, Respond
Wreckage
Dark Matter
Daughter
Not for You (tour debut; with "Modern Girl" by Sleater-Kinney)
Even Flow
Seven O'Clock (tour debut)
Upper Hand
Waiting for Stevie (live debut)
Running
Last Exit (tour debut)
Porch
Encore:
I Won't Back Down (Tom Petty cover)
Mind Your Manners (tour debut)
Do the Evolution
Crazy Mary (Victoria Williams cover) (tour debut)
Once (tour debut)
Alive 
Footsteps (tour debut)
Setting Sun

Fan filmed samples from the show

Pearl Jam "Release" Portland OR - 5/10/24 Live

Pearl Jam "Wreckage" Portland, OR - 05/10/24

Pearl Jam - Even Flow, Portland OR, 5/10/2024 Live

Pearl Jam "I Won’t Back Down" Portland, OR 5/10/24 

Pearl Jam "Footsteps / Setting Sun" 05/10/2024 @ Moda Center Portland, OR

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