Artists who have risen high enough on the stage to secure a spot at Fenway Park aren’t usually keen on sharing the spotlight when it’s time to perform. But in the final 10 minutes of Pearl Jam’s concert Sunday night, some of the historic ballpark’s lights illuminated the field at full power, effectively expanding the stage and drawing thousands of singing fans into the Seattle band’s performance. The first of Pearl Jam’s two Fenway shows this week culminated in a radiant trio of songs: “Alive,” a cover of Neil Young’s “Rockin’ in the Free World,” and the bluesy, crashing hit “Yellow Ledbetter.”
“Alive” in particular was a rallying cry for the group and its legions of loyal followers, who beamed while reciting “I’m still alive,” a particularly powerful sentiment as the band and its fan base will soon mark 35 years together. Shining the light on the crowd seemed to be Pearl Jam’s graceful admission that their longevity was due to a group effort; “the only reason they have us (at Fenway) is you,” lead singer Eddie Vedder said during the show’s well-lit final act. Pearl Jam’s first Fenway show in six years proved to be a spectacle of grunge and gratitude, as Vedder kept recalling “sensitive stories” that fed into Pearl Jam’s full-bodied arena rock.
He was teary-eyed as he recalled tree climbing with the late Soundgarden leader Chris Cornell before launching into the No Code song “In My Tree.” He lectured on gun laws as if issuing a disclaimer about his own views before the back-to-back gun-centric songs “Glorified G” and “Jeremy.” Before performing the newer song “Something Special,” he suggested the song could be for fathers and daughters, mothers and sons, a mix of all of the above, or even for “childless cat ladies.”
Yet Vedder’s constant commentary did nothing to soften Pearl Jam’s notoriously fractious domain. Lead guitarist Mike McCready still had his guitar on his neck during “Even Flow,” his fingers flying with smooth precision while he flaunted his detachment like an accessory (“it’s like letting an animal out of its cage,” Vedder noted). “Blood” remained a blistering cascade of alternative rock intensity, as did the charged number “Rearviewmirror.” And “Better Man” evolved from an acoustic stew into a humming stadium sing-along that easily could have been the highlight of the show.
In terms of the actual significance of the new album, Dark Matter, in the context of Pearl Jam’s catalog, the band has chosen this record over all others, packing tracks like “Wreckage” and “React, Respond” – along with references to Tim Wakefield, Kevin Youkilis and Jason Varitek – between more established tracks from “Vitalogy” and “Ten.”
But don’t try to figure out which Sox legend Vedder was referring to with his No. 34 jersey. The shirt was a nod to the number of shows the band has played in Massachusetts, the first of which was just a stone’s throw away at 15 Lansdowne St. (then the address of Citi, now home to the House of Blues). Despite 34 wild years — and local performances — Pearl Jam made it clear that the band is still counting its blessings.
PEARL JAM: DARK MATTER WORLD TOUR 2024
With Glen Hansard
On Sunday at Fenway Park; Pearl Jam returns to Fenway Park on Tuesday with Glen Hansard
