Red Rag

Sunday night was probably the best night of my life.

Pearl Jam is, as Carita has suddenly discovered, the greatest band in the world, and on Sunday they played an absolutely awesome show. Their new stuff, like Love Boat Captain, 1/2 Full and Get Right blended seamlessly with classics like Daughter, Jeremy and Go.

One highlight was a plug for the Save Ningaloo Reef campaign (and, oddly enough, Geoff Gallop), which led into Do The Evolution (performed while Eddie wore a John Howard mask). Boom Gaspar’s organ was a welcome inclusion, and his solo on one track (can’t recall what it was, unfortunately) was incredible. I hope he sticks with the band.

Before the second encore we heard Crazy Mary, and when Eddie Vedder returned to the stage he announced that he had met Mark Seymour (formerly of Hunters and Collectors) during the day. They performed a duet version of Throw Your Arms Around Me, which was just unbelievable.

That led into an absolutely kick-arse rendition of Alive, which had the whole audience singing at the top of their lungs and waving their hands to the rhythm. Mike McCready’s solo was blistering. Finally, Johnny Marr (formerly of The Smiths) joined the band to cover Creedence Clearwater Revival’s Fortunate Son.

I’ve since had a few of my friends tell me, independently of each other, that it was the best encore they had ever seen. All I can say is, it would have to be pretty darned good to top what we saw and heard on Sunday night.

Still, the highlight for me, and the one image that has stuck in my mind, is Mike McCready leaping across the stage in a Pete Townshend-like flash of red.

Pearl Jam rocks.

PS: I reckon these lyrics are pertinent at the moment:

bombs dropping down
overhead, underground
it’s instilled… to wanna live
bombs dropping down, please forgive
our hometown in our insignificance

Setlist (from Five Horizons)

Long Road
Save You
Gods’ Dice
Corduroy
Given To Fly
Even Flow
Get Right
Cropduster
Jeremy
Elderly Woman
I Am Mine
Love Boat Captain
MFC
improv/Habit
You Are
Wishlist
1/2 Full
Insignificance
Go

Do The Evolution
Better Man
Daughter
Crazy Mary

Throw Your Arms Around Me (w/Mark Seymour)
Alive
Fortunate Son (w/Johnny Marr)