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Pearl Jam Pleases Amphitheatre
Toronto
July 7, 2003
A summer’s eve on the lawn. Skin-eroding heat. Birds on kamikaze missions for the discarded pizza boxes. Water bottles served inexplicably without their caps. White boys with dangerous tans and dreadlocks. Pastoral girls imported from Dead shows. Not so illegal pot making the rounds. And adding a bit of dread to the oppressive heat, smoke rising and blanketing the city to our north in black, distressing billows. And it seems that everyone has a lawn ticket. We’re waiting for Pearl Jam.
Eddie Veder took the stage a la Dylan complete with harmonica and sang "You’ve Got to Hide Your Love Away". Where’s show opener the Buzzcocks? Never mind, Veder turns out a solid performance that is ultimately a cheap ploy to get people to their seats (and on their feet) for the Buzzcocks.
Their performance easily rendered all latter day punk acts redundant. Yet their fevered non-stop assault with barely a pause between numbers made for an ultimately forgettable set lacking in depth or variety. Perhaps in a smaller venue with a not so single minded audience and a bit more time the Buzzcocks could display more personality.
Despite inconsistent studio work Pearl Jam is unquestionably a powerful and exciting live act. Pure fun. And this show easily confirmed that. Knowing what’s coming their audience needs no warming up, reaching a delirious frenzy upon the band taking the stage, which ultimately brought the show to a prolonged standstill. This is good news for the band; either they feel they must rise to the adulation or are instantly inspired by the crowd. And most remarkable here is the particular attention paid to Veder by the predominantly male audience. University boys strutting about with their cut-off shirts and jock-esque fraternization chanting "Ed-die Ed-die" at every possible opportunity. Now maybe it’s just me but given that the concert occurred during the middle of Toronto’s Pride weekend, this was a most delightful and intriguing phenomenon.
The set drew mostly from recent releases; material that benefits greatly when freed from stifling, meandering albums. In fact, half the songs performed were numbers I didn’t know. Given that Pearl Jam performs with such focused intensity, and is clearly having a blast, any song is welcomed including the numerous covers that peppered the set. CCR’s ‘Fortunate Son’ capped off a well received slam of the Bush Administrations’ fear mongering; set closer ‘Baba O'Riley’s (complete with, to the glee of Veder, fireworks from Ontario Place) ‘Rockin' In The Free World’; the Ramones ‘I Believe’; and Victoria Williams’ ‘Crazy Mary’.
To discuss the remainder of the set list is unnecessary and misses the point. Pearl Jam brings rock & roll back to its proper live setting with awesome ensemble playing characterized by conviction, humility and, above all else, fun. A stellar evening of music.
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