Vedder had funny asides throughout the evening although some people would have laughed at anything he said. He spoke about a commercial he saw for an album of Christian music and the lack of inspiration for life that songs titled “God Is In Control” and “Limit Yourself” have.
He also riffed on the idiocy of American Idol watchers inspired by something he read about thousands of people misdialing and incorrectly calling a carpet store. Sure, we all enjoy feeling better about yourselves by thinking we are cooler and superior over others by putting down what’s popular, but Vedder’s fanbase has plenty of its own idiots. Forget those dopes who yelled out requests between each song, but sitting behind me were two twenty-something knuckleheads who flew in from Dallas. When one wasn’t off at the bar bringing back the next round, they talked at the beginning of almost every song as they no doubt asked themselves, “This isn’t Jeremy, is it?”
However, the queen idiot was the chubby, 40-something, sloppy drunk who babbled with the young Texans in some deluded attempt to fool herself into thinking she was still attractive. Towards the close of the opening set over the course of four songs she announced at the end of each one her “need to pee.” She also couldn’t stay focused for longer than five minutes. During the second encore after Vedder dedicated Bruce Springsteen’s “Growin’ Up” to his brother because of how often he played it in his bedroom, a quieter moment during the song was broken by her screeching, “Is this a Dylan song?” I am no fan of the voting portion of American Idol, but Vedder shouldn’t assume he’d come out ahead in a comparison of fans.
He closed out the first set with a number of covers. He started with The Beatles “You’ve Got to Hide Your Love Away,” which he recorded for I Am Sam. He stayed in the world of film with two Cat Stevens songs from Harold & Maude. “If You Want to Sing Out, Sing Out” was particularly jubilant with Vedder’s banjo-playing and the crowd singing along. The duet of artist and audience continued with the more familiar “I Won’t Back Down” by Tom Petty and the set-closing “Porch.”
Article comments
1 - Josh Hathaway
Sounds like a great show, El B. Sadly you are too right about the behavior of fans at too many of these shows- particularly solo acoustic shows. As much as I love a good singer/songwriter showcase like this I'm not sure I could have kept from being distracted by the moron contingency. I know I would have just seethed all night and missed out on the great music.
2 - El Bicho
Josh, it was a very good time in spite the attendance of some. I blame home video, poor parenting, and general stupidity. You would have loved the young girls talking, texting, and taking photos of themselves throughout Bruce's show. It's a good thing I stopped drinking malt liquor or it could have gotten ugly on my part.
3 - Josh Hathaway
If any of that goes on at my Bruce show next Friday, I'm fucking having somebody. There will be stunned silence when he plays "Across The Border." All will stand at attention until the song is finished, at which point they may tear there clothes and weep uncontrollably.
I blame home video, poor parenting, and general stupidity.
Classic.
4 - Jordan Richardson
When I saw Pearl Jam in Vancouver, the crowd was unbelievably bad. Two teenage girls were dancing wildly the whole time in front of us as though they were at a Jay-Z show. Then there was the 40-year-old guy that kept trying to pick them up by buying them beer and giving them tokes from his joint. Ugh. Ruined a pretty wicked show for me, I have to say.
5 - Mat Brewster
Very cool ElB. Sounds like a great show with some cool choices.
Why anyone pays good money to not pay any attention to the performers is beyond me. If you talk loudly for more than 30 seconds you should get booted.
6 - El Bicho
Jordan, having not attended a Jay Z, I can't picture what you are talking about. I don't have a problem with people dancing if the music moves them. If the band is standing the whole time, it's the least that I could do. If I wanted to sit down and listen to a band, I have a CD player at home.
Mat, I don't get it either. When I saw The White Stripes a couple of years back there was this foursome gabbing away the whole time until people told them to stop. Apparently they didn't like The Stripes as much as they liked telling people they were at the show. Frakin' Posers!
7 - megan
i just don't get why you would pay money to go to a concert (or a movie) and then proceed to talk the entire time. stay home and talk - not only will you not bother me, but it's free.
8 - Donald Gibson
I traveled last year to Atlanta to see Stevie Wonder and, for much of the performance, this group of teenagers (who frankly didn't seem to even know who Stevie Wonder was) kept talking and laughing like they were at home. At one point, one of them leaned over and asked me, "So do you think this will be over anytime soon?"
Apparently he had somewhere else to go that night, but I sure as hell didn't.
9 - El Bicho
During a screening of "Kill Bill Vol. 2," one guy sitting to our right took a call. After a few moments, I said "c'mon, are you kidding me" and he finally got up and finished the call in the hallway. In the climatic scene where Bill was just about to be killed, the guy on my left answered his phone to say "I will call you back in ten minutes," which I believe is the main function of voicemail, to allow a person to leave a message so you can call them back. People suck!
10 - Jordan Richardson
"Jordan, having not attended a Jay Z, I can't picture what you are talking about."
In short, they were hip hop dancing at a Pearl Jam concert. It's a weird visual to see someone dancing that way to Yellow Ledbetter.