Pearl Jam
Climate Pledge Arena, Seattle, WA
05.28.24
There was a point near the end of Pearl Jam’s stunning, 2.5 hour performance at Climate Pledge Arena – the band’s first Seattle show in over six years – where Mike McCready busted out a worn, paint-peeling guitar. For the last four songs, McCready made that guitar sing, while Eddie Vedder’s timeless vocals echoed in the rafters. That guitar served as a fitting visual representation for the band itself: weathered and well-traveled with the inevitable erosion of time beginning to show itself, but my oh my, sounding as timeless, brand new, and energetic as ever.
On the same day that Seattle officially made May 28th “Pearl Jam Day”, the Dark Matter Tour was nothing short of a cosmic experience, a culmination of decades of musical mastery under one celestial roof. As a band that has weathered the ever-shifting tides of rock ‘n’ roll for over three decades, Pearl Jam has emerged not just as a band, but as an institution. Worldwide icons, without question, and local heroes many times over. And at their first of two sold out Seattle shows, they proved once again that time has only enhanced their sonic prowess.
Beginning the show cloaked in shadow and taking healthy swigs of wine, Eddie Vedder’s iconic voice reverberated through the arena with the first notes of “Release.” Immediately, it was clear that Pearl Jam had lost none of their edge. Despite the aforementioned passage of time, their sound remains as potent and relevant as ever as the roar of 14,000 fans in attendance would attest. The opening chords of “Given to Fly” sent waves of nostalgia crashing over the audience, as any local old enough to remember likely had memories of the band giving out tickets to their arena show for “Yield” under the matching Seattle street signs. When Eddie paused to remark, “Look at us, we’re home,” the audience’s bombastic applause provided steadfast, grateful agreement.
2.5 hours is quite a Herculean length for a set, but when we’re talking about a band who has churned out classics for three decades, it was only enough time to scratch the surface. It wasn’t just the classics like “Even Flow” and “Daughter” that stole the show. Tracks from their latest album, “Dark Matter,” showcased a band still unafraid to push the boundaries of their sound. Songs like “Dark “Matter and “Setting “Sun pulsed with a renewed energy, proving that Pearl Jam is far from content to rest on their laurels.
As with every album in their discography, there were moments of elegiac calm amidst the driving rock. Eddie taking center stage with “Just Breathe” and paying tribute to the late Bill Walton with “Man of the Hour” were nothing short of truly beautiful.
In the end, Pearl Jam’s performance at Climate Pledge Arena was more than just a concert—it was a celebration of resilience, of passion, of the enduring power of music to unite and inspire, and it was impossible not to feel grateful for the opportunity to bear witness to such greatness.
As the night drew to a close, fellow local band and brilliant tour opener, Deep Sea Diver, joined onstage for a tribute to Bob Dylan and Jimi Hendrix in a thrilling cover of “All Along the Watchtower,” McCready’s well-loved guitar in hand. “Yellow Ledbetter” and “Setting Sun” finished the night on the perfect tone. With each note, each chord, Pearl Jam reaffirmed their status as one of the greatest rock bands of all time, a force to be reckoned with both on and off the stage.
Pearl Jam is home, indeed.
Photos and Review by Sattva Photo
