The state of love and trust from a lifelong Pearl Jam fan

Pearl Jam is still alive but Cleveland fans wouldn’t know better considering it’s been exactly a decade and a half (May 9, 2010) since the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame act came to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame town. @lll

👉 Click Here to read in detail 👈

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Pearl Jam is still alive but Cleveland fans wouldn’t know better considering it’s been exactly a decade and a half (May 9, 2010) since the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame act came to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame town, for a show at the venue then known as Quicken Loans Arena.

For a band given to fly around the world for decades on massive tours, the omission is disconcerting to those local folks who early on perhaps supported the band at a 1992 Peabody’s Down Under show or 1994 Cleveland State University Convocation Center concert.

As a diehard Pearl Jam fan with 43 shows under the belt, there are a few theories why Eddie Vedder and company have consistently played Midwest gigs road-trip distance from Northeast Ohio without booking a Rock Hall City gig.

The touring shift began around 2013 album “Lightning Bolt.” In addition to its supporting tour, including shows in Cincinnati and Detroit (I was in attendance for both), the band booked a Wrigley Field show in Chicago (I was present).

While the band always enjoyed a rabid fanbase willing to travel, the stadium show revealed a different business model.

By the mid-teens, sold-out stadium tours started, including the 2018 “The Home Shows” in Seattle (I was present for both with family in tow), which allowed the band to play less dates to basically the same number of fans compared to a full tour.

While those massive gigs have continued post-pandemic, last year again at Wrigley Field (ahem, present) and Fenway Park, the group has returned to arenas on short runs while eschewing Northeast Ohio for whatever reason.

The trend continues this spring with the band playing two Pittsburgh dates May 16 and 18 at PPG Paints Arena.

One could argue Cleveland is due but then again that was true a decade ago.

Pearl Jam guitarist Mike McCready in 2024 at Wrigley Field in Chicago. (John Benson/cleveland.com)John Benson/cleveland.com

HEARING FOOTSTEPS -- AN AGING BAND’S SETLIST

Something else that’s changed with Pearl Jam post-pandemic is its setlist.

Once Springsteen-like, coming in around three hours and 30 songs, the band has consistently stayed around the 24-song mark.

It’s a curious change for a group big on giving fans a different and unique set every night.

Sure, you’re going to get a handful of selections out of the must-play pot (“Alive,” “Even Flow,” “Daughter,” “Porch,” “Corduroy,” “Given to Fly”) but if you’re lucky your show includes deeper gems such as “Hail Hail,” “Inside Job,” “Garden,” “In Hiding” or “Indifference.”

Pearl Jam at Wrigley Field in Chicago. (John Benson/cleveland.com)John Benson/cleveland.com

WHY GO

While compared to other acts, the two-dozen mark is notable.

For proof of Pearl Jam’s catalog commitment look no further than its 2024 “Dark Matter Tour,” which included 37 shows (I was in the pit for a combined four dates in Los Angeles and Chicago).

Courtesy of Setlist.fm, the band performed roughly 140 songs.

For comparison sake, Springsteen and the E Street Band’s 2024 tour featured 48 dates with nearly 100 songs played (kudos to the Boss, a young 75-year-old).

WISHLIST

The point is Pearl Jam continues both literally and figuratively to do more with less, which is why fans travel to see the act perform.

And that’s why I’ll once again be putting the pit in Pittsburgh with my arms raised in a V for Vedder hoping we get a killer “State of Love and Trust.”

If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

👉 Click Here to read in detail 👈

Miatamil

Listed here the latest Trending News