Photo: Dyson/WireImage
Last night in London Pearl Jam broke out rarities, brand new songs and even the Rolling Stones’ Ronnie Wood. Playing in the legendary Shepherd’s Bush Empire, Eddie Vedder and Co. kicked off the evening with “Sometimes” from No Code before briefly visiting Pink Floyd’s “Interstellar Overdrive,” which served as a segue into “Corduroy.” The band then introduced “The Fixer,” the first single from their upcoming Backspacer, to the 2,000 stoked fans packed inside the tiny venue.
Get a look at Pearl Jam’s intimate London gig, in photos
Just four songs into the gig, frontman Vedder told the unsuspecting crowd, “You’re supposed to save the best for last, but we’re not,” as Wood sauntered onstage to lend his guitar skills to “All Along the Watchtower.” The group reveled in the moment while jamming out at length to the Dylan masterpiece before riding the momentum with inspired takes on old favorites “Why Go” and “Dissident.”
The energy of Wood’s appearance returned midway through the first set during “Even Flow” as Mike McCready bolstered the track with searing guitar leads and Matt Cameron added a thunderous drum solo. The band also dusted off gems including “Down,” “Present Tense” and “Low Light” for the fan club only audience. Pearl Jam introduced “Brother” and “Got Some,” two more tracks from Backspacer, at the end of the 18-song first set, separating the two with “Do the Evolution.”
See classic photos of the Rolling Stones onstage.
A solo Vedder opened the first encore with an acoustic performance of “The End,” the last track on the new album (watch it, below). The band returned for &#...
Article Source: Rolling Stone : Rock and Roll Daily