Pearl Jam performs at the United Center in Chicago on Sept. 5, 2023. (Photos Courtesy of United Center/Kena Krutsinger)
On Tuesday, Sept. 5, Pearl Jam returned to Chicago – a place where Eddie Vedder (vocals/guitar), Jeff Ament (bass), Stone Gossard (guitar), Mike McCready (guitar) and Matt Cameron (drums) haven’t hosted a concert in over five years – to perform the first of two sold-out shows at the United Center. Being that Vedder was born in Evanston, IL, the night had a homecoming vibe complete with ample opportunities to wax nostalgic about the people, places, and experiences that helped shape the greater Pearl Jam family.
It quickly became clear that looking back on life, and the lives of those around us, would be a theme throughout the show. Rather than reveling in the sense of vindicating clarity that comes from ridding yourself of a past toxic influence, as described in the Vs. track “Rearview Mirror” – which closed the set in a fiery blaze of glory and was dedicated to a fan who recently lost his battle with cancer – Vedder and company reflected on a variety of loving relationships and basked in the beauty of human connections from the past, present and future.
The show began with the band members sitting down for a short set of slow-burners that kicked-off in the best way possible, with an impassioned version of “Release” that resonated across the stadium as every single fan sang at the top of their lungs.
“Damn it, we feel so blessed to be back in Chicago,” said Vedder soon after. “Obviously, a lot of family and friends [are] in the audience tonight. And family that became friends, friends that became family. And so many people in the front row [who] I see more than my family at this point so I guess you qualify.”
Pearl Jam performs at the United Center in Chicago on Sept. 5, 2023. (Photos Courtesy of United Center/Kena Krutsinger)
One of the reasons the show had an especially sentimental undercurrent was because, only the day before, Vedder attended a memorial up in Evanston for his “great” Aunt Sandy.
“One of the biggest hurdles we all have to face the longer that we live, is that the people around us, some of them are not as fortunate to be able to continue to live next to us, and with us, and in front of us, behind us. They just kind of become inside us and above us,” he said introducing “Light Years” in his aunt’s honor.
Up next, “Even Flow” set the stage for one of the best jams of the night with McCready playing a wailing guitar solo, behind his head, as Vedder waved to fans in the seats behind the stage. Elsewhere, Cameron created a ritualistic rhythm that drove the No Code track “In My Tree” to a spiritual place and “Corduroy” found McCready, Ament, Gossard and Vedder coming together in ferocious moments of instrumentation. The wizard of the keys, Boom Gaspar, and Josh Klinghoffer – who spent most of the night sharing percussive elements and pitch perfect backing vocals, most notably on “Dance of the Clairvoyants,” rather than the face melting guitar solos for which he’s best known – added to the engulfing sounds emanating from the stage.
Celebrating all things Chicago was another thread connecting the show from start to finish. From shouting out local sports heroes like Michael Jordan, Mike Ditka and Chris Chelios – who made a cameo appearance as Vedder’s guitar tech – to paying tribute to Rockford, IL’s finest, Cheap Trick in the encore, Pearl Jam took every opportunity to spotlight the city’s finest. When introducing “Animal,” Vedder explained how the FX series The Bear – which is set in Chicago and features the Vs. hit – authentically captures the experience of restaurant employment.
“Jeff [Ament] said this song in particular was one of the coolest uses of our music connected to a visual he’s ever seen. So in tribute to The Bear tonight we play with that in mind,” he said.
Pearl Jam performs at the United Center in Chicago on Sept. 5, 2023. (Photos Courtesy of United Center/Kena Krutsinger)
Before beginning the encore with a tender take on “Throw Your Arms Around Me,” Vedder shared a story about the experience of returning to the apartment building where his grandmother used to live – “the sun that all the planets revolved around” – which he visited the day before the show. He marveled at the lives that had been shaped by the building and introduced a father who raised his own family in the very apartment that meant so much to Vedder and his loved ones. It was hard to hold back tears as the father, clearly touched by the experience, was seen beaming with pride on the big screens as Vedder described the man’s family including his youngest child who was soon leaving for med school.
“Inside Job,” “Wishlist” – performed with the band facing the fans in the back – and “Better Man” were further standouts of the encore.
Life is fleeting, but that doesn’t mean we have to wallow in stress or sadness. As Pearl Jam demonstrated on Tuesday night, every day – whether it’s spent honoring the life of someone who’s no longer with us or meeting new friends – is something to celebrate.
Pearl Jam will return to the United Center for a second show on Thursday, Sept. 7. Click here to pick-up tickets to future tour dates and more information about upcoming events at the United Center can be found at LiveNation.com.
(Photos Courtesy of United Center/Kena Krutsinger)